Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward delivered his State of the City Address, focusing on delivering a safer, healthier, and more prosperous community for everyone who calls the city home. Mayor Ward highlighted how the city made progress in health care, affordable housing, public safety, and economic development.
Mayor Ward shared how Gainesville had lower gun-related deaths over the past year and credited the decrease to the collaborative efforts between Alachua County, the county commission, Santa Fe College, the University of Florida, and other community organizations. He specifically credited the formation of the Community Gun Violence Prevention Alliance, which works to find ways to decrease gun-related crime and neighborhood violence.
The Mayor noted the city’s contributions toward climate action. Last year, Gainesville secured $28 million in federal and state funding and designated a majority of the funds for the acquisition of 19 hybrid, electric RTS buses and the installation of a solar charging facility in the employee parking lot.
Mayor Ward shared that the number of affordable housing units in east Gainesville increased by building new homes on vacant lots previously owned by the city. Additionally, the city’s outreach program for homeless neighbors, the Community Resource Paramedicine Program, is staffed at the highest level it’s ever been, with a program coordinator, four emergency medical technicians, and two paramedics.
Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.
