Mayor Janet Cowell - Democratic Mayors

Mayor Janet Cowell delivered her first State of the City Address, highlighting Raleigh’s momentum, resilience, and her administration’s focus on building a more inclusive and livable city for all. Her priorities include housing, public safety, transportation, and quality of life.

The Mayor noted that since taking office, the City Council has approved developments totaling over 3,000 new housing units, including five projects with affordable housing components. To support residents experiencing homelessness, the city’s “Bring Our Neighbors Home” program is giving funds to former homeless individuals living in encampments for two years to help them get on their feet and find stable housing. So far, the program has housed 47 families, and Raleigh has allocated an additional $800,000 dedicated to prevention and stabilization efforts.

Mayor Cowell emphasized the city’s progress on public safety, including stable violent crime rates and an 18% drop in property crime. She welcomed Raleigh’s new police chief, Rico Boyce, and celebrated a recent Police Academy graduation that brought staffing levels closer to full strength. She shared that another academy is already underway and previewed upcoming budget proposals to increase pay for first responders. She also highlighted Raleigh’s growing mental health response system, including a 911 diversion program and continued investments in the ACORNS behavioral health unit.

On infrastructure and mobility, Mayor Cowell outlined key advancements in sustainable transit and federal funding, including securing $20 million to expand bus rapid transit service. The city will also distribute 80 additional e-bikes to improve equitable access to transportation. She noted the importance of regional partnerships and joint advocacy efforts with Wake County mayors to bring in additional infrastructure resources. Cowell also celebrated new parks, stormwater projects, and quality-of-life investments such as the Falls of Neuse Whitewater Park and the Smoky Hollow master plan.

Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.

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