Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb delivered his State of the City Address, outlining his vision for a thriving Cleveland, where every resident has access to safety, opportunity, and a quality education.
Public safety emerged as a top priority for the Mayor, where he highlighted the RISE initiative, which focuses on crime prevention and effective response strategies. Mayor Bibb shared updates about agreements with the police unions to support officer retention and recruitment. The city also established a $10 million Neighborhood Safety Fund to provide sustained support for evidence-based programs that address the root causes of violence in the community and meet residents where they are.
Mayor Bibb underscored the importance of housing reform in protecting residents and promoting equitable access to quality housing. He introduced theResidents First legislation, which aims to hold landlords accountable and close loopholes that enable predatory practices.
The Mayor announced partnerships to bridge the digital divide, with initiatives including a citywide fiber network project and collaboration with non-profit organizations to provide affordable high-speed internet access to more residents. Specifically, the city is using federal stimulus dollars to work with DigitalC to expand the broadband network, offering high-speed internet across Cleveland for just $18 a month, with availability for all residents by next summer.
As chair of Climate Mayors, Mayor Bibb is committed to ensuring federal funding benefits communities of color and those most vulnerable to climate change. The city has pledged a 50% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 and outlined plans for its waterfronts to combat flooding and extreme weather.
Watch Mayor Bibb’s full remarks here.
