Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan delivered her final State of the City Address, reflecting on 12 years of transformation defined by resilience, innovation, and community engagement. Mayor Sheehan’s leadership has been rooted in her deep love for Albany, a love that empowered her and the city’s workforce to see challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities to grow and thrive.
Under Mayor Sheehan’s leadership, crime has fallen by 21% since 2013. She was pivotal in attracting the state’s largest Crime Analysis Center to the Albany Police Department Headquarters. The Mayor also reinforced the city’s commitment to community policing through initiatives such as crisis case workers, the LEAD program, the Community Liaison Program, and efforts led by the Neighborhood Engagement Unit.
Recognizing the importance of quality, affordable housing, Mayor Sheehan facilitated the development of $620 million in new market-rate housing, resulting in 2,773 new units since 2014. During the same period, $527 million was invested in subsidized housing, creating 2,330 new units. To further support homeowners, the city issued $14 million in rehabilitation grants to 617 homeowners and provided $1.7 million in grants to assist new homeowners in purchasing their homes.
Mayor Sheehan also prioritized access to world-class amenities and an improved quality of life. Since 2014, the city has invested $16.6 million in parks and recreation equipment, including the construction of the new Lincoln Park Pool, the Albany West Community Center, and the Albany South Recreation Center. The Mayor also secured more than $1 billion in public and private citywide investment since 2014 and helped push Albany’s population above 100,000 for the first time in decades. The city’s tax base has grown by 75%, while the taxation rate has been reduced by 36%.
Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.
At a time when our rights, freedoms, and futures are under threat, Democratic Mayors are showing the nation what real leadership looks like.
