Mayor Rex Richardson - Democratic Mayors

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson delivered his State of the City Address, announcing a series of major actions already shaping and accelerating the city’s future, grounded in the theme “A Future Built by All of Us.” The address outlined how coordinated investments in jobs, housing, culture, global events, and public safety are delivering tangible results today while laying the foundation for the decades ahead. Over the past three years, Long Beach has created more than 4,000 high-paying jobs in aerospace, clean technology, and advanced manufacturing, and Mayor Richardson announced Acceler8 by ’28, a new public-private partnership to expand that momentum to 8,000 high-growth jobs by 2028.

The Mayor also announced AnchorLB, a new economic development strategy in partnership with the Port of Long Beach designed to attract international shippers, manufacturers, logistics firms, and global partners to downtown Long Beach, strengthening job creation, office occupancy, and revitalization. He highlighted continued support for small businesses through a $9 million investment in the Back to Business program, which provides grants and technical assistance, stabilizes neighborhood corridors, and supports minority- and women-owned businesses.

Mayor Richardson highlighted progress on housing and homelessness, including more than 5,000 housing units approved and in the pipeline, an 84% expansion in shelter beds, and a $16 million Upstream LB Plan focused on prevention for vulnerable residents. He shared public safety updates showing sharp declines in homicides, shootings, and burglaries, and the first year on record with zero officer-involved shootings. The Mayor also announced the opening of the Long Beach Police Department’s new state-of-the-art Training Campus and the launch of Academy Class 100, welcoming 100 new recruits and reinforcing the city’s commitment to modern, community-centered policing.

Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.

More State of the City Addresses

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mayor Shelley Berkley

Mayor Shelley Berkley delivered her State of the City Address, looking to the future and outlining how Las Vegas will continue to be a leading city that assists those in need, creates new opportunities, and provides safe and beautiful neighborhoods and amenities. She emphasized the city’s continued focus on helping vulnerable residents through expanded services, including the MORE Team pilot program, which connects individuals experiencing homelessness with mental health professionals, health workers, and street medicine, as well as the new Community Court that prioritizes structure, monitoring, and resources over punitive approaches.

Nashville, Tennessee

Mayor Freddie O’Connell

In his State of the Metro Address, Mayor Freddie O’Connell described his vision for a Nashville that is affordable, safe, healthy, welcoming, and prosperous, a city for everyone, and emphasized that progress will be purposeful, even when it is not always loud or linear. He outlined steps his administration will take to make Nashville more affordable, including proposals to cut the grocery tax, expand access to childcare, support small businesses, create jobs, build more housing, and invest in children from birth.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Mayor Indya Kincannon

In her seventh State of the City Address, Mayor Indya Kincannon proposed a lean budget that continues to prioritize public safety, affordable housing, parks, and high-quality people-focused services. She also emphasized the importance of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars, noting that her budget proposal covers essential services without raising taxes, even as the city navigates inflation, rising costs, and broader economic uncertainty.