A Hopeful Look Ahead: State of the City 2025

Yesterday I attended Mayor Carter’s State of the City event, held at the beautiful new North End Community Center. The room was full, and we were warmly welcomed by children from a nearby school – a meaningful reminder of why our work matters. City Council President Rebecca Noecker opened the event by outlining the Council’s 5 priorities: more housing at all income levels, economic development to grow the tax base, climate action, fiscal resilience, and public safety.
 
Mayor Carter followed with his signature eloquence, reaffirming that “public safety is our uncontested top priority.” The numbers tell a hopeful story: as of April 2025, non-fatal shootings are down 73%, with zero gun-related homicides this year. Thefts and carjackings both have declined significantly. Just last week, SPPD Western District Chief Stacy Murphy noted the city’s overall crime index is down 23.4% year-to-date, with marked improvements around Snelling and University. An intentional combination of improved technology, increased enforcement, and partnerships with Metro Transit Police are making a difference.  

Mayor Carter also emphasized the urgency of downtown revitalization, acknowledging declining real estate values, vacancy, and the challenges of remote work. His message: “we’ve got a long way to go but we’ve also got a lot to work with.” And he’s right–momentum is building, from the RiverCentre complex “generational reinvestment,” the proposed CUB tax credit, the exciting adaptive reuse of some downtown buildings, a significant housing/retail project being considered next to Central Station, and the proposed rent stabilization amendment (which your Chamber supports). I look forward to these projects being announced and coming to fruition. Downtown property owners and businesses alike continue to feel the pain right now, and hope has been in short supply.
 
See you in the trenches,
B

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Chamber Check-in 4/15/25