(FOX40.COM) — Mayor Kevin McCarty delivered his first State of the City address this morning at The Sofia, home of B Street Theatre. In an interview-style address, he reflected on his first 10 months in office and outlined his priorities moving forward.
McCarty focused on homelessness, housing, public safety, and youth.
“When you think about homelessness in the city of Sacramento, our homeless count has gone down 30% from 2022 to 2024. So we have made some progress in the city of Sacramento,” said Mayor McCarty.
The mayor also announced a new “Robin Moore Tiny Home Grant Program” to expand small housing units managed by churches and nonprofits. The city currently has about 1,700 beds for unhoused residents, with plans to add 500 more within the next year.
On housing, McCarty said he’ll propose a real estate transfer tax on high-volume sales to fund down payment and rental assistance programs.
He also pledged to keep public safety a top priority despite the city’s budget deficit, noting law enforcement funding has continued to increase to maintain staffing levels.
“We balanced our city budget this spring, addressing a $62 million deficit without any layoffs or significant program cuts.”
McCarty said Measure L, approved in 2022, has doubled funding for youth services and will continue supporting youth programs for at least five years.
He added that long-term funding will rely on new development projects like the downtown railyards and the future Sac Republic FC stadium.
Other updates included introducing incoming City Manager Markeisha Smith, plans to expand the American River Parkway from Freeport to Folsom by 2030, and McCarty’s push to make
Sacramento a permanent Major League Baseball city. He also noted the Sacramento Zoo will celebrate 100 years next year, with expansion plans still in the works.
Cedric Hood
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