INDIANAPOLIS — In his annual State of the City address, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett preached working together to move forward to the future and impressed some of the latest achievements to those watching.
He discussed the city's problems with crime and infrastructure, as well as its recent economic development successes.
He pushed for increasing affordable housing opportunities in every Indianapolis neighborhood.
"It is critical that we ensure neighborhoods will continue to have housing options available for people of all incomes," he said.
Hogsett announced a $1.3 million grant to expand the city’s Mobile Crisis Assistance Team (MCAT) program, to help expand the service for people suffering from mental health disorders.
He also announced a new allocation of $55 million in tax credits from the U.S. Department of Treasury – the third such grant for the city. Indianapolis will seek new investment opportunities with the funding, he said.
Hogsett discussed the city’s decreases in violent crimes, aggravated assaults and homicides seen in the first three months of the year.
“The rate of crime in Indianapolis is on decline,” Hogsett said to a standing ovation.
According to the homicide update the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department released earlier this month, there have been eight fewer criminal homicides in 2019 than in the same timeframe in 2019.
He also unveiled his infrastructure proposal to help fix the city’s roads, a regional plan that would require approval from the Indiana General Assembly.
“Any solution must include help from anybody who uses Marion County infrastructure,” he said.
For more on the infrastructure plan, click here.
Watch the full speech below:
