South Bend Mayor James Mueller shared the progress the city has made in the State of the City Address.
He remarked that making the community safer includes making it cleaner and healthier.
Many of the initiatives he spoke about are in the works.
Mueller highlighted how the city saw American Rescue Plan dollars put to use.
Funding included efforts to tackle homelessness, improving entertainment options and building affordable housing.
A packed house at Casa de Amistad as Mayor James Mueller gave his third State of the City Address.
As the city is trying to rebound from historic inflation and supply chain disruptions, Mueller says more than $330 million dollars of investment into buildings and businesses has happened.
With that comes the need for affordable housing.
"Demand for housing is higher than ever. To keep prices down. We need to increase supply across the board from affordable to workforce to market rate,” said Mueller.
It also means taking care of the unhoused.
The city gave $1.5 million dollars to Motels4Now after the County Council denied its ARP funding request.
The non-profit says its services would've temporarily stopped without the money.
"We must be pushing forward. We cannot go back to large tech encampments in South Bend,” said Mueller.
Muller says the city is progressing in appointing a director for the Community Police Review Board, which will investigate complaints of police misconduct.
He's received two candidate recommendations and says he'll be meeting with them soon.
South Bend's Police Department has also moved forward in implementing its Real Time Crime Center.
Muller says the homicide solve rate is close to 80% percent which is above the national average; adding there needs continued progress on combating gun violence.
“Shootings were down in the first half of 2022 until the state's permitless carry policies went into effect,” said Mueller.
Police confiscated 538 illegal firearms, which is down from 603 the previous year.
The behavioral crisis center, one of the city's responses to increase safety during mental health emergencies, also began operating this year.
"We remain optimistic that the State house will provide the funding necessary to sustain this center into the future and that the county will reconsider its decision to withdraw from this partnership on Crisis Response and mental health,” said Mueller.
The mayor thanked many people tonight, but not before giving outgoing health officer Dr. Bob Einterz a key to the city.