South Bend Taxpayers Fund Reparations-Linked Projects

SOUTH BEND, Ind — South Bend taxpayers have spent more than $30 million on neighborhood redevelopment tied to the city’s racial reparations effort. Mayor James Mueller says that spending is expected to double in 2026.

The city has also invested nearly $60 million in West Side parks and community centers over the past several years.

The spending is part of South Bend’s response to recommendations from its Reparatory Justice Commission, which spent 18 months studying the effects of racial discrimination on Black families.

Mueller says 32 of the 38 recommendations under the city’s control are already in place or underway. The full report includes 62 recommendations covering housing, education, economic opportunity and public health.

Some proposals will require partnerships with outside organizations, while others could face federal legal restrictions involving race-based government programs. Mueller says the city will look for other ways to carry out the commission’s recommendations.

South Bend plans to provide another update on all 62 recommendations by November 2027.