Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz Delivers 2025 State of the City Address

Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz delivered his 2025 State of the City address tonight from the 13th floor of the Tower on the Maumee, a space currently being transformed from long-vacant office space into residential apartments. The address focused on Toledo's progress, his vision for Toledo in the year 2040, and the steps needed to achieve it.

The annual address, which was live-streamed for the public, highlighted significant reductions in crime, economic development successes, critical infrastructure investments, and the need for increased housing development to expand the city’s population.

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A Safer Toledo

Mayor Kapszukiewicz emphasized the city’s continued progress in reducing crime across multiple key categories, including violent crime and property crime. Homicide rates in Toledo have declined for three straight years, falling 30% in 2023 and an additional 18% in 2024. He credited this success to an increased police presence, made possible by increasing the size of the force to 655 officers, which includes this year's 45-person police class.

The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) also played a key role in achieving these results, most notably a 50% decline in youth homicides following the expansion of the school-based violence intervention program. The office completed a comprehensive safety plan last year, which includes 42 recommendations for continued improvements to the public safety ecosystem.

The mayor cited $7.2 million of investment in youth programming as yet another contributing factor to declining crime. Over the last three years, 300 programs have provided nearly 200,000 children a positive outlet for growth, education, and entertainment.

One of the key public safety announcements of the evening was the appointment of a new safety director, George Kral, who will take office on Monday, March 10. He will replace outgoing Deputy Mayor and Safety Director Karen Poore who is retiring at the end of this month. Kral, the city’s longtime police chief, will continue efforts to enhance safety strategies, community policing, and crime prevention.

Economic Growth and Community Development

The mayor underscored Toledo’s recognition as a top city for new business investment. In a ranking recently announced by Site Selection Magazine, Toledo was named one of the top 10 cities in the nation for new business investment for the 9th time in the last 11 years.

He pointed to major projects driving the city’s economic growth, including the revitalization of the riverfront, home to transformative developments such as Glass City Metropark. Since the park’s completion, homeownership in the adjacent Garfield neighborhood has doubled, demonstrating the impact of strategic public investment.

The mayor also celebrated the recent opening of the Innovation Post, a redevelopment of the historic Jefferson Center, which now houses 170 knowledge-based workers. The transformation of the former North Towne Mall site into Mobis, a Tier 1 Stellantis supplier, brought 185 new manufacturing jobs to the city.

The city's Vibrancy Initiative has successfully leveraged $21.6 million in private-sector funding, demonstrating a strong return on public investment. This initiative has supported 18 projects, activating 132,000 square feet of previously vacant commercial property and strengthening Toledo’s neighborhood commercial corridors.

Infrastructure, Housing, and Sustainability by the Numbers

The Mayor also shared some of the city's success in improving infrastructure and removing blight.

• Roads: 114 roads to be resurfaced in 2025, compared to just 7 in 2020. Toledo’s road resurfacing has increased fifteen-fold since the passage of the Toledo roads levy.
• Blight Reduction: 300 homes demolished in 2024, 1.2 million pounds of waste removed from neighborhoods, 40 roofs replaced, 25 full-home renovations completed, and 68 emergency repairs conducted.
• Water Infrastructure: The city remains on track to replace all private lead service lines by 2026 and is set to begin improvements to the Bayview Wastewater Treatment Plant this year.
• Sustainability: A $6.1 million federal grant will fund the planting of 10,000 trees over five years, significantly expanding Toledo’s urban canopy.

Addressing Toledo’s Population Challenge

While celebrating Toledo’s progress, the mayor acknowledged the city’s biggest challenge: population decline. He emphasized that growing Toledo’s population is key to strengthening the city’s financial stability and improving quality of life. The city has identified a need for at least 10,000 new housing units to meet current demand.

Downtown Toledo remains the city’s fastest-growing neighborhood, having added more than 1,000 residents over the past two decades, even as the overall city population has declined. The mayor emphasized Toledo's vacancy rate is 30.2%, well above the national average of 20.9%. He proposed a strategic investment to help redevelop vacant downtown office spaces as a way to both increase housing supply and reduce vacancy. Modeled after an investment made by the city in the late 1990s, the mayor's proposal also ensures assets remain publicly owned, preserving long-term financial benefits.

A Call for Continued Progress

As he concluded, Mayor Kapszukiewicz reflected on his administration’s accomplishments and the need to continue building momentum for Toledo’s future. He formally announced his candidacy for a final term as mayor, vowing to keep pushing for progress, economic growth, and a stronger, more vibrant Toledo.

"Toledo is not perfect, but it is improving," said Kapszukiewicz. "We have come a long way, and we have the potential to grow into something even greater. Now is the time to take bold steps to ensure Toledo continues to thrive."