We are working diligently to keep Concord on a solid financial foundation. By streamlining operations and stabilizing our workforce, we continue to provide essential services while ensuring that we have the financial capacity to proactively address long-term infrastructure needs.

We are moving forward with a plan to address our $25 million annual infrastructure funding gap, ensuring we can maintain the roads and facilities that keep our city running.

We are aggressively pursuing growth and making Concord a premier destination for investment.

This year, the City of Concord is launching Year 1 of our Economic Development Strategic Plan. This includes exploring a downtown business improvement district, forming a new economic advisory group, and proactively attracting target industries to strengthen our local economy.

To remain in compliance with state mandates, we are implementing 13 major housing policies to expand and diversify housing options in Concord. This builds on the work started with our Housing Element Update in 2023. 

Like most cities in California, Concord has housing affordability and availability challenges. To me, affordable housing is a quality-of-life priority. But like other cities, we are also subject to state policies that serve the same goals. This requires a balance between different interests. 

The Concord Naval Weapons Station project has been making good progress over the last few years - I helped identify a credible and viable master developer candidate. 

This year, we are pushing for significant milestones in negotiations with the Navy and our Master Developer to advance the specific plan and environmental permits for this transformative project. Those will be tackled in public discussion.

Getting this step right is important work, and it is one of our top - and ongoing - priorities. Watch for news on this. 

While our top priorities are paramount, we are also committed to these important community enhancements as resources allow:

Updating our Library: Through a Mayor-appointed ad-hoc committee, we will complete a feasibility study on expanding or replacing our city library, exploring new locations—including the Naval Weapons Station—and identifying funding opportunities.

Pro-Housing Designation: We are exploring the benefits of a state "Pro-Housing" designation for Concord to unlock further opportunities for our community. This can help us gain access to various state programs and funding, which can accelerate housing production. 

Affordable Senior Housing: We have initiated a study to understand current barriers and identify steps the City can take to specifically encourage the development of affordable housing for our seniors.