President & CEO Colin Diaz (left) and Mayor Corey Woods (right); photo by Pablo Robles, Media Compass
Tempe Mayor Corey Woods delivered his fourth State of the City Address to an audience of nearly 700 at the Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU, marking the 25th anniversary of the event hosted by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. The speech focused on Tempe’s strength as a city, its leadership on national issues and future opportunities. Mayor Woods highlighted the city’s thriving performance, with Tempe ranking among the nation’s best in meeting residents’ expectations, boasting an 80% satisfaction rate with city services, which is 32% higher than the national average and places it in the top 10% of surveyed cities in America.
Key achievements in the address include a 30% reduction in homelessness through city services, increased funding for arts and early education programs, the addition of 3,500 new housing units and a total of 13,500 units either recently opened or under review. The upcoming opening of the Real Time Operations Center in February for enhanced public safety and a November bond initiative aimed at improving Tempe’s streets were also highlighted as significant milestones.
