Posted on 04/21/25
| News Source: WBAL
Baltimore, MD - April 21, 2025 - Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott delivered his State of the City address Monday night, in which he highlighted significant progress in reducing violent crime and outlined future plans for the city’s growth and development.
Scott acknowledged the drop in homicides and celebrated the success of Baltimore’s Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan.
“There were 335 homicides in 2020. There were 201 in 2024,” Scott said. “That’s down 40%. Shootings were down 43% over that time.”
Scott also shared improvements in other areas, including a 23% reduction in robberies, a 19% decrease in carjackings, and a 40% drop in auto thefts. He proudly stated, “Baltimore isn’t on the list” of the 25 most dangerous cities in America.
Despite those improvements, Scott emphasized that more work remains.
“This is progress, but we have more work to do,” Scott said. “We’re staying focused on the goal we set at the start: Reducing homicides by at least 15% every year. Because one life is One. Too. Many.”
Scott concluded by expressing his love for the city and said they are building something different.
“Baltimore is built different. We are building different,” Scott said. “I invite you all to build with us.”
Other topics addressed in the State of the City can be found below:
Scott announced a overhaul of the 311 system, which began with the launch of the 311 Reimagined Project in October 2024.
Scott announced the launch of the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment—MOACE—a unified office that will focus on live events, cultural workforce, creative economy, nightlife and film industry.
Baltimore has recovered nearly $700 million in settlements and legal victories tied to the opioid crisis to date.
Scott unveiled a new website encompassing the city of Baltimore, BUILD and GBC’s vision to end the vacants crisis within 15 years: Reframe Baltimore.
Scott announced that he is proposing comprehensive changes to the city’s building and zoning codes. He said the reforms will overhaul outdated standards that prevent the city from expanding multifamily housing options.
Scott announced that he signed an executive order authorizing the Mayor’s Office of Infrastructure Development to modernize its capital project delivery process. He said it will streamline project delivery, improve transparency and enhance efficiency of how infrastructure projects are planned and executed.