MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Several hundred residents gathered in person at Vaughn Forest Church on Monday evening, with several hundred more joining virtually across social media platforms, as Steven L. Reed delivered his 2026 State of the City Address - an address centered not on headlines, but on people, progress, and what he described as Montgomery Momentum.
Mayor Reed framed the evening around a simple but powerful question: Is the work of city government making life more affordable, safer, and full of opportunity for Montgomery families?
“Momentum isn’t a slogan,” Mayor Reed said. “It’s a discipline-how we decide, how we invest, and how we measure whether government is actually working for people.”
Throughout the address, the Mayor emphasized that Montgomery’s progress belongs to its residents, not City Hall. He pointed to both data and lived experience, weaving policy outcomes with personal stories that reflected how changes at the municipal level can transform lives.
One such story was that of Sharon Motley, a Montgomery resident who spent more than a decade unable to drive because of compounding traffic fines. Through a targeted executive order that responsibly remitted certain municipal fines and fees, Sharon was able to regain her driver’s license, re-enter the workforce, and build a new career. Today, she serves as a market manager at a staffing agency—an outcome Mayor Reed described as “a system finally working the way it should.”
Public safety featured prominently in the address, with the Mayor noting continued reductions in both violent and non-violent crime since 2024. By the end of 2025, overall crime had declined by approximately 15 percent, with non-violent crime down more than 25 percent and violent crime down 12 percent. The Mayor credited a balanced approach that includes officer recruitment, technology investments, targeted enforcement, and prevention strategies focused on interrupting cycles of violence before they repeat.
The address also highlighted Montgomery’s economic trajectory. Since 2019, the city has helped deliver more than 4,700 new jobs and attracted $3.6 billion in investment, driven by growth in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and national-security-related industries. Infrastructure projects such as the Inland Port, neighborhood revitalization efforts, and workforce development initiatives were framed as tools to connect residents to long-term opportunity.
Mayor Reed underscored the visible impact of city services as well—pointing to extensive public works improvements, reopened and newly built community centers, expanded broadband access, and modernized city services like the 311 system, which now resolves nearly 90 percent of service requests within seven days.
Education, arts, and youth development were also central themes. The Mayor highlighted growing partnerships with Montgomery Public Schools, expanded career and technical education pathways, and programs like SEED Academy and YouthBuild Montgomery that equip residents—especially young people and emerging developers—with skills to reinvest in their own neighborhoods.
The address concluded with a reminder that Montgomery’s progress is measured not just by metrics, but by trust.
“Progress doesn’t belong to City Hall,” Mayor Reed said. “It belongs to the people—the workers, students, entrepreneurs, seniors, service members, and families who make this city what it is.”
As applause filled Vaughn Forest Church and messages of support continued online, the 2026 State of the City Address reflected a growing sense of shared momentum—one rooted in people, reinforced by results, and focused squarely on Montgomery’s future.
