A Message from Mayor Stimpson - November 5
Nov 5th, 2020
Good evening,
It is 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, and I am writing to give you an update from the City of Mobile.
Today, the Mobile County Health Department reports 17,696 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 98 cases. To review the detailed report, click here.
We are continuing to make progress collecting debris from hurricanes Zeta and Sally. Public works employees and our third-party contractor are continuing to follow normal trash pickup routes. Our aim is to have the city cleared by Thanksgiving, but as we approach this date and clear your area of the city, please put new residential trash by the curb when you normally would for trash collection every other week. You can find more information about the schedule for trash pick-up by clicking here.
Today, we formally unveiled an ambitious and exciting plan to create or preserve 1,000 homes in the City of Mobile by 2026. This $15 million initiative will be funded almost entirely through grants from the federal government and public-private partnerships over the next six years.
It can be hard to fully convey the multifaceted problems caused by blight. An abandoned house is more than an eyesore. If left unchecked, blight can easily spread throughout a community. When you have a blighted neighborhood, it drives down property values and can lead to higher rates of crime. With fewer working families, there are fewer children, which can lead to school closures and consolidations.
Over the past four years, we have reduced blight in Mobile by more than 50 percent, but the programs at the center of our "1,000 homes" plan are the next step in growing our city. With an improved affordable housing stock for working families, we hope to grow our population within its existing borders.
Our hope is that, by helping to reestablish neighborhoods, we can attract new residents and families. You can find details about how we plan to reach our goal of "1,000 homes by 2026" below, and you can also find more information about some of the specific programs behind this initiative in this video.
Today, our staff also met with leaders from non-profit partners like Penelope House and Lifelines Counseling Services as part of our ongoing efforts to curb domestic violence. Our main focus in "Project ACCESS" has been identifying ways to assist victims of domestic violence as they navigate the criminal justice system and helping them access available resources in our community.
In reviewing our own practices, we saw that there were a number of places in the criminal process that left victims more likely to drop cases against an abuser or vulnerable to be targeted with violence again. By prioritizing domestic violence cases, our municipal court has reduced the time it takes for victims to see a magistrate when attempting to file charges against an abuser. We have also been working to connect victims to organizations like Penelope House and Lifelines much earlier in that process.
During my devotional this morning, I read an interesting examination of a Bible verse that I'm sure many of you are familiar with - Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."
In the book, "God Calling" by A. J. Russell, there is a footnote that says: "Can do 'all things' doesn't mean an ability to do anything you can think of." The power we receive inunion with Christ is sufficient to do His will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it."
With any endeavor, the biggest challenge we face can sometimes be within ourselves. Whatever challenges you're facing, I hope you wake tomorrow ready to meet them head-on.
Sleep tight!