COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Hundreds of public leaders, servants, and officials gathered at Broadmoor Hall for Mayor Yemi Mobolade's halftime address, where public safety, infrastructure, and housing topped the agenda as the mayor highlighted achievements and celebrated progress at the midway point of his term.
"We are building a foundation for the next generation. One rooted in health, teamwork, and opportunity," Mobolade said.
The speech centered on weathering economic instability through growth and opportunity, drawing reactions from attendees who acknowledged both progress and ongoing challenges.
"The direction, I think, is a positive one," said City Councilman David Leinweber, who described the current situation as a balancing act.
"I think we do have some challenges that are in front of us, but I think in times like these, just that simple reminder that we have a lot of good things too," Leinweber said.
Mobolade highlighted significant investments in road infrastructure, growth in the public sector, new initiatives designed to make Colorado Springs more publicly engaging, and decreases in criminal activity and 911 response times.
Other accomplishments highlighted by Mobolade are as follows:
Public Safety
• Staffing: 250+ officers hired since June 2023; reached 800+ officers (historic high) • Crime reduction: Homicides -20%, vehicle theft -41%, property crime -16%
• Emergency response: 911 center at highest staffing since 2018 • Fire services: New Station 24; whole blood program saved 80+ lives • Wildfire: 1,900 acres treated; 3,400 homes in chipping program
Infrastructure
• Road repairs: 94,000 potholes in 2024; 52,000+ in 2025; 12 new crew members • Major investment: $820M road program (73% voter approval) • Airport: Direct flights, modern concourse, international terminal status • Parks: 3 Legacy Loop segments done; Grey Hawk under construction
Housing & Homelessness
• Housing: 7,500 single-family homes permitted/built; 1,700 affordable units
• Outreach: 1,100+ encampments cleared; 3,000 served through homeless programs • Winter prep: Shelter expansion underway
Economic Development
• Construction: $4.7B in new value since June 2023 • Tourism: 25.5M visitors spent $3.1B in 2024 • Business: 16 agreements = 2,700 jobs + $69M city revenue projected • Innovation: Peak Park $222M deal unlocking $1.3B investment
Community Health
• Cleanup: 9M pounds trash removed; 10,000+ miles cleaned
• Mental health: 18% drop in suicides; 60% decline in youth suicides • Programs: Keep It Clean COS, Pikes Peak Rising, expanded 988 access
One attendee expressed optimism about the public safety improvements.
"If we could put more work towards that, our better response times when it comes to the 911 operators, all that stuff is really encouraging to hear, and I would love to see those numbers decrease," they said.
However, residents and officials identified additional areas for improvement beyond what the mayor addressed.
"I think that there is a lot more that we can do with Pikes Peak in terms of offering new opportunities for outdoor recreation, tourism, conservation, and economic development," said Leinweber.
The mayor of Manitou Springs, John Graham emphasized the importance of regional cooperation:
"There's a long history there between the various city fire departments working together, so I think we can build on that."
Graham offered his perspective on Mobolade's message, noting a key underlying theme.
"I think one of the subtler messages is that we need to be guarded with how we spend public money," he said.
With two more years remaining in his term, Mobolade has time to enact the rest of what he calls his 'playbook', with his message focused on finishing strong for Colorado Springs.
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