Mayor's Corner: Moving Downey forward together
The past few weeks have been an exciting and productive time in Downey, with progress on public safety, homelessness, our city’s 2030 Strategic Plan underway, community partnerships and the events that make our city such a special place to call home.
This year, one of the highlights was welcoming Paralympics Ireland and its athletes to Downey for a 10-day familiarization and training camp ahead of the LA28 Paralympic Games. From August 12–22, the delegation had an opportunity to train in Southern California while evaluating our facilities, transportation, accommodations and accessibility.
This visit was especially meaningful because of our longstanding connection to Roscommon, Ireland, the birthplace of our city’s namesake, John Gately Downey (California’s seventh governor). I am proud of the warm welcome our community extended to these remarkable athletes and hopeful that Downey can become Team Ireland’s home as we prepare for LA28.
Addressing Homelessness
Our work to address homelessness also continues. Through the City’s STEP — Strategic Team for Engagement and Prevention — our Homeless Solutions Team brings together City Net, Downey Police, Code Enforcement, Public Works, Parks and Recreation to connect people experiencing homelessness with services, housing opportunities and other resources.
Over the past several weeks, our outreach and enforcement teams have continued working throughout the community, including a recent operation in which Downey Police’s Homeless Outreach officers assisted Code Enforcement with outreach and encampment enforcement.
Downey PD also spearheaded a riverbed cleanup operation last week, August 19th & 20th between Firestone Blvd, and Gardendale St. This cleanup was conducted in partnership with CHP, LA Count Sheriff’s Dept., LA County Public Works, Ocean Blue, Caltrans and LA County Homeless Services and Housing Department. Twenty (20) encampments were cleaned up and nine (9) people were connected to available services. These efforts are about more than simply cleaning up a location — they are about restoring public spaces, protecting public safety and connecting individuals with available resources and services.
Staying Focused on Our Strategic Plan
At City Hall, we remain focused on managing and advancing the City’s 2030 Strategic Plan. A strategic plan is only meaningful if we measure our progress, hold ourselves accountable and make sure taxpayer resources are being directed toward the priorities our community has identified.
That means continuing to focus on public safety, quality of life, infrastructure, economic vitality, homelessness, responsible development and preparing Downey for the opportunities ahead — including the tremendous opportunities surrounding LA28. The City’s strategic plan identifies homelessness, traffic safety, infrastructure and leveraging the 2028 Olympics as important ongoing priorities.
The strategic plan’s implementation is advancing with 40 actions actively underway, and 45 completed as of the end of the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Overall, the total completion of the strategic plan stands at 70.4%, up from 67.9% the previous quarter. For specific information on the plan, please visit the city’s website.
Public Safety: Progress Worth Noting
The Downey Police Department’s July crime report provides encouraging news while also reminding us that public safety requires constant vigilance.
Overall, traffic and parking violations increased 21%, reflecting increased enforcement and our continued emphasis on safer streets.
At the same time, Downey experienced a 39% year-over-year decrease in burglaries and a 16% decrease in motor vehicle thefts. These numbers are encouraging and reflect the hard work of our police officers, detectives and community partners. Downey PD continues its proactive approach to both crime prevention and quality-of-life issues.
Celebrating Our Downey
This past week, we also celebrated a true Downey institution — McDonald’s 73rd anniversary. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognize a business that has been part of our community’s story for generations and to celebrate the local businesses that contribute so much to Downey’s identity and economic vitality. It is the second oldest operating McDonald’s in the world!
I hope you will join us for a special community celebration, through the I Love Downey Festival scheduled for Saturday, September 19, in Downtown Downey. This year’s festival will be particularly special because we are commemorating 70 years since Downey’s incorporation as a city. The festival will feature live music, art, food, community activities, vendors and plenty of opportunities to celebrate what we love about our hometown. The official festival runs from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.; I hope to see our community come together at 4:00 p.m. for the celebration.
Seventy years is an incredible milestone. But as proud as we are of Downey’s history, I am even more excited about our future.
As we celebrate 70 years of incorporation, let us continue working together to make sure the next 70 years are even better — safer, stronger and more connected. Together, we continue building a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Downey.
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