By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin on Tuesday delivered his 2026 State of the Community Address that covered not just progress over the past year but also a candid acknowledgment of the city’s ongoing challenges.
Standing beneath the historic rafters inside the downtown Boutwell Auditorium, Woodfin told a room full of city councilors, residents, neighborhood association leaders, department heads, and others during his address which lasted just over an hour that one of the most pressing concerns facing his administration is stormwater issues.
City officials reported more than 27,000 stormwater inlets across Birmingham, with roughly one-third in need of repair or replacement. While multiple crews are working daily to address drainage issues, officials say that the scale of the need exceeds current capacity.
That may mean issuing millions of dollars in bonds to address the problem, he said.
“It’s time to go to the public,” the mayor said. “We have to put ourselves in the best position to pull in bond money to address significant infrastructure needs.”
Woodfin said infrastructure has been one of his largest investments since being elected the first of three terms in 2017.
“We have to be honest about how far behind we’ve been,” he said, pointing to long-standing infrastructure needs. “In eight years, we’ve paved more than the previous 17 years combined. That’s how far behind we were in investing in our city’s infrastructure.”
He added that $114 million has been invested in infrastructure since he took office using that amount not as a criticism of prior administrations, he said, but as evidence of the depth of deferred maintenance facing the city.
The investments have spanned street paving, sidewalks, city facilities, libraries, parks, recreation centers, police precincts and Birmingham’s 30-plus fire stations. But he acknowledged the work is far from over.
“There’s not a dollar amount that fixes every issue at once,” Woodfin said. “But we are committed to continuing investments in our city’s infrastructure.”
Education
He reiterated a theme that he introduced during his inauguration in late November: a “cradle-to-career” approach to education.
“It is not just the school system’s responsibility,” he said. “From the time a child is born until they are gainfully employed, this city has a role to play.”
Woodfin emphasized partnerships with Birmingham City Schools, the private sector and community organizations to expand early childhood education, mental health services, conflict resolution programs and financial literacy initiatives.
He highlighted continued investment in the Birmingham Promise initiative, calling tuition support and paid internships “a down payment on our future workforce.”
Education, he said, cannot be confined to “Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.”
Homelessness
Woodfin also addressed the growing visibility of homelessness across the city, noting the issue is no longer confined to downtown or the Southside.
“This is a very complex issue,” he said. “There is no one solution.”
Citing data suggesting that at least 40 percent of unhoused individuals in Birmingham may not be originally from the city, Woodfin underscored the need for regional and state collaboration.
One solution discussed in depth was the city’s “Oasis” concept — a designated public space designed to build trust between service providers and unhoused residents. The proposed 7,000-square-foot site would include storage lockers, restroom access and coordinated outreach from social service organizations.
“You can’t force help on people,” Woodfin said. “This gives us an opportunity to build trust and move people to the next level — to housing and resources — while relieving pressure on other public spaces.”
Family Fun Center
Asked about delays surrounding the long-anticipated Family Fun Center project, Woodfin said,
“If I say something’s going to happen, it should happen,” he said. “And when it doesn’t, I owe you transparency.”
He explained that rising construction costs and complications within public-private financing structures have slowed progress but reaffirmed the city’s commitment to completing the project.
“It will happen,” Woodfin said. “It’s been significantly delayed. We apologize for that.”
The evening concluded with a renewed call for community participation. From neighborhood associations to participatory budgeting initiatives engaging more than 1,400 residents — including high school students — Woodfin urged citizens to take an active role in shaping their communities.
“We are only as good as we are as neighbors,” he said. “This work takes all of us.”
