City of La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis presented his third State of the City address on March 25, celebrating the city’s accomplishments.
“La Mesa is in a great place today,” said Arapostathis. “Through collaboration with our community and the dedication of our staff, we’ve made great progress. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and even more excited about what lies ahead as we continue to build a city that’s strong, inclusive, and ready for the future.”
Arapostathis said the city has made great strides with the combination of the great work of city staff and community members.
Arapostathis said last year the city said goodbye to former councilmembers Colin Parent and Jack Shu and welcomed in new councilmembers Genevieve Suzuki and Lauren Cazares marking a historic moment for La Mesa.
“For the first time, the City Council of La Mesa is a majority of women, including women of color, reflecting diversity and progress in our city,” he said.
Arapostathis said in 2024 said the city continued its commitment to fostering its “culture of yes,” focusing on removing barriers and streamlining city services.
“Last year alone, the city’s Public Works Department filled 619 potholes, a 15% increase from 2023,” he said. “We also addressed 190 graffiti removal reports, keeping our city looking its best. Our commitment to city infrastructure improvements remains strong. Approximately 2.1 million square feet of roads were repaired, including University Avenue and La Mesa Boulevard. This enhances the appearance of our city streets preserving their lifespan. Our road improvements did not stop there. Last summer, we launched a resurfacing project for six high volume streets, including Jackson Drive,” adding that the city also worked on enhancing pedestrian safety, installing its first high-intensity crosswalk signal at Jesse Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard.
Arapostathis said University Avenue was heavily impacted by the January 2024 storms.
“Thanks in part to a grant fund, we began to work on the Boulevard Drive Storm Drain Improvement Project. This project will help alleviate flooding in the area,” he said.
“Thanks to the help of almost 240 volunteers, close to 1,000 pounds of litter was removed from our streets from the Litter Free La Mesa Community Cleanup events. For the first time we co-hosted two clothing swaps. More than 11,000 pounds of clothing was repurposed, keeping it out of the landfill,” he said.
Arapostathis said last year City Council adopted its 2024 Climate Action Plan update, a roadmap that will help reduce the communitywide greenhouse gas emissions, with parts of this effort including installing more community EV charging stations to support the growing demand for electric vehicles. He said the city is also committed to bike safety through educational programs.
Arapostathis said it celebrated the grand reopening of Collier Park.
“Hundreds of residents joined us for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Collier Park symbolizes the heart of our community,” he said.
Arapostathis said in public safety Heartland Fire continues to excel, responding to more than 9,700 calls last year, saving 98% of property from fire damage. Heartland also launched the Nurse Navigation Program, connecting residents with non-emergency medical needs to appropriate care options.
“This innovative program cuts down on emergency room visits and improves service efficiency,” he said.
Arapostathis said through a new search and rescue unit, Heartland now has a vehicle equipped for firefighting, search and rescue, and emergency medical responses. He said when Heartland is not responding to emergency calls, it is holding community outreach events, with its annual Pancake Breakfast hitting a milestone, serving 1,500 people.
“Last year Heartland hosted in inaugural Citizen’s Academy. This program gives participants a behind-the-scenes look at the fire department’s operations, including EMS, firefighting, and rescue presentations,” he said.
The police department has also been hard at work, said Arapostathis.
“The department saw close to an 8% increase in calls for service in the last year, including both emergency and non-emergency calls. They continue to answer 98% of 911 calls within 15 seconds, well above the state standard,” he said. “In 2024, they stepped up traffic enforcement making more than 2,600 stops for traffic violations. Over 2024, crime has reduced compared to 2023. Robberies are down more than 20%, residential burglaries have dropped by 37%, vehicle burglaries are down 43%, and auto thefts decreased by 13%. Our officer’s dedication ensures that the community remains a safe place to live, work, and play.”
Arapostathis said the Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement team made significant strides, helping nearly 130 individuals last year and connecting 22 people to permanent housing. The program expanded with two new positions, ensuring that more people in need can be supported through outreach and resources.
“We remain committed to helping unhoused individuals,” he said. “This is due to the work of our HOME team,” he said. “To build on this success, we are expanding the HOME team. This year, we have two new positions.”
Arapostathis said on the development front, the city has made great strides on the housing crisis.
“Last year we issued more than 1,700 permits and finalized more than 1,100 projects. We are proud to see affordable housing progress with one project completed and three more under construction. This will bring 278 new units including 154 affordable units to our city,” he said. “Construction of Accessory Dwelling Units are on the rise with 73 completed in 2024,” he said.
Arapostathis said the Downtown La Mesa Specific Plan is taking shape.
“This plan is a blueprint for downtown’s growth. We gathered significant community input through workshops, farmer’s markets, and stakeholders’ meetings,” he said.
The mayor said the city is supporting local businesses with the La Mesa Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program and the Façade Improvement Program.
“Last year we processed and improved close to 300 business licenses with 420 new businesses opening,” he said.
