Mayor Larry Agran delivered the 2026 State of the City Address last night, reaffirming a continued commitment to ensuring Irvine is America’s safest, smartest, greenest, healthiest, and kindest city.
Throughout his address, he highlighted efforts to expand access to health and wellness services, address food insecurity and the need for affordable housing, support a thriving business community, and ensure the City remains a welcome, inviting community for all.
Mayor Agran also shared the announcement that the U.S. Men’s National Team has chosen the Great Park as its official Base Camp Training site during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, allowing Irvine to play a vital part in one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events.
“Last year, in my State of the City report to you, I described our City’s overall condition as 'excellent,’” Mayor Agran said before a capacity audience in the Council Chamber. “Tonight, I’m pleased to report that, with hard work and focus throughout this past year, we continue to move forward — measurably improving the overall quality of life for those of us fortunate enough to call Irvine our home.”
Safest City: Mayor Agran noted that Irvine has experienced a decrease in property and violent crimes over the last year. Looking ahead, he shared his commitment to making streets and trails safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians through increased enforcement, reduced speed limits, and a proposed plan to designate select trails as free from e-bikes and motorized vehicles.
In an effort to ensure Irvine is safe and welcoming for all, he announced that the Immigration Assistance Program for Irvine Residents and Employees will launch this spring, connecting residents with legal representation to ensure their constitutional rights to due process are met.
Smartest City: Mayor Agran also highlighted Irvine's support for education and its ongoing commitment to fostering business growth through efforts such as the Irvine Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a transformational initiative designed to serve as the front door to Irvine’s innovation economy. As the City embarks on developing a comprehensive Master Plan for the Irvine Public Library, he also encouraged the community to get involved and shape planning efforts.
Greenest City: Continuing Irvine’s commitment to sustainability, Mayor Agran highlighted efforts to establish more than 500 acres of open space with the Gateway Preserve, and plant more than 60,000 trees citywide in the coming years, increasing the City’s tree canopy coverage to 30%.
In line with the City’s sustainability efforts, he also addressed the need for a comprehensive, green transit system and cited Irvine CONNECT, the City’s free shuttle system, as an important step toward meeting this goal.
Healthiest City: Mayor Agran underscored the City’s commitment to ensuring residents have access to health, well-being, and social support. An essential building block for health and wellness is affordable housing, and Mayor Agran noted that the City is on track to double its inventory, reaching 10,000 units by 2030.
Kindest City: As part of the City’s efforts to care for our community, Mayor Agran proposed a Food and Nutrition Security Plan, which would provide additional resources to scale up food production and distribution.
He also stressed the importance of modeling kindness in all facets of life and offered his gratitude to local nonprofits, houses of worship, and organizations for all they do to support the community.