“Washington Debates, Mayors Deliver”: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria Targets Progress on Housing Affordability and Public Safety for Upcoming Conference Presidency

Incoming USCM President and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria presented his agenda for the upcoming year at the helm of the organization

On the third day of the 94th Annual Meeting, America's mayors welcomed Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and continued discussions on immigration and public safety.

Long Beach, CA - Today, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria put kitchen-table issues atop his priorities for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which he'll lead as its next president. "Under the banner of the 'Mayors Deliver' agenda…we will focus relentlessly on practical solutions that improve people's everyday lives," said Mayor Gloria, who officially ascends to the Conference's presidency tomorrow, the final day of the 94th Annual Meeting. Read the full speech here.

"While Washington debates, mayors deliver," he said.

Mayor Gloria will also be the Conference's first openly gay president. His colleagues celebrated him at a meeting of the Conference's LGBTQ+ Alliance. "This conference has been proudly pro-LGBTQ long before it was safe, legal, or on most people's agenda," he said, "Let's continue to fight."

Mayors are uniquely powerful, said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker during a mainstage conversation with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, the departing president of the Conference. "It means a great deal to have a partnership with a mayor to get things done," said Governor Pritzker. "The challenges that we face as a country are ultimately challenges that you deal with on every block and in every neighborhood in your cities."

Solving challenges dominated the day's panels and committee meetings.

On public safety, mayors shared programs that are successfully lowering violent crime in cities across the country. "Job number one for any mayor is keeping our cities' residents safe," said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a mainstage panel. "And according to recent FBI reports, violent crime was down nationwide nearly 10% from 2024 to 2025, and that's because of the leadership of all of these mayors," he said.

They also traded best practices for addressing mass violence events. "Preparedness is not really an event; it's a relationship," said Santa Clara (CA) Mayor Lisa Gillmor at a panel led by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "You cannot exchange business cards during a crisis," she said.

On immigration, mayors detailed the impacts of overly aggressive federal raids. "We're all going through this," said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero in a panel she led as chair of the Conference's Latino Alliance. "Do not feel like you are in this alone."

Looking ahead to the summer's America 250 anniversary, local leaders shared plans and priorities for their cities' celebrations. "The story of America belongs to every city and every community," said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker. "And when we are through celebrating this semiquincentennial celebration, every American from rural to suburban and urban America should all know that we are a part of this story. Mayor Parker will host mayors from around the country in Philadelphia on July 1-2 for a unifying celebration of the nation's history in the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence.

Tomorrow, on the Annual Meeting's final day, the Conference will adopt the year's federal policy priorities and select the organization's new leadership, which will include the official installation of Mayor Gloria as president.

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