City Manager Greg Humora

La Mesa 'State of the City' address: Crime rates drop, infrastructure work surges

Story and photos by Karen Pearlman
 
March 21, 2026 (La Mesa) -- A double-digit decline in property crime and a record-breaking year for road repairs in La Mesa were some of the highlights shared by La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis earlier this month.
 
In his "State of the City" address shared by the city on March 11 and available on YouTube here, Arapostathis said that La Mesa reported an 11% reduction in property crime alongside substantial drops in commercial burglaries and auto thefts in 2025.
 
Arapostathis also lauded the city’s development pipeline, noting the issuance of about 1,500 permits as well as the launch of five pre-approved "fast-track" ADU designs to tackle housing affordability.
 
The city shared more department highlights of 2025 on its website here.

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