Safest, Smartest, Greenest, Healthiest, and Kindest City: Agran Delivers the SOTC
Mayor Larry Agran delivers his annual State of the City address at Irvine City Hall on March 11, 2026.
Photo credit City of Irvine
Mayor Larry Agran delivered his annual State of the City address at Irvine City Hall on March 10, checking in on his five-part vision for making Irvine the safest, smartest, greenest, healthiest, and kindest city in America. He shared mostly good news, with one sharp detour into federal immigration policy and an admission that Irvine’s traffic must be addressed.
On safety, Irvine once again claimed the title of America's safest city for its size for violent crime. This is the 21st consecutive year for Irvine to win that title. In a city of 330,000 residents, there were zero criminal homicides in 2025, overall crime dropped 5%, and property crime fell 16%. Traffic was a mixed bag: six fatalities, down from seven, and no pedestrian deaths, but serious injury accidents went up. The city is responding with lower speed limits on dozens of streets and stepped-up enforcement against street racing.
Agran spent considerable time on immigration enforcement, showing footage of what he described as seven federal raids in Irvine over the past year. He said agents arrived without judicial warrants, broke car windows, and detained 12 residents. Irvine police, he was clear, will not participate in federal immigration enforcement. In February, the City Council approved the new Irvine Immigrant Assistance Program, which will connect residents with legal representation. The program will launch this spring.
On the environmental front, the All-American Asphalt plant in North Irvine has been fully dismantled, replaced by the new Gateway Preserve. This woll add more than 500 acres of city-owned open space. A newly adopted Urban Forest Master Plan calls for planting 60,000 additional trees citywide over the coming years. The current goal is 30% canopy coverage of the city by 2050.
Transit got its own moment of attention during the address. Agran called the absence of a real citywide transit system Irvine's biggest long-standing flaw. He pointed to the free Irvine Connect bus program as proof that short headways and zero fares actually work. He wants to expand Irvine Connect citywide and extend it to both UCI and Irvine Valley College. Although he called it a heavy lift, Agran said the city should stop stalling and do it.
Agran closed on health and kindness, announcing the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team will train at the Great Park during the FIFA World Cup. The new city-owned field house, opening later this year, will provide residents with 10 multi-use courts, 10 badminton courts, a multipurpose room, office spaces and a food court. Agran also highlighted plans to bring a food and nutrition security plan to the City Council before year's end. On affordable housing, the city says it's on track toward its goal of 10,000 units by 2030.
Miss the SOTC? Watch it online.