Since taking office in January 2023, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has pursued an ambitious citywide development agenda — one that touches every neighborhood in Jefferson County. From a new public pool in West Louisville to road improvements in the East End, from 7,000 units of affordable housing created or preserved to a 40 percent drop in shootings, the results of his first term are reshaping what Louisville looks like and feels like for the people who live here.
In his February 12, 2026 State of the City address, Greenberg laid out both the progress made and the road ahead, framing his vision around a single idea: One Louisville, where every neighborhood thrives.
Affordable Housing: 7,000 Units Created or Preserved
One of the most significant achievements of the Greenberg administration has been its aggressive push on affordable housing. As of early 2026, more than 7,000 units of affordable housing have been created or preserved across Louisville under his leadership — a number that represents a meaningful dent in the city’s housing affordability crisis at a time when rising rents and home prices are squeezing working families across Kentucky and the nation.
To accelerate that work, Greenberg’s 2026 legislative agenda includes proposals to partner with faith communities — allowing religious institutions to develop affordable housing on their property — and to expand historic preservation tax credits into a single $100 million pool to make more rehabilitation projects financially viable across the city’s older neighborhoods.
The administration has also pushed to strengthen Louisville’s landbank program, proposing to expand landbank boards from three to six members to speed up the reuse of vacant and blighted properties — a persistent challenge in neighborhoods across West Louisville and other historically underinvested areas of the city.
Homelessness: Encampments Down 93 Percent
When Greenberg took office, visible homelessness and unsafe encampments were a growing challenge in Louisville. His administration responded with the creation of the Community Care Campus — an innovative model developed in partnership with Volunteers of America that brings shelter, supportive housing, medical care, and mental health services together in one place. The results have been dramatic: unsafe encampments are down 93 percent since he took office, and over 4,600 affordable homes have been added citywide.
Parks and Green Spaces: Jefferson Memorial Forest and Beyond
Mayor Greenberg has made significant investments in Louisville’s parks and green spaces, with Jefferson Memorial Forest — the largest municipally owned urban forest in the United States, located in southwest Jefferson County — as a centerpiece. Less than a year after a $2.7 million improvement project was completed at the forest, Greenberg announced in his 2026 State of the City address that Louisville Metro will release new plans for further improvements designed to make Jefferson Memorial Forest a world-class outdoor attraction with expanded educational opportunities.
Other parks investments include the new Nick Rodman Legacy Park in South Louisville and improvements to neighborhood parks and recreational facilities across the city. Greenberg also opened the first public pool in West Louisville in over sixty years — a milestone that reflects his administration’s commitment to equitable investment across all parts of the city.
Infrastructure: Roads, Libraries and Transit
On the infrastructure front, the Greenberg administration has pursued road improvements in the East End, funded a new library in Fern Creek, and is working to secure a permanent state funding stream for TARC — Louisville’s transit system — so that riders can count on reliable, safe, and affordable service going forward.
The 2026 legislative agenda also calls for significant investment in a dedicated first responder training facility in Southwest Jefferson County, open to all agencies across the region, as well as funding for sports tourism infrastructure that would position Louisville as a national destination for athletic competitions and events.
Public Safety: Shootings Down 40 Percent
Perhaps the most striking number from Greenberg’s tenure is the 40 percent reduction in shootings since he took office in January 2023. His Safe Louisville plan has focused on collaborative, community-rooted approaches to public safety — adding new resources for police, fire, EMS, and mental health response while investing in prevention and intervention programs that address the root causes of violence.
Greenberg has also called on the Kentucky General Assembly to allow Louisville to implement local gun safety measures, including requiring background checks for all firearm sales, waiting periods for first-time buyers, and a ban on Glock switches — devices that convert legal firearms into automatic weapons.
Early Childhood Education: Thrive by Five Louisville
Rounding out his citywide development agenda, Mayor Greenberg has made early childhood education a priority through the Thrive by Five Louisville initiative, which aims to make quality childcare accessible and affordable for all three and four year olds in the city. The program provides new support for early learning workforce development and childcare facilities — an investment that Greenberg frames as both an economic development strategy and a public safety measure for the long term.
For more Louisville news and neighborhood updates, visit our What is Happening in Louisville Right Now page and our Louisville Events Calendar. Also read our companion piece on Mayor Greenberg’s downtown Louisville transformation and the Humana Building redevelopment.