Memphis Mayor Paul Young has talked a lot during his first 100 days as mayor. He’s listened, too.
Young has met with everyday Memphians around the city, state legislators, the Memphis Police Department and others to collaborate and hear feedback as he tries to create “One Memphis.” He described that vision in his October victory speech as a “united Memphis, where all of our neighborhoods are supported and pride is renewed.”
In that speech, he committed to benefiting the city’s young people, “bringing people together for a broader purpose” and doing “the work.”
“We’ve been intentionally open, and we’ve asked questions, and we’ve answered them, and we’ve listened,” Young said during his 100 days speech Tuesday night at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in the Westwood neighborhood of Memphis. “We still believe that we must do more.”
While only so much can be accomplished in just a few months, City Council Chairman JB Smiley Jr. said the mayor “has done a really good job in terms of just trying to figure (the job) out as quickly as possible.”
“People who do this, what I consider the right way, they’re willing to talk to everyone, willing to have at least one meeting to figure out what’s working, willing to listen to understand different community concerns,” Smiley said.
Young has also begun efforts on the issues highlighted on the campaign trail: Public safety, jobs and a strong economy, youth development, clean and attractive neighborhoods, and thriving arts and culture.
Tuesday night, he pointed to future efforts, including proposing a tax increase in his upcoming budget presentation to the Memphis City Council. And he urged Memphians to join him in making the city better, specifically asking residents “to stay in Memphis.”
“We want you to stay. We want you to recruit your friends. We want you to be the future of tech and transit and workforce development,” he said. “Quite simply, Atlanta doesn’t need you. Chicago doesn’t need you. New York and Nashville don’t need you. Memphis needs you.”
Here, take a look at some of the actions Young has taken during his first 100 days:
Public Safety
In his speech Tuesday, Young set a goal of decreasing violent crime by 10% this year “and every year following.”
Many of his efforts during his time in office have focused on that goal, and on Tuesday, Young touted figures that show violent and major property crimes dropped during the first quarter of the year compared with the same time last year.
Three days after Young took his oath of office, he held his first inter-agency public safety task force, part of his promised “pandemic-like” response to crime. In attendance were Republican and Democratic state leadership, federal officials, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon and others. During a news conference afterward, Young committed to enforcing police reform ordinances passed by the City Council after the death of Tyre Nichols, ordinances that previous Mayor Jim Strickland said he did not enforce. Since then, the state has blocked cities from enacting reforms such as those.
Part of the pandemic-like response to crime will be the creation of two new, high-level positions: a public safety adviser to the mayor who will establish an Office of Neighborhood Safety and a chief strategist for public safety who will work with the Memphis Police Department and Interim Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis.
Initiatives he plans to implement include a data-sharing agreement between the city, county, police department, district attorney and juvenile courts, Young said in his speech Tuesday.
Young has already launched the Memphis Police Department’s “Operation Code Zero.” The first operation included 402 traffic stops, 278 citations issued, 14 warrants served, 35 arrests made and 15 weapons confiscated.
And, earlier this month, Young joined members of the Memphis City Council and representatives of the Greater Memphis Chamber to support the creation of a public safety foundation inspired by the one in Atlanta. The entity would be created by ordinance of the City Council. The full text of that ordinance has not yet been made public.
‘Bringing people together’
Young has convened or met with numerous groups to discuss Memphis’ needs. Those people have ranged from everyday Memphians to area gang leaders to mayors across the country.
In January, Young began meeting members of the Memphis City Council, but also traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress, to discuss the Memphis Area Transit Authority and other transit topics with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and to meet with the White House Office of Gun Violence.
In February, he met with area gang members, writing after that “If we are talking about youth crime and we aren’t talking to the youth engaging in criminal acts, we are missing a piece of the puzzle.” The meeting garnered widespread media attention, which Young used to talk about his hopes for at-risk youth.
Also in February, Young held his first “One Memphis” community meeting. He has held meetings monthly, alternating between different districts in Memphis. Upcoming tour dates are April 30 at 6 p.m. at the Orange Mound Community Center and May 28 at 6 p.m. in Raleigh (location to be announced). A “resource hub” will be offered from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. before each event.
And last month, Young invited mayors and their representatives from around the country to Memphis for the inaugural meeting of the Black Mayor’s Coalition on Crime. The goal of the event, Young wrote in his weekly newsletter, was “to begin an open dialogue on one of the most pressing issues facing each of our cities. We set out to learn from each other and develop tools to help each of our cities become safer, more welcoming, and stronger.”
Clean and attractive neighborhoods
In January, Young announced the creation of a “Strike Team” to tackle problems based on 311 calls. Since its creation, the team has visited 21 ZIP codes around the city, some multiple times, picking up roadside trash and more.
After the launch of the Memphis Police Department’s “Operation Code Zero,” Young announced that code enforcement is coordinating with the operation and, over two weeks, cited 2,300 properties with blight violations.
Youth development
In early February, Young announced that the city’s Memphis Ambassador Program, which offers a stipend to students for positive behaviors, would drop its GPA requirement. Young wrote that the program is expected to grow from 350 to 800 students per year.
On Tuesday, Young asked those gathered to hear his remarks to commit to “fueling the future,” including by contributing financially to things like midnight basketball and the creation of game rooms in all 28 community centers or by becoming mentors to youth through the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation.
Katherine Burgess is the government accountability reporter for MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Contact her at katherine.burgess@mlk50.com
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