Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas and City of Valparaiso share vision with city officials, leaders, and supporters at 2026 State of the City address 

Mayor Jon Costas kicked off 2026 with the annual State of the City address luncheon, hosted by the Valpo Chamber. He shared progresses and projects, along with plans for the future. Highlights included:

• Remembering special leaders who passed away in 2025, including Sharon Swihart who served in local government for 54 years and Lois Reiner who advocated for civil rights and social justice through meaningful local projects
• Honoring recipients of Valpo’s Good Neighbor Award, Carlos Rivero and Elena Jambrina
• Honoring Rising State recipient Nora Burk

Recognition of accomplishments, including:

• $17 million+ invested in improvements to streets, pathways and sidewalks over the past two years 
• $80 million in infrastructure improvements to increase water supply and provide for state-of-the-art sewer and water reclamation systems (saving $9 million in interest by using strong fiscal management)
• $10 million RePlay initiative transformed 10 neighborhood parks citywide in 2025
• Valpo Parks took on management of the Memorial Opera House, overseeing 25 sold-out shows and four major musical productions
• Parks attracted record enrollment in youth and adult recreation programs, exceeding 7,300 participants
• 152 new housing units were added to the city in 2025
• City has kicked off an ambitious comprehensive plan for the city’s future
• Valparaiso Police Department introduced the county’s first Real Time Crime, using technology and cameras to speed responses citywide
• The Valparaiso Fire Department completed more than 15,000 hours of rigorous training and invested $4.5 million in new equipment, including four new ambulances, two new fire engines and an upgraded rescue boat
• City communications increased frequency of Valpo’s City Talk newsletter to six times per year, plus added presence in media and social media
• Community Engagement awarded $167,000 in neighborhood improvement grants, supporting 19 neighborhoods, plus graduated 22 high school students from the Mayor’s Youth Council and 26 adults from the City Government Academy
• Strong fiscal fitness demonstrated in another stellar state audit and maintaining the city’s AA/Stable bond rating, as well as a city tax rate that has declined every year for the past five years
• City has partnered with Paradise Community Homes and Project Neighbors to add quality attainable housing, as well as supported the opening of Daybreak Shelter, a 24-bed homeless shelter on city-owned property
• The opening of the Lincoln Highway Garage and The Linc apartments, plus the upcoming opening of the Grand Gardner Hotel enhanced Valpo’s downtown district

Mayor Costas also shared upcoming projects:

• Traffic solutions at the problematic intersection of Route 30 and Silhavy Road
• Progress on a roundabout at Campbell and Lincolnway
• Progress on the Valpo REC center, transforming the city’s last empty industrial site into a multi-generational indoor recreation and activity center

For the full script of the mayor’s address and a video of the presentation, visit tinyurl.com/MayorCostas.