Mayor Paul Coogan outlines housing, rail, public-safety and redevelopment priorities in 2025 State of the City

Mayor Paul Coogan delivered Fall River's 2025 State of the City on March 11, 2025, in the City Council Chambers, outlining finances, housing plans, the March 24 start of South Coast Rail service and public-safety reforms. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll attended and spoke in support of statewide partnerships to expand housing and infrastructure.

The mayor said the city's stabilization fund has grown by $24,000,000 since he took office in 2020 and reported roughly $3,600,000 in new growth for fiscal 2025 — about $700,000 more than FY 2024 — improvements he said will help spread the tax burden. Coogan said Fall River has completed 51 of 82 projects funded with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money and is on track to spend the remainder by December 2026. "We were able to work together to save St. Anne's Hospital," Coogan said, referencing the facility's acquisition and the retention of health-care jobs.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll emphasized housing as a central challenge and pointed to state initiatives. "We're just not gonna admire this problem. We're gonna really lean in, make investments, help shift policies, put…