Elk Grove mayor highlights city’s ‘progress with purpose’ in State of the City
“Elk Grove is a city on the rise, and we’re doing it the right way.”
Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen highlighted growth and “progress with purpose” during the city’s annual State of the City address Wednesday.
The event drew regional leaders, including Rep. Doris Matsui, Sacramento County Supervisor Pat Hume and Elk Grove Police Chief Bobby Davis, along with representatives from the Wilton Rancheria tribe, Elk Grove Unified School District and the Sacramento Regional Transit District.
City’s economy, businesses are ‘strong’
Singh-Allen said the city maintains a “strong financial foundation.”
“When the state of California and many surrounding cities are facing structural deficits, service reductions and fiscal uncertainty, Elk Grove remains financially stable, disciplined and forward-thinking,” Singh-Allen said.“That kind of stability does not happen by accident.”
ELK GROVE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Get our free Elk Grove email newsletter here
She said that stability allows continued investment in public safety, the city’s top priority.
Singh-Allen also highlighted the success of Measure E, the one-cent sales tax measure residents passed in 2022 to address community priorities.
“Measure E represents more than funding,” Singh-Allen said. “It represents trust, and we remain committed to stewarding those dollars responsibly, transparently and consistently in alignment with the needs and priorities our community has shared with us.”
She said new retail and dining options are expected, including Whole Foods, Yard House, Barnes & Noble and Cattlemens. Apple is investing $3 million in upgrades to its Laguna Boulevard campus, and the city continues offering grants and programs to support small businesses, she said.
“Economic progress isn’t about pretending setbacks don’t happen. It’s about how we respond to them,” Singh-Allen said. “That means supporting small businesses, strengthening high traffic districts, helping property owners attract the right tenants and continuing to build an environment where entrepreneurs can succeed. “
More affordable housing and permanent homeless shelter in the works
Singh-Allen said the city added 770 affordable housing units last year, the most in its history. Over 130 more units are in the works, and construction on the city’s Coral Blossom Apartments will begin soon.
“To all of you and to the governor and AG (Rob) Bonta, if you happen to be listening, there is no place in the region that has been working harder on affordable housing than Elk Grove,” Singh-Allen said. In 2023, the California Attorney General’s Office sued Elk Grove after city leaders denied a development for people with disabilities and at risk of homelessness. The mayor previously said in an interview that she felt the Attorney General’s Office unfairly targeted the city.
The mayor said affordable housing is part of a “tiered approach” that includes a variety of housing options, including a permanent homeless shelter.
The shelter, proposed at Survey Road and East Stockton Boulevard, is in development, with a final design expected later this year and an opening targeted for 2028, she said.
Addressing traffic in Elk Grove
Reducing traffic congestion remains another city priority, Singh-Allen said.
She said the city’s traffic signal coordination project reduced average travel times by 21%, cut stops by 41% and increased average speeds by 30%.
She also cited plans to extend Kammerer Road to Interstate 5 and build a new interchange to Highway 99 at Whitelock Parkway, as well as a yearlong SacRT pilot program allowing Elk Grove residents 62 and older to ride 17 fixed-route buses for free.
City Council honors Transgender Visibility Day
Singh-Allen also recognized Transgender Day of Visibility, observed March 31.
The City Council approved a proclamation and presented it to Tristan Buzzini, a clinical psychologist and gender-affirmative care specialist who serves on the city’s Diversity and Inclusion Commission. The recognition drew a standing ovation.
“Today, we celebrate the strength and achievements of transgender individuals,” Singh-Allen said. “We acknowledge the dangers and discrimination that their community faces, and we support their equal and inalienable rights.”
Beth Bourne, one of the most prominent anti-trans activists in the state, spoke against the city’s honoring of the holiday during public comment.
Bourne is the chair of the Yolo County’s chapter of Moms for Liberty, a nonprofit that describes itself as advocating for parental rights. She recently protested Transgender Day of Visibility at an Elk Grove Unified School District board meeting.
Bourne denied the existence of transgender people and called gender-affirming care a “medical scandal.”
Buzzini, who also spoke during public comment, thanked the mayor for the opportunity to represent transgender residents of Elk Grove.
“Transgender people walk among you every day, some more visible than others, and all equally deserving of dignity, care and respect,” Buzzini said.
Delia Baulwin, an EGUSD trustee representing much of western Elk Grove, said she was proud of the city and the school district’s resolutions honoring Transgender Visibility Day.
“It is so important that all our community leaders and members and individuals feel that the city is welcoming to them, that they are allowed to be their authentic self, because that is what matters,” Baulwin said.
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 12:52 PM.
