East Baton Rouge Parish moved the needle in 2025. Mayor-President Sid Edwards says the parish made noticeable strides in crime reduction, blight cleanup, financial stability, and homelessness initiatives. He joined Mornings with Brian Haldane to break down the year’s biggest wins and challenges.
Edwards uses football analogies often, and he graded the parish’s first year under his leadership as “up 17–14 at the end of the first quarter.” He said he wants a bigger lead, but he feels confident about the progress so far.
Crime saw the most measurable improvement. Violent crime dropped more than 20 percent, with homicides falling to 70 — the parish’s second-lowest total in a decade. The mayor credited Director of Public Safety Jeff Leduff, BRPD Chief T.J. Morris, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, and community-focused programs led by A.B. Burgess. He praised their teamwork for breaking down silos between law enforcement agencies and boosting the homicide clearance rate to 61 percent, well above the national average.
Blight also saw a major push. The city-parish tore down more than 200 derelict structures — up from about 40 the year before. Edwards said residents often celebrated on site as long-neglected “trap houses” finally came down. Baton Rouge will expand its blight strategy through a new partnership with the Harvard Bloomberg Philanthropy School and several local volunteer groups.
Financial stability proved another bright spot. Baton Rouge was the only major Louisiana city to maintain its bond rating this year. Edwards said the parish balanced its budget without tapping reserves despite painful layoffs.
The parish also advanced transportation and quality-of-life efforts, including road repairs through the new “pothole posse” and expanded lighting on Plank Road.
One of the year’s biggest achievements came through homelessness response. Since April, the parish helped 97 people leave the streets through treatment, reunification, or job placement. Edwards expects to hit 100 by December 31.
He said the work continues in 2026, but the foundation is strong — and the momentum is real.