ROANOKE, VA – Gun violence is still a reality in Roanoke, Mayor Joe Cobb says the city is turning a corner.
“What does it mean to you for Roanoke to be creative, inclusive, tenacious, and committed and yearning to do more?” Cobb said during his State of the City address.
In his first State of the City address, Cobb highlighted Roanoke’s progress and economic growth while also acknowledging the city’s biggest challenges.
“I wanted to really be clear about what I see as our three biggest challenges: gun violence, substance use disorder, and homelessness. They are all interrelated and intersectional,” Cobb said.
Cobb said gun-related homicides are down 65%, and injuries from shootings have dropped 55% in the last two years.
It’s something he attributes to teamwork, citizen engagement and support from the state.
“We started a very concentrated effort, strategic effort, five years ago. I remember people kind of mocking me when I said, ‘it’s going to take 5-10 years to see a reduction,” Cobb said.
But families living with the reality of gun violence say they haven’t felt that progress. Just two weeks ago, we spoke with Kiersten Cole, who tragically lost both her son and her son’s father to shootings within a single year.
“People in the city are talking about it’s getting better, but they’re not the ones living in the middle of the gun violence,” Cole said.
Cobb says Northwest Roanoke remains a focus, with economic projects like Melrose Plaza bringing jobs and opportunity — investments he says are key to safer, stronger communities.
“We want everybody in the city to feel safe, but if one part of our city doesn’t feel safe, we can’t all feel safe,” he said.
Substance use and homelessness also remain urgent challenges, with Cobb emphasizing the need for long-term solutions like stable, affordable housing.
“Inclusion isn’t just a value we talk about, it’s a promise we keep. Housing is not a privilege for some, but a foundation for all,” he said.
Cobb says Roanoke can’t solve homelessness on its own. He’s calling on surrounding communities to step up — because, he says, real change takes a regional effort.