Joe Cobb anticipates his first 100 days as Star City’s mayor

Roanoke, Virginia – To be nearer to his kids, Joe Cobb moved to the Star City twenty-four years ago. About eight years ago, he retired from his position as a pastor, but he realized he still wanted to do more, so he ran for council in 2017.

“Giving back is the best gift I can give to a place that accepted me as a stranger and that I now call home,” said Joe Cobb, Mayor of the City of Roanoke. “Public service is one of the most sincere, beautiful ways to give back to a community,” Cobb said.

Cobb held the position of Vice Mayor until he narrowly lost the election to become Mayor. Cobb said that his top priority is to work closely with the city’s new city manager and assist in forming a team inside the new city council.

“You have seven individuals. We each bring to the council very varied personalities, temperaments, and, in a sense, viewpoints and abilities. Therefore, we need to form that team and unite them to concentrate on our single objective—making Roanoke the greatest it can be—stated Cobb.

Cobb says he intends to concentrate on some of the city’s most pressing issues, such as homelessness, housing expenses, and gun violence, during his first 100 days in office. According to him, the city is on target to achieve a 60% decrease in gun violence this year. According to Cobb, the city needs a wider range of housing options, including single-family homes, condos, lower-income housing, and much more.

“We will see an increase in our range of affordable housing until we increase or as we increase that inventory,” Cobb stated.

In addition to the new collaborations with the downtown ambassador program and the homeless support team that develops additional initiatives, he thinks that increasing diversity will benefit those who are homeless.

Cobb stated, “We housed over 300 people last year. People who are experiencing vulnerability, whatever that looks like for them, are being immediately connected with resources that lead to housing opportunities.” We are on course to repeat that feat this year.

According to Cobb, future projects that would strengthen the city’s economy are on track.
Cobb stated, “We want to do everything we can to sustain that momentum, from the growth of Melrose Plaza to investments in our parks and recreation to seeing some new affordable housing opportunities come online, as well as efforts at Riverdale and new businesses that are calling Roanoke home.”

Cobb claims that he was ecstatic to be elected mayor and that he intends to leave a compassionate and caring legacy.

“We have the chance to demonstrate to Virginia and the country what a community that is concerned about its development can serve as an example for others, and Roanoke is doing just that. In the end, I think that we created Roanoke Shine together, so we’re going to keep doing that. Each of us possesses the star we see on the mountain, which illuminates the route ahead, Cobb remarked.