BATON ROUGE - Mayor-President Sid Edwards addressed the state of the city-parish on Wednesday at the Rotary Club in Baton Rouge. Edwards discussed his first full year in office and highlighted the work on homelessness, public safety, and blight. 

Thirty-two encampment sites were cleaned and restored, with individuals connected to services, he said. He also said 433 homeless individuals were contacted, and 97 have been helped since April.

On the topic of blight, his administration says they have demolished more properties than at any time in the history of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Edwards says while that was great to see get done, there is still more to be done.

"I am proud to report we have moved the needle in a major way. We might not be where we want to be or need to be, but the needle is moving," he said.

The Edwards administration recently took a trip to Detroit, Michigan, a city that he said had many of the same issues as Baton Rouge, which have since improved.

"12 years ago, Detroit filed for bankruptcy. They faced high crime, widespread blight, a homeless population that was out of control, and a shrinking economy. Some of that sounds familiar today. Detroit is a different city," he said.

Edwards says Detroit reduced blight numbers from 47,000 to 942 in around ten years, but he's looking to do the same at a faster rate. He mentioned one of the things his office is looking to implement is one of Detroit's strategies in tackling the blight in their city, in Baton Rouge.

"I like a program where, if there's a blighted home next to a home that's in good shape, they actually are offering that homeowner that lot for free in exchange. if you beautify it and keep it up and give it to you," he said.

Edwards also said Baton Rouge is the only city to maintain its current bond rating from last year.