Outlined in this five-year plan is the need for more quality, affordable housing options and engagement with community members to foster vibrant neighborhoods. The city will also concentrate on attracting new businesses, growing current ones, and enhancing Wilmington’s position as a tourism, entertainment, and cultural destination.
The plan aims to reduce violence, especially among youth, and expand programs that assist people experiencing homelessness or substance abuse issues. It also takes steps to establish an efficient, sustainable multimodal transportation network, geared at reducing congestion, improving roads and sidewalks, and maintaining city infrastructure.
Internally, the city will implement new methods of recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce while developing consistent customer service standards to increase accessibility to its services.
Within the FY24 budget, the strategic plan performance manager position was created and filled by Nicole Smith. She was hired to oversee the plan’s effective execution and track its progress as a living, breathing document. This provides city staff the flexibility to respond to the community’s ever-changing needs as it collaborates with community stakeholders, nonprofits and businesses to bring its vision to reality.