BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) -- East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards reflects on his first 100 days, with improvements made in the city-parish to address top priorities. According to Edwards' office, improvements have been made to address public safety, homelessness and blight in th e "100 Days of Momentum." “Our team didn’t waste a single moment,” Edwards said. “From day one, we got to work on what matters most to the people of East Baton Rouge Parish. And we’re not slowing down.” Public safety improvements Edwards' office has coordinated with law enforcement and community partners to improve public safety. Data shows that homicides are down 23% and non-fatal shootings have dropped 33% at the end of the first quarter compared to 2024. “These reductions are more than just numbers,” Edwards noted. “They represent lives saved, families spared, and neighborhoods strengthened.” Addressing homelessness in Baton Rouge A new committee with experts, advocates and local leaders was created in March to address homelessness. The Community Outreach Partners Committee's mission is to develop solutions to give support and resources to those in need. Thirty people experiencing homelessness were transitioned into safe shelters during the January winter storm that brought multiple inches of snow to the Baton Rouge area. Reducing blight in neighborhoods According to Build Baton Rouge, blight comes in several forms, from overgrown lawns to piles of trash on properties. The agency cites two reasons why blight has plagued Baton Rouge: the difficulty in enforcing ordinance violations and how fines are assessed by adding it to the property tax bill instead of individual liens. "This is an efficient way to process fines, but it relies on the property tax system to function correctly, which for years has had problems properly notifying tax delinquent owners," the agency's website states. In Edwards' first 100 days in office, 14 condemned buildings were demolished and 141 properties were abated for trash and overgrown vegetation. “We know that blight affects quality of life, property values, and public health,” Edwards said. “That’s why we’re taking aggressive action and holding the line on property standards.” Baton Rouge mayor, parish library system compromise in new proposed plan Latest News WBRSO: Woman's body found in pond behind home in Port Allen What position will Travis Hunter play in the NFL? Reported intruder arrested near UnitedHealthcare headquarters months after CEO's killing 5.2 magnitude earthquake shakes Southern California Trump sued over 'Liberation Day' tariffs  ...read more read less