Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton gave the Iowa City state of the city Speech at the City Council meeting on Tuesday.

In the speech, Throgmorton said Iowa City is a strong, healthy city with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, at 2.2 percent.

Throgmorton said the accolades Iowa City receives don’t tell the entire story of the city. He said while the city is a great place to live, it’s not such a good place for all its residents.

Throgmorton shared that 27 percent of Iowa City residents live below the federal poverty line and 1 out of 3 of the School District’s students participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

Throgmorton also discussed upon the city’s affordable housing issues. He said 65 percent of renters pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing in Iowa City.

As Iowa City has become more diverse, Throgmorton said, the city has also become more segregated. He noted some residents do not feel welcome because of their race, ethnicity, or faith and the city has seen disproportionality in race-related traffic stops and arrests.

Throgmorton said the city has priorities which include developing a strong and resilient local economy, fostering healthy neighborhoods throughout the city, enhancing community engagement and advancing social justice and racial equity.

— by Gage Miskiman