Fontana’s Mayor, Acquanetta Warren took center stage at this year’s State of the City event

Fontana, CA — Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren declared that “2025 was a year of exceeded expectations” as she outlined major infrastructure investments, regional partnerships and quality-of-life initiatives during the city’s 2026 State of the City address on Feb. 19.

“Tonight we come together not only to reflect on how far we have come but to look ahead and collectively say, ‘toward the future, we are building together,’” Warren said.

The mayor thanked the City Council, city staff and regional partners, emphasizing that Fontana’s recent progress has been collaborative.

“We are embarking on some truly transformative projects together,” she said, adding that shared leadership and partnership are “what’s making this work so meaningful and impactful.”

Warren described 2025 as “a year of bold decisions, global learning, and local impact.”

She referenced a recent visit to Qatar to explore innovation and infrastructure models and said the experience “helped me to think bigger about what’s possible here.”

Among the most significant accomplishments, Warren cited completion of phase one of the Civic Center renovation, with several departments relocating to the City Hall East annex to improve service delivery.

She also noted that the city “successfully issued a bond that strengthened our financial position, allowing us to invest boldly in Fontana’s future,” including construction of a new City Hall and a downtown parking structure designed to support development and housing.

Regional collaboration was another focal point. Warren said Fontana has taken a leadership role in developing a 200-bed regional navigation center to address homelessness.

“Completion of this 200-bed facility will be a crucial step in providing housing and services to Fontana’s most vulnerable citizens,” she said.

The mayor also highlighted completion of the San Sevaine Trail, calling it “an incredible achievement made possible by collaboration and grant funding expanding access to outdoor recreation and active transportation.”

Much of the address centered on quality of life, a theme Warren returned to repeatedly.

“At the core of everything we do is one simple goal to enhance quality of life for all residents,” she said.

She described quality of life as encompassing economic opportunity, education, health care, housing, infrastructure and public safety, but also “the quality and the quantity of time we spend with the people we love.”

Warren argued that investments in parks and recreation drive economic growth.

“When people gather, they spend,” she said. “When they spend money, businesses grow, allowing us to reinvest back into services without overburdening residents.”

She pointed to Fontana’s farmers markets as an example of that return on investment, saying they “bring residents together, provide fresh local produce and goods, while creating opportunities for small vendors to grow.”

Warren underscored the scale of the city’s recreational footprint, noting that Fontana now has 52 parks, 13 community centers, five aquatic centers and two skate parks.

She praised Community Services Director Daniel Snyder and his team for integrating programming across departments to improve residents’ daily lives.

The mayor also emphasized youth programming as a long-term public safety strategy.

“Investments in parks, youth programs, and recreation reduce long-term public costs,” she said, adding that such programs can “reduce strain on public safety services, improve public health outcomes, increase academic and workforce readiness.”

As Fontana approaches a population of nearly 220,000, Warren said the city must modernize its facilities.

“We can’t rely on yesterday’s facilities to serve tomorrow’s communities,” she said, calling for investment in safety, durability and long-term excellence.

Warren stressed unity and collective responsibility.

“Fontana’s progress is not presented as a result of one person, one department or one decision,” she said. “It is a result of people who care deeply about the city and show up every day and move it forward.”

She concluded by reiterating the city’s guiding principle.

“We will be known as the city with the best quality of life,” urging residents to remain focused not just on today’s needs, but on what Fontana will look like in 15 years.

“Together we are one,” Warren said, “and together we are writing a future defined by opportunity, connection and quality of life for everyone who calls this city home.”