North Miami Mayor Andre Pierre used his State of the City address to tout the city's accomplishments over the past year, despite a difficult budget season.

Addressing a crowd of business leaders at the annual North Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Pierre noted it was a challenging year for municipalities countywide trying to balance budgets and save jobs.

``North Miami was no different at all. The same factors that affected us affected them,'' he said.

With the possibility of cuts looming during the budget season, Pierre said the city was able to balance its budget without firing any employees or cutting any programs.

The status of the city's housing stock was also a topic of his address on Oct. 28.

``No one wins when houses fall into disrepair,'' he said.

Pierre announced that the Neighborhood Stabilization Program is on track to purchase and rehab foreclosed homes to put families back where they belong. He pointed out that banks and resident are in a ``no-win'' situation when homes go into foreclosure.

Pierre also touched on a 12 percent crime reduction this year, a rate he said puts the city on track for having one of the lowest crime rates in 25 years.

In an interview later with The Miami Herald, North Miami Police Chief Clint Shannon said serious crimes -- homicides, sexual battery, robbery and aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, auto theft and arson, were down 12 percent through August, and 9 percent at the end of September.

During his speech, the mayor lauded the North Miami Police department's success.

``Make the lives of the criminals in this city miserable,'' Pierre said to law enforcement officials in attendance.

The mayor announced that despite Biscayne Landing's foreclosure, the project will move forward with the lenders stepping in as developers.

The $2.5 billion residential and commercial project near Florida International University's Biscayne Bay Campus, which was supposed to generate millions in tax revenues and help fund affordable housing, fell victim to the collapse of the real-estate market.

When reached after the address, City Attorney Lynn Whitfield said the Biscayne Landing lenders have not received the title to the land because of the open foreclosure case.

And while an agreement stipulates the lenders will become the developers, she does not expect them to actually take on that role.

Chuck DeSanti, the court-appointed receiver of Biscayne Landing and a new commerce trustee member, was called out by Pierre during his speech.

Speaking directly to DeSanti, he warned, ``I will hold your feet to the fire.''

According to Pierre, the outlook of the city's future is bright.

``It's up to us to make it happen,'' he said.

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