Corey Woods has run Tempe’s City Hall since 2020, when he became the first Black mayor in the city’s 150-year history. Voters handed him a second term in 2024 after no one stepped up to challenge him, so he is now locked in through July 2028, with two main priorities that define his tenure so far: affordable housing and a full-throttle reboot of Mill Avenue, even as some activists bristle at pieces of his agenda.
Official bio and city role
According to his official city profile, Woods served on Tempe’s City Council from 2008 to 2016 before winning the mayor’s seat in 2020 and then running unopposed in 2024. That profile highlights priorities such as the Hometown for All housing initiative, downtown investment and historic preservation. The City of Tempe also spotlights his day job in education along with a lengthy list of board posts and awards. For the full rundown of his official bio and priorities, see City of Tempe.
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