Birmingham Today: Council priorities, major drug bust, and upcoming winter events

Birmingham, AL — February 17, 2026 — Here’s a quick look at what’s happening around the Magic City over the last few days.

City backs new tools to tackle blight and vacant homes

Birmingham officials are putting neighborhood revitalization at the center of their agenda for the 2026 Alabama legislative session. The City Council recently approved a resolution supporting a package of state-level changes aimed at speeding up the turnaround of abandoned and tax-delinquent properties.

The plan includes tweaks to the Alabama Land Bank Act so local land banks can acquire problem properties more quickly, plus authority for Class 1 cities like Birmingham to create a vacant property registry and charge registration fees. City leaders also want the ability to set basic maintenance standards for absentee owners.

Another key piece is the creation of a Birmingham Housing Trust Fund and enabling legislation for Community Land Trusts, both designed to expand affordable housing and stabilize neighborhoods. Officials are also backing a potential constitutional change that would allow a targeted blight remediation assessment on persistently neglected properties.

Homewood drug case leads to major meth trafficking arrests

Regional drug enforcement work tied to Birmingham is in the spotlight after Homewood police detailed a major methamphetamine trafficking case this month. Investigators say a narcotics probe originating in Homewood led to a December search warrant on Warrior Road in Birmingham.

During that operation, officers reported seizing roughly 28 pounds of meth, thousands of dollars in cash, and multiple firearms, including at least one stolen weapon. Two Birmingham women were arrested on trafficking and related charges and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on high bonds while additional federal charges are considered.

Police followed up the announcement with a recent crime report covering early February, again urging residents to lock vehicles and report suspicious activity promptly to help curb property crime around the metro.

Sweet treats and home projects on deck this weekend

On the community side, Birmingham is getting ready for a pair of big February events that will draw crowds downtown and to the BJCC.

The 3rd Annual Magic City Dessert Competition is set for Saturday, February 21, at City Club Birmingham. Local bakers and restaurants will compete for bragging rights while raising money for Cahaba Valley Health Care, which provides free dental and vision services to residents in need across Jefferson and Shelby counties.

Also on the calendar is the Birmingham Home Show, returning to the BJCC North Exhibit Hall from February 20–22. Organizers expect thousands of attendees to browse home-improvement vendors, hear from design and renovation experts on the Fresh Ideas Stage, and catch cooking demos from local chefs.

Taken together, the week’s developments show a city working to clean up long-neglected properties, confront serious drug crime, and still make room for the kinds of community events that keep Birmingham’s social calendar lively.

Sources

• https://www.birminghamal.gov/news/city-birmingham-focuses-neighborhoods-agenda-2026-alabama-legislative-session
• https://www.homewoodpd.org/my-post
• https://patch.com/alabama/birmingham-al/calendar/event/20260221/651c9bfd-056a-4a22-9d01-a165f220f04c/2026-magic-city-dessert-competition
• https://www.birminghamhomeshow.com/