Watch Replay: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Gives 'State Of The City' Address For 2017

NEW YORK, NY — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio delivered his annual State of the City address Monday at Harlem's Apollo Theater. The speech was as much a look back at what de Blasio and the city have accomplished as a look ahead at de Blasio's agenda for the city's future, as the mayor prepares to stave off challengers for his office this fall.

As de Blasio took the stage Monday night at Harlem's Apollo Theater he rubbed the stump of the "Tree of Hope," as so many hoping to make a good impression on the same stage have done before him. De Bladio then began his speech by extolling the virtues of Harlem's historic theater, praising it as an equalizer. Whether you were rich or poor, connected or unknown, you had a chance to make a name for of yourself at the Apollo, de Blasio said.

De Blasio then advanced that praise of the Apollo to New York City as a whole, but added a warning.

"That is part of what has made New York City such an extraordinary place," de Blasio said. "The openness, the possibility, the fact that anyone had a shot here. It is one of the most beautiful thing about this place, more beautiful than any of our skyscrapers of museums. But that beautiful reality is at risk, and I want to talk to you about that today because we have so much we have to do."

De Blasio would quickly launch into the theme of his address: "This is your city, it's your city, you made it what it is and it's our job to protect that," de Blasio said.

Early on in his address de Blasio admitted that his speech wouldn't follow the conventional formula for a "State of the City." Instead of delving into facts and figures about issues in the city about specific issues such as housing, public health and safer streets the mayor said he would focus much of the attention on the affordability crisis facing New York City.

But despite less focus on specifics, de Blasio did find time to cite favorable stats and successful city initiatives. He is, after all, running for reelection this year and the State of the City serves as an excellent, hourlong kick off to an upcoming campaign.

Some high points of the speech included an announcement to add 100,00 good-paying jobs (salary of at least $50,000) to the city in the next 10 years, to build affordable housing for 3 million more New Yorkers and a mansion tax on real estate transactions topping $2 million.

Watch de Blasio's full State of the City Address below. The mayor starts speaking around the 1:04:00 mark:

Screengrab courtesy of NYC Mayor's Office