Mike Johnston answers questions about his priorities as he begins his second year as Denver mayor
Johnston’s priorities one year into his term are familiar – tackling the high cost of housing, reducing homelessness and rebuilding trust with the police department. He told Denverite reporter Kyle Harris he’s optimistic about making continued progress.
Listen: How does Mayor Mike Johnston plan to make Denver housing more affordable? Convincing voters to raise sales tax again
The extra funds would create 44,000 units of housing in the next 10 years.
Listen: Denver closed its last hotel shelter for new immigrants. Some families are still struggling to come inside
The number of new arrivals has slowed, the city is scaling back its support, and advocates are looking for answers as they try to get people into shelter.
Meet the woman snapping thousands of free photos of visitors at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort
On a cold December night at Glenwood Hot Springs, Donna Love wades through steaming water that smells like eggs. Around her, people chat in multiple languages. Some dive.
Man fatally shot after a motor vehicle assistance stop in Boulder County
The man pointed a gun at a trooper and Boulder County Sheriff deputies, and they shot him, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
A man’s death by suicide when faced with eviction raises questions about help and access
Evictions are up nationwide and a case in Denver raises questions about what help and access there is for people who are struggling. A 25-year-old man named Darrius Davis died by suicide as sheriff’s deputies knocked on his door to remove him from his home. Denverite’s Kyle Harris looked into what happened and the gaps in the system.
Michael Hancock on his accomplishments and challenges as Denver’s mayor
Michael Hancock steps down July 17, 2023 after three terms and 12 years as the mayor of Denver. He talks with Denverite’s Kyle Harris about his accomplishments and challenges leading Colorado’s capital city.
Greenspaces or housing? How a Denver debate resonates across Colorado
Many cities have chunks of land they’re not sure what to do with. The fate of one of these big open spaces – in Denver – is in front of voters. The decision they’ll make illuminates a lot about the debate over greenspace versus housing, which we see in communities across Colorado.
It’s ‘name that candidate’ in Denver’s crowded mayoral contest
There’s no clear favorite so far in Denver’s mayoral race, where 17 candidates are focused on housing, homelessness and crime before the April 4 election. If no one wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the two top finishers will move on to a June runoff to replace three-term Mayor Michael Hancock. Denver is one of several major Colorado cities holding elections this spring.
Multiple Colorado school districts enter lockdown after unconfirmed threats Wednesday. Here’s what we know
Schools in at least a dozen cities, including Boulder and Englewood, received threatening phone calls. No injuries were reported.
Developers for Downtown Denver expect huge growth
The pandemic wasn’t kind to downtowns — as people went to working from home, the need for office space dried up. Yet in spite of the sluggish commercial real estate market, developers are planning a revamp of lots near Ball Arena in downtown Denver, along with residential development along the South Platte River banks and transforming the Auraria Campus. Denverite’s Kyle Harris talks about these plans with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner.
Housing people who were homeless doesn’t resolve neighborhood tensions
Colorado’s in the midst of a housing crunch, a pandemic, and an opioid crisis – all of which add to and complicate homelessness. Look no further than downtown Denver, where residents have tried to stop people from sleeping on the streets around Union Station and on the 16th Street Mall. The city has housed some of those folks in hotels. But not everybody likes that solution.
Denver’s ‘unauthorized camping ban’ turns 10, but has it made a difference?
Ten years ago, May 17, 2012, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock signed a bill to ban unauthorized camping in the city. It’s a policy critics said criminalized homelessness. The ban is still in effect, even as the number of people experiencing homelessness has multiplied. Denverite’s Kyle Harris has been looking into the ban’s widely-debated history and where things stand today.
The challenge of finding affordable, reliable child care
Waitlists that are years’ long, costs that can rival a second mortgage. Child care centers are struggling to meet the need. And, parents are left in the lurch. A recent report found about 60-percent of child care centers in Colorado are having trouble retaining staff. Some have shut down classes or closed altogether. Denverite’s Kyle Harris has been working on a special series. It looks at the situation through the lens of what’s happening in Metro Denver.
