Denver Mayor Mike Johnston answers questions on Reddit
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Mayor Mike Johnston hosted an “ask me anything” session on Reddit Wednesday, taking questions about his administration’s plans and teasing a “major” upcoming announcement for downtown.
He responded to questions on a variety of issues like safety, policing, housing affordability, street racing, migrants, child care, construction, city development and more.
Who is Anthony Edwards and why Denver’s mayor said he will ‘seriously look into’ banning him
The conversation even branched out to not-so-serious topics, like the mayor’s role in ensuring the Denver Nuggets make it through the second round of the NBA playoffs.
In summary, here are five topics the mayor addressed.
Child care accessibility
Johnston noted three main factors that are impacting the accessibility, or lack thereof, of child care in Denver: not enough educators, not enough facilities and the high costs to retrofit facilities, such as replacing toilets with toddler-sized toilets.
As for a solution, the mayor said the city is working to expedite the permitting process so it is more affordable to get more facilities up and running. He said the city is working to add more child care facilities and create a workforce training program to prepare people to become early childhood educators.
“We also have a real child care desert in downtown and are working to open more sites downtown for folks who live and work here,” Johnston said.
Bill would streamline Colorado affordable child care program
House Bill 24-1223, which would simplify the affordable child care application process, cleared the legislature on Wednesday, giving the governor 30 days to sign it into law.
Housing affordability
Many residents had concerns about the cost of living and housing affordability in Denver.
“This is maybe the most important issue Denver is facing, this has to be a city where teachers and nurses and servers can afford to live,” Johnston said.
Affordable housing units
He said the city has a plan to bring 3,000 affordable units to the Mile High City each year. In those affordable housing units, tenants would pay 30% of their income for rent, and the price would not go up unless the tenant’s income went up.
Report: Denver homeownership costs have grown 3 times rate of wages
“If we can do 3,000 a year, that would put us on path for 25,000 affordable units over next 8 years, which would be most ambitious plan to close this gap of any city we know,” Johnston wrote.
Johnston said it is “critical” to build more affordable options for home ownership, specifically options that could be an opportunity for first-time home buyers.
Recently, Colorado was ranked as the second-worst state for buyers looking for a starter home because of a lack of starter-sized homes and the fifth-most expensive median price for starter-sized homes of all the states.
Housing density and permitting
Johnston also said the city is working on adding more housing density around light rail spots and walkable neighborhoods. For example, he said there are plans for thousands of units near Central Park and the nearby light rail.
How far does a $100K salary go in Denver?
Converting underutilized commercial spaces into residential options will be part of the effort to expand housing options that are affordable downtown, which Johnston said was a priority.
A slow permitting process drives up developer costs and therefore drives up the cost for renters, so Johnston said the city is working on “dramatically accelerating the permitting process this year,” with hopes to shorten permitting time by 30% this year so projects can move faster.
Downtown revitalization efforts and construction
Encampments downtown
Johnston said part of the efforts to revitalize downtown Denver includes getting people into housing.
“For the first time in as long as I can remember, there is not a single tent or encampment in downtown,” Johnston wrote.
He said all the major encampments around downtown, uptown and City Park have not returned since they were closed and the amount of outdoor deaths has “dramatically decreased” since moving people indoors. He noted that over 1,500 people have been moved into housing and offered services like job support, substance misuse support and workforce training.
16th Street Mall
He also addressed questions about the ongoing construction efforts happening downtown, especially around the 16th Street Mall.
The first few blocks of the 16th Street Mall will be open this summer, Johnston said, and construction is set to be complete by the end of summer in 2025. The mayor said he is working to make sure it is done on time and on budget.
Businesses frustrated as 16th Street Mall construction lags
He said the city is working on creating unique public spaces like Larimer Square in multiple locations and wants to highlight local businesses, featuring unique Denver brands of retail and food and drink at the mall.
Johnston also said the city has a “major announcement on big plans for downtown” that will be released Thursday.
Park Hill Golf Course
Another common concern among Denverites was the Park Hill Golf Course, a 155-acre space that has not been used by golfers for six years. Last month, the mayor told FOX31 that the city is looking at the next steps for the golf course, focusing on what the most effective outcomes for Denverites could be.
What’s the plan for the former Hilltop church on Colorado Boulevard?
On Wednesday, Johnston said he wants to see the old golf course be a gem for the Mile High City.
“The owner cannot let it rot, if they do not sell it they have to restore it to operations as a functioning golf course, but we think there could be better uses for the city and are working on it now,” Johnston said.
Bike and pedestrian safety
With headlines about deadly crashes involving pedestrians in the news every week, residents shared concerns about pedestrian safety. Johnston said there are plans to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety around the city.
According to data from the Colorado Department of Transportation, 133 pedestrians were killed on Colorado roadways in 2023, a 96% increase from 52 in 2013.
Here are some things Johnston said are in progress regarding pedestrian and cyclist safety:
Making changes to streets to force drivers to slow down
Reducing vehicle speeds, a major contributor to fatal crashes
Dedicating street space for those on bikes
Installing another 25 miles of bike facilities catering to cyclists of all ages and skill
Making public transit more appealing and safe
Overall, Johnston said the city is working to make it safe and affordable for Denverites to travel without a car.
Construction to improve pedestrian safety on Federal Boulevard starts soon
Some projects are underway that are geared toward pedestrian safety, including projects on Federal Boulevard and West Colfax Avenue.
“We’ll have an announcement coming in the next few weeks about how we can support the next phase of Vision Zero and prove that we can use all the tools at our disposal to make these high-injury networks vastly safer,” Johnston said, referring to the city’s goal of zero traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by 2030.
Denver policing and 911
Johnston addressed concerns about long wait times when people call 911 during an emergency in Denver.
Currently, there are three call lines in Denver: 311 to help people navigate city services, 911 for emergencies and a 10-digit non-emergency number.
Johnston said the city is looking into the possibility of merging 311 and 911. He said the three numbers require separate staffing, and merging the two would allow for 24-hour weekend staffing on 311 and more resources to staff two lines well.
Emergency dispatch is not alone in short staffing issues — the Denver Police Department is short 167 officers right now. Johnston said the city is working to recruit diverse classes of officers and plans to restore staffing by the end of the year.
He noted that clearing encampments has opened up some time for officers.
“Last year we had more than 8000 calls to encampments alone which in some police districts took up more than 50% of our patrol time,” Johnston said.
More than 400 calls for service this year at Denver shelter
He said the city also plans to add more technology like cameras for speeding and running red lights as well as license plate readers. He said the license plate readers track stolen cars across the city. Residents can register a car to immediately track it if or when it is stolen, which is how Johnston said Denver police were able to help find his car when it was stolen.
Johnston mentioned some plans for specific crimes as well. He said the city is working to break fentanyl rings, particularly in communities of color that are most affected.
Aurora police cracking down on street racing; 2 arrested, handgun recovered
Additionally, the police department and Colorado State Patrol have partnered with other agencies on a street racing task force, which Johnston said “results in citations and the occasional seizure of a vehicle for nuisance abatement.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
