⚠️ Mayor Johnston declares homelessness emergency

⚠️ Mayor Johnston Declares Homelessness Emergency

In his first 24 hours as mayor of Denver, Mike Johnston demonstrated his priorities (and stuck to his campaign promises) by officially declaring a homelessness emergency. A declaration of this nature gives the city access to more state and federal resources and aims to speed up regulatory processes. Johnston’s goal is to get 1,000 unhoused Denverites access to housing by the end of the year. [Denver Post 🔒]

• 🔎 What else is Johnston focused on? Here are five key takeaways from Johnston’s inaugural address, courtesy of our friends at Axios Denver.
• 🎧 What should Johnston be focused on? We had some ideas. Here’s how the new mayor might be able to “help Denver get its mojo back.” [City Cast Denver]

🚩 Lakewood Residents Unionize Over “Uninhabitable” Conditions

Tenants at a Lakewood apartment complex have formed a union in an attempt to demand action from management over “uninhabitable” conditions. Residents say they’re dealing with everything from plumbing issues and broken doors and windows to mold, pests, water leaks, and attempted break-ins; all the while, management is refusing to answer tenant phone calls or emails. [Denverite]

🚔 Denver and Aurora at Odds

Aurora City Council has voted to end its informal agreement with the city of Denver to share police resources during protests and riots. The decision comes after Denver insisted that Aurora foot the bill for millions of dollars in protestor settlements that involved APD officers following Denver’s 2020 George Floyd murder protests. Aurora officials argue that, as they understood the agreement, Denver promised to cover those costs, not Aurora taxpayers. [Axios Denver]

Hey loyal reader, what’s been on your mind lately? 🤔

⛰️ Following our recent City Cast Denver podcast episode on the best Colorado hikes, listener John Y. sent in a photo of the rock formation at Roxborough State Park we mentioned on the show that looks like a profile of George Washington (see above 👆)

🥾 Listener Sue G. also wrote in to let us know:

• “Roxborough State Park is one of the few state parks that does NOT allow dogs, even on leash. When we drove almost an hour down from Denver with our two pups, we were totally heartbroken to be told at the entrance we couldn’t even drive inside to the parking lot.”

🐾 I recently shared some resources for access to free, healthy food. Reader Jessie K. wanted to add:

• “Fewer SNAP benefits mean it's harder for people to afford food for their furry friends now. We worked with the Colorado Pet Pantry a while back to share about their resources, often colocated with human food distribution. It's a great organization.”

🏛️ We asked listeners what they want from new mayor Mike Johnston. Liz W. says:

• “I would love to see Mike Johnson's administration partner with the Denver Community Fridges project. Fridges could be stationed at all the Denver Rec Centers to expand the project outside of the fairly limited area that's currently covered.”

🍽️ City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi recently asked: If Taylor Swift and John Mayer got dinner together in Denver, where would they go?

• Mara says: “First of all, that’d be crazy. But second of all, they would go to Potager. And maybe cuz it's my favorite restaurant. But mostly because I think the vibe would just fit really well.”

🫶 How to Be Anti-Racist | Wednesday | 9:30 a.m.

Part of an ongoing series on diversity, equity, and inclusion, this seminar from Denver Arts and Venues teaches tactical and actionable steps to running anti-racist organizations. [Virtual; Free]

👙 Teen Splash & Bash | Wednesday | 5-8 p.m.

This outdoor pool party is just for the teens in your life. They can enjoy free food and ice cream, a live DJ, an inflatable obstacle course, and so much more at this local rec center pool. [Virginia Village; Free]

🌻 Wildflower Walk | Thursday | 10 a.m.

Meander this gorgeous state park with the guidance of a wildflower expert and learn about Colorado’s native plant life while soaking up the sunshine. [Staunton State Park; Free with Parks Pass]

🥳 Colfax Indie Bash | Thursday | 6-9 p.m.

This party kicks off a weekend-long celebration of local, independent businesses along the central Colfax corridor. Plus, the City Cast Denver podcast (yeah, US! 🙋🏻‍♀️) will be taping a “Colfax Hall of Fame” live show, so come hang out with the crew! [Congress Park; Free, RSVP required]

Will Mike Johnston Make History?

Now that Mike Johnston is officially sworn in as Denver’s new mayor, what does it all mean for Denver’s future? The best way to find out is to look at the past. Former Colorado state historian Nicki Gonzales joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi for a conversation about the Mile High’s roots, and what a Denver of decades ago might tell us about our next era.