Number of migrants in Denver shelters dips below 1,000

The number of migrants staying in Denver shelters dipped below 1,000 for the first time in six months this week, leading city officials to consolidate hotel shelters amid a period of respite. Sarah Plastino, Denver’s recently hired newcomer program manager, called the dip in numbers a “turning point for the city” during a lull in … Read more

Denver, Boulder require new development to contribute to affordable housing

When Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic allies sought to overhaul land use rules in the state last year in hopes of spurring more housing development they faced immediate blowback from municipalities intent on protecting their local control. Seeking housing solutions From the mountains to the prairies, Colorado’s housing crisis is squeezing state residents in ways … Read more

Westminster’s housing crisis faces local opposition, state demands

Jodi Lovejoy can look out the window of her Westminster apartment and see the mountains of the Front Range. She can track the rolling clouds and watch the weather change over the peaks, something she used to do with her children. The neighborhood is quiet, dotted by mature trees. She doesn’t own the two bedrooms … Read more

More than 200 Colorado cities, counties to compete for new affordable housing program

When voters passed Proposition 123 last year, housing and local government officials across the state were pleased that the state had supported a permanent affordable housing fund. But they had a nagging anxiety: To get a share of the nearly $300 million promised by the program, cities and counties had to voluntarily opt-in and agree … Read more

Colorado River Drought Task Force delivers final report to lawmakers

The final recommendations from a statewide task force charged with finding water-saving solutions for the drying Colorado River focus largely on expanding and tweaking existing programs. That outcome has underwhelmed some water experts, prompting calls for more decisive action to address overuse and drought on the river that’s the lifeblood of the American Southwest. Delivered … Read more

Mayor Johnston’s House 1,000 goal in sight with one micro-community

The push by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston to move 1,000 homeless people off the streets by year’s end gained new urgency Tuesday as city officials detailed a schedule of coming encampment closures. And they confirmed that it will be converted hotels — not the micro-community sites in neighborhoods that have attracted the heaviest pushback — … Read more