Aurora city manager to become resident of the city
Aurora’s incoming city manager, Jason Batchelor, apparently doesn’t live in Aurora. But that’s about to change. In a unanimous vote Monday by the city council, Batchelor lost the “acting” before “city manager” and was permanently appointed to the post. Council members on both sides of the aisle lauded him, and the mayor added, “Soon to be an Aurora resident.”
Read full storyCalls for Gaza ceasefire disrupt Denver City Council meeting
People opposed to Denver hosting the Jewish National Fund convention this weekend filled the council chambers Monday and disrupted the meeting. About a dozen people spoke against Israel, which they said is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. People who spoke shamed city officials for not issuing a resolution calling for a ceasefire. More than 83 people signed up to speak.
Read full storyIs 32 degrees cold enough to invite homeless people in Denver inside?
At what temperature should the city open warming centers for people experiencing homelessness?. The city currently opens warming centers when the temperature dips below 20 degrees. That’s doubled from last year, when the temperature threshold was a dangerous 10 degrees, or six inches of snow. Cold weather activation centers now open when two inches of snow is forecast.
Read full storyMarijuana tax downturn leaves Aurora homeless agencies with gutted budgets
The Aurora City Council pulled the rug out from under the city’s homeless services providers last week, slashing their funding for next year by millions due to a shortfall in marijuana tax revenues.
Read full storyOpinion: Denver Walmart restores newsman’s faith in humanity
I am one of the most stereotypically cynical news people you could ever meet. Add to it a mental illness that at times makes me paranoid, and makes me think the worst about everything, and I often don’t have much faith in humanity.
Read full storyDenver migrant mayhem: ‘Kids on roofs, kids riding scooters unaccompanied’
A man who owns property next to the Comfort Inn where Denver migrants are being sheltered said children frolic on his property, “riding on scooters unaccompanied” and climbing up buildings to play on the roof.
Read full storyOpinion: Have drugs contaminated Denver’s homeless hotels?
At a recent town hall meeting regarding New Directions, the former Best Western Hotel in Park Hill purchased by the city of Denver, a woman asked how the city will remediate against drug contamination in between tenants.
Read full storyDenver PD prepares for Jewish convention next weekend
As tensions between Israel and Palestine bubble over, Denver will become a flashpoint next weekend at the Colorado Convention Center. That’s because the city is playing host to the Jewish National Fund’s global convention, Global Conference for Israel, Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.
Read full storyPygmy goats outing in Denver park
It's not every day that you see a family walking two dogs with beards in the park. Upon closer inspection, I could see the critters at Martin Luther King Jr. Park Wednesday were miniature pygmy goats, not dogs with beards. They appeared to be about the size of a portly dog, short and stocky.
Read full storyOpinion: Turning over homeless housing faster a noble goal of HUD
A few months ago, I wrote about my dead neighbor being evicted from his Denver apartment. He died almost a year ago and his apartment still is vacant. Now the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has created “Housing Central Command,” an approach that uses an emergency management structure to regulate the turnover of homeless housing.
Read full storyDenver council demands migrant plan from mayor
The Denver City Council has sent Mayor Mike Johnston a letter asking that he update the dais on his plan for sheltering migrants. “We are requesting an update on the Border Migration Action Plan, initially provided in September 2022 under former Mayor (Michael) Hancock’s administration,” according to the letter dated Nov. 17. “As we navigate varying numbers of arrivals and in-shelter populations, ranging from 500 to 3,000 people, it is crucial to adapt and enhance our strategies to meet the evolving needs of those seeking refuge within our city and know how staffing and shelter is ramped up and down as those numbers and needs change.”
Read full storyDenver winter hard on south of border homeless migrants
The city of Denver has not based on science its policy to open warming centers and shelters only when it dips to 20 degrees and below or at least two inches of snow are forecast, a doctor said Wednesday during the Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee of the City Council.
Read full storyPark Hill, Central Park neighbors grimace as Quebec becomes homeless hotel row
Neighbors from the North Park Hill and Central Park communities expressed dismay to the City Council Monday over the amount of House1000 real estate in District 8. Shontel Lewis represents the district. One resident implied the mayor’s office had taken advantage of Lewis’ big heart and compassion for people experiencing homelessness. As a result, several homeless hotels have been located in her district.
Read full storyDenver homeless encampment crackdowns will include mandated addiction treatment, mayor says
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was clear Saturday when someone asked during a House1000 town hall meeting what will happen to those who say no to free housing. He said taking 1,000 people off the streets with accepting an offer of free housing “allows us to focus much more rigorously on the enforcement of those who don’t (want the housing).” He said those in the grips of addiction will be offered “outpatient treatment and if not, we will get you inpatient treatment.” Johnston made his remarks during a town hall meeting at Evans School in Golden Triangle. The forum answered questions from neighbors of proposed micro community sites at 1199 N. Bannock and 1375 N. Elati.
Read full storyXcel Energy manages Denver’s rapid growth, expanding capacity while going green
Xcel Energy is ramping up Denver’s energy supply to meet the needs of a growing city while at the same time intending to become carbon-free by 2050. Last year, Xcel lowered carbon emissions by 51%.
Read full storyOpinion: Denver's Fusion Studios for the formerly homeless raises ire of city auditor
My apartment community, Fusion Studios, has made the news again. Turns out the city auditor’s office sent undercover operatives into Fusion to conduct surprise inspections. They found at Fusion and other homeless properties:
Read full storyUpdate: Committee OKs homeless micro-community buildings at about $287,500 each
The Denver money spigot never seems to turn off. First the city spent $7 million on pallet shelters, then $6 milion for tiny homes for the mayor’s House1000 initiative. And now they’ve awarded a third modular home contract for $4.25 million through Dec. 31, 2024.
Read full storyDenver homeless micro-community meal ticket: $1.7 million
It will cost $1.7 million to feed people staying in Denver’s homeless micro-communities through the end of next year. The Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness committee of the City Council will consider Wednesday a contract with The Salvation Army to provide the food.
Read full storyDenver committee slows down homeless micro-community in Overland Park
A Denver City Council committee slowed down Wednesday a plan by the mayor’s office to open a tiny home micro-community in Overland Park in District 7. The Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee postponed until Nov. 29 voting on a contract with Colorado Village Collaborative to operate the tiny home community. The non-profit had two current tenants talk about how much the program has helped them reach important goals. They said they are treated with respect by caring employees.
Read full storyAurora mayor loses cool with public defender commission chairman
A discussion about whether to privatize Aurora’s Public Defender’s Office led to a testy exchange Monday between Mayor Mike Coffman and Aurora Public Defender’s Commission Chairman Tom Tobiasson.
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