Latest news with #AllInMileHigh
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Salvation Army to exit three Denver shelters by year's end amid controversy
The Salvation Army on Thursday said it will cease operating three hotel shelters in partnership with the city once contracts expire at the end of this year. Why it matters: The move marks a major rupture in a longtime partnership strained by safety concerns and criticism of the Salvation Army's shelter management — signaling a deeper rift between the city and one of its largest homeless services providers. The big picture: The change terminates contracts for the Aspen, Stone Creek and Tamarac shelters, per a statement from the nonprofit, which operates multiple local shelters for people experiencing homelessness and receives millions in city funding. Between the lines: The Salvation Army reapplied but was not selected for two of its three sites in the city's competitive bidding process, Mayor Mike Johnston's spokesperson Jon Ewing tells Axios. The nonprofit was rejected for one and "mutually parted ways" on another, Ewing says. State of play: The decision, the nonprofit contends, will allow the Salvation Army's Intermountain Division — which covers Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana — to better deliver services and save money. Friction point: The nonprofit said it shouldered $5.2 million in shelter operating costs last year, which it says exceeded funding. City officials say they can't verify that figure. "I haven't heard it before," Ewing tells us, noting contracts outline funding and eligible expenses. Zoom out: The severed contracts won't affect the Crossroads Shelter, the 24/7 facility exclusively for men that's among the busiest in the city. The massive shelter in June received a $4.6 million infusion from the city, which helps serve about 250 men a day. What they're saying: The Salvation Army said it helped 1,994 people get into permanent and stable housing in connection with Johnston's All In Mile High (AIMH) program.
Axios
17-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Denver's next two years: Johnston fights to save his "vibrant" vision
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston reaches the halfway mark of his first term Thursday, with his bold agenda running headlong into fiscal and political minefields. Why it matters: Johnston's next two years — with looming budget cuts and federal funding in doubt — could determine whether voters give him another four years in 2027, when he plans to run for reelection. The big picture: Johnston, a self-described " entrepreneur at heart," spent his first two years dreaming big and moving fast — drawing praise for results and criticism for rushed decisions and closed-door tactics. He's claimed some major wins: Reducing visible street homelessness (7,000 people have been moved into shelters since 2023 — though at a steep $58 million per year). Lowering violent crime (the homicide rate is down 58% this year, which Johnston says is "the largest drop of any of the top 100 cities in the country"). Reopening and rebranding 16th Street. Orchestrating a land swap to turn Park Hill Golf Course into a park. Securing a new women's soccer stadium. Mixed results: Navigating a migrant crisis, which triggered major budget cuts and tapping city savings to cover its roughly $180 million cost. Revamping the city's building permitting process, though multifamily residential buildings still average a 276-day wait time. And some setbacks: Voters rejecting his sales tax to fund affordable housing. City audits revealing homeless shelter failures and financial mismanagement of encampment sweeps. Stubbornly steep office vacancies downtown (currently 36.8%). Strained relationships with City Council for moving too fast, overruling their authority and lacking transparency — plus plummeting staff morale ahead of layoffs. Declining public approval. And, the latest, his flagship bond proposal — an $800 million plan for infrastructure, parks, rec centers — hitting intense resistance. State of play: Johnston's second half of his first term is shaping up to be less about big swings and more about surviving the fallout. Denver faces a $250 million shortfall, with layoffs and service cuts expected. With more than 13,000 city workers on payroll, even a 5% reduction would mean 650 jobs gone. That squeeze could translate into slower trash pickups, reduced library hours and other unpalatable cuts just as Johnston prepares for a reelection bid. Zoom out: Washington is tightening the vise, with federal funds already withheld. President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" guts Medicaid and SNAP — which could further strain Denver's safety net and Johnston's signature"All In Mile High" initiative. The bill also funnels $170 billion into immigration enforcement. Johnston's vows to protect undocumented residents, even at the risk of jail, already triggered a federal lawsuit and FEMA clawbacks, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns could intensify. Meanwhile, new tariffs on steel, lumber and solar gear are inflating construction budgets, jeopardizing Johnston's housing and climate goals. Yes, but: Betting big is his brand. "Our toughest problems are solvable, and we are the ones to solve them," he says often.
Axios
09-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Homelessness rises despite fewer people living on Denver streets
Sheltered homelessness in Denver has dropped to its lowest level in six years, even as overall homelessness across the metro continues to rise, the latest point-in-time (PIT) count released Monday shows. The big picture: There were 10,774 people experiencing homelessness during this year's count, an 8% jump from 2024, per data from the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI), which surveyed people across seven metro counties on Jan. 27. The overall rate of increase slowed "significantly" compared to previous years, per a statement from the MDHI, which credits improved coordination and Denver's All In Mile High program for helping reduce unsheltered homelessness. Why it matters: While fewer people are living on the streets, the data shows homelessness remains a persistent problem in Denver despite tens of millions of dollars annually invested to find a fix. State of play: Roughly 80% of people surveyed during January's count were considered sheltered, meaning they were staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing. The remaining 20% were unsheltered, referring to people living on sidewalks, in cars or parks. Between the lines: Mayor Mike Johnston's administration eliminated most large encampments in Denver through its rehousing program, bringing nearly 7,000 people indoors over the past two years by enforcing the city's urban camping ban. His administration said it only conducted sweeps when shelter space was available, though that didn't always prove to be the case. Caveat: This year's PIT took place during a frigid night, which likely affected the total number of people in shelters, per the Colorado Sun. The intrigue: Johnston's administration is taking credit for the steep drop in unsheltered homelessness, in a statement calling it "the largest two-year reduction in street homelessness in U.S. history." The data shows a 45% decrease in unsheltered homelessness since 2023, the year the mayor launched his signature program to bring thousands of people indoors. Now called All In Mile High, the program costs about $57.5 million a year, a spokesperson for the mayor's office tells us. His staff compared similar reductions to larger cities, including Dallas from 2021 to 2025 and Houston from 2020 to 2024, which registered 28% and 33% drops, respectively. By the numbers: The 785 people counted as unsheltered this year in Denver is lower than similar-sized cities with PIT counts, including Washington, D.C. (798), Atlanta (1,061) and Austin (1,577), per data provided by Denver.
Axios
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Denver (still) isn't tracking millions in spending on homeless sweeps, audit finds
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's administration is failing to adequately track millions in spending on homeless encampment cleanups, a new city audit finds. Why it matters: Without oversight, the city can't account for how taxpayer money is being used — raising questions about how Johnston is managing one of his top priorities. Driving the news: The audit is a follow-up to a 2023 report that found the city, under former Mayor Michael Hancock, was likely underestimating how much it spends on encampment outreach, cleanup and enforcement. It also comes on the heels of a separate audit last fall that found Johnston's team is struggling to keep homeless shelters safe and falling short on tracking costs. What they found: The city's homeless encampment response still has major accountability gaps: No clear system exists to track cleanup costs, monitor contracts or verify services are delivered. Property storage — which holds belongings seized from encampments — lacks oversight, including whether it's secure or accessible to its owner. Daily coordination meetings about encampment actions aren't documented, leaving key decisions without a paper trail. By the numbers: The city has fully implemented just six of the 36 recommendations from the auditor's 2023 report, despite agreeing to fulfill them all, per the report. What they're saying: "Given the millions of dollars spent across several years to address homelessness, the city's continued inability to properly monitor expenses is problematic," Denver auditor Timothy O'Brien said in a statement. "Residents expect their tax dollars [to] be used effectively and appropriately for such an important and ongoing issue," he added. The other side: Johnston's office referred Axios Denver to statements his senior homeless adviser Cole Chandler shared with the auditor's office. Chandler acknowledged there's "room for improvement" but said many issues are already being addressed or have recently improved. That includes better tracking of expenses, data monitoring and access to property storage, he said. What's next: An audit of Johnston's marquee homelessness initiative — the All In Mile High program to shelter thousands of unhoused people — is underway, O'Brien said.
