Latest news with #MikeJohnston
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Denver sees historic drop in street homelessness: Mayor Johnston
DENVER (KDVR) — The annual survey on how many people in Denver are experiencing homelessness was released, and Mayor Mike Johnston said it marked the largest reduction in street homelessness in U.S. history. The Point-In-Time Count was released on Monday by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, which looked into the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January across seven Denver metro counties, including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties. Denver homeless population hits record high in 2024 count The survey found that across the seven counties, the rate of homelessness still increased from 9,997 in 2024 to 10,774 in 2025, but the rate 'slowed significantly compared to previous years.' Meanwhile, the survey saw a decrease in people experiencing homelessness for the first time, from 3,535 in 2024 to 2,992 in 2025. The survey also found that people in emergency shelters and transitional housing increased from 7,058 in 2024 to 8,625 in 2025, while the number of people sleeping on the streets, in cars or other places decreased from 2,919 to 2,149. In Denver, the count found 785 people on the streets of Denver, which the mayor's office said was a 45% drop from 2023, when 1,423 people were without a place to live. The mayor's office said these were the best results in the country among participating cities, and the data showed 'the largest two-year reduction in street homelessness in U.S. history' and the lowest number of unsheltered people in the country among participating large cities. Five-story family shelter opens on Colfax for homeless families, veterans The mayor's office said this comes after Johnston issued a state of emergency on homelessness on his first day in office in July 2023. Since then, he has permanently closed over 400 blocks to camping and helped 5,500 find permanent housing. 'Denver is proving that homelessness is solvable so long as we are willing to put in the work to solve it,' said Johnston. 'In less than two years we have gone from a city that swept people from block to block to one that treats people with dignity and delivers real results. This policy is not only morally just but effective.' The survey found that this was the first winter season where no one died from cold-weather exposure when sleeping outside in the Denver metro region. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
a day ago
- 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.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Denver proposes sweeping personnel changes to deal with 2026 deficit: "Like betrayal," says one city worker
The executive director of Denver's Office of Human Resources, Kathy Nesbitt, said Thursday the city's projected $200 million deficit in 2026 would likely mean "hundreds" of city workers will be laid off, necessitating dramatic changes in some city personnel rules. CBS The estimate of "hundreds" of workers being cut from their jobs marked the first time the city has provided a firm estimate of the number of layoffs the city will have to implement. Nesbitt has also unveiled proposed changes to a city personnel rule that provided job protection and seniority privileges for long term city workers. Career Service Rule 14 provided job protection for workers based on their years of service, and allowed them to move to other city positions if their position was cut. Nesbitt's proposed changes -- which are supported by Mayor Mike Johnston -- would do away with those protections and make it easier to lay off longer term city workers. "I will tell you," said Nesbitt, "I wouldn't be looking at this right now but for the budget deficit we are facing for 2026." Her agency said the proposed rule revisions are to make sure layoffs "are implemented in a more streamlined manner that is consistent with the merit-based career service personnel system ... The impact will be that layoffs will now be determined solely on performance instead of a combination of seniority and performance." The proposed changes will be the subject of a hearing June 18. "It does feel like a betrayal," said one veteran city worker, who asked their identity be concealed for fear of reprisals. "I think that it is a huge disservice to people who have dedicated their careers to the city. This is dismantling not only the seniority system but the right to be reinstated if you are laid off," said the city worker. Denver City Councilmember Amanda Sawyer said of the proposed rule changes, "I'm not thrilled about it but I think they're doing what has to be done." "Layoffs are hard. Changing rule 14 midstream feels like adding insult to injury for our staff. But it needs to be done," said Sawyer. It's unclear precisely how many city workers might be potentially impacted by the rule change, but the Office of Human Resources said the majority of current city workers had been hired in the last 10 years. Nesbitt said by Thursday afternoon, her office had started hearing from city workers about the proposed changes. "I would say about 75% are dissatisfied," said Nesbitt, who agreed the potential change likely feels "earth-shattering" for some city employees. The city has about 10,000 workers covered by career service rules.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Denver celebrates five years of Healthy Food for Denver's Kids initiative
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver is celebrating the halfway point of its 10-year-long Healthy Food for Denver's Kids initiative. The initiative has invested more than $85 million into over 100 local organizations that work to increase access to nutritious food and food-based education for youth and their families, the city said Thursday. Lawsuit against Purina plant's 'rancid' odor dismissed 'Every child and family deserve the chance to access affordable, nutritious food,' Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement. The Healthy Food for Denver's Kids initiative was put in place following a voter-approved ballot initiative in 2018, with funding currently in place through 2029. 'Healthy Food for Denver's Kids has transformed how we support families in our city: making healthy meals more available, empowering communities, and ensuring equity regardless of where families live or their budgets,' Johnston said. This milestone is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we invest in our kids and their futures.' Since 2019, the city said Healthy Food for Denver's Kids has: Reached more than 149,000 families across Denver Served more than 40 million healthy and 'culturally relevant' meals and snacks Supported programming delivered in 33 languages Funded efforts in schools, nonprofits and public agencies focused on nutrition, food justice and youth empowerment The city is marking the milestone with a public celebration on Saturday at the Denver Zoo at the Zoo Gardens Plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Zoo admission is required. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Trump admin seeking to pull funding from local governments slapped with judge's preliminary injunction
A federal judge in Washington state on Tuesday granted Denver and other local governments a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's threats to withhold federal funding for transportation programs. Denver and dozens of other plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in May, claiming that the Trump administration's threats to withhold an estimated $4 billion in critical federal grants exceed the Executive Branch's authority and were thereby "unlawful and politically motivated funding conditions," according to the injunction order. The judge ruled that the Trump administration likely violated the Separation of Powers doctrine, and that its threats to cut funding constitute harm. "It is this looming risk itself that is the injury, and one that Plaintiffs are already suffering," the order stated. "Courts evaluating similar circumstances have recognized that this injury of acute budgetary uncertainty is irreparable." The lawsuit was filed after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a memo in April that warned recipients of federal funding that they could lose grants if they did not adhere to the Trump administration's stance on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Duffy's memo further stated that failure to help enforce federal immigration policy could also lead to loss of funding. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston praised the judge's decision on Wednesday. "Denver follows all laws — federal, state, and local — and it should not be so much to ask the White House to do the same," Johnston said in a statement. "We appreciate the court's swift and precise ruling protecting the federal funding that Denverites deserve."
