Greenspaces or housing? How a Denver debate resonates across Colorado
Many cities have chunks of land they’re not sure what to do with. The fate of one of these big open spaces – in Denver – is in front of voters. The decision they’ll make illuminates a lot about the debate over greenspace versus housing, which we see in communities across Colorado.
It’s ‘name that candidate’ in Denver’s crowded mayoral contest
There’s no clear favorite so far in Denver’s mayoral race, where 17 candidates are focused on housing, homelessness and crime before the April 4 election. If no one wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the two top finishers will move on to a June runoff to replace three-term Mayor Michael Hancock. Denver is one of several major Colorado cities holding elections this spring.
Multiple Colorado school districts enter lockdown after unconfirmed threats Wednesday. Here’s what we know
Schools in at least a dozen cities, including Boulder and Englewood, received threatening phone calls. No injuries were reported.
Developers for Downtown Denver expect huge growth
The pandemic wasn’t kind to downtowns — as people went to working from home, the need for office space dried up. Yet in spite of the sluggish commercial real estate market, developers are planning a revamp of lots near Ball Arena in downtown Denver, along with residential development along the South Platte River banks and transforming the Auraria Campus. Denverite’s Kyle Harris talks about these plans with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner.
Housing people who were homeless doesn’t resolve neighborhood tensions
Colorado’s in the midst of a housing crunch, a pandemic, and an opioid crisis – all of which add to and complicate homelessness. Look no further than downtown Denver, where residents have tried to stop people from sleeping on the streets around Union Station and on the 16th Street Mall. The city has housed some of those folks in hotels. But not everybody likes that solution.
Denver’s ‘unauthorized camping ban’ turns 10, but has it made a difference?
Ten years ago, May 17, 2012, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock signed a bill to ban unauthorized camping in the city. It’s a policy critics said criminalized homelessness. The ban is still in effect, even as the number of people experiencing homelessness has multiplied. Denverite’s Kyle Harris has been looking into the ban’s widely-debated history and where things stand today.
The challenge of finding affordable, reliable child care
Waitlists that are years’ long, costs that can rival a second mortgage. Child care centers are struggling to meet the need. And, parents are left in the lurch. A recent report found about 60-percent of child care centers in Colorado are having trouble retaining staff. Some have shut down classes or closed altogether. Denverite’s Kyle Harris has been working on a special series. It looks at the situation through the lens of what’s happening in Metro Denver.
