DENVER (KDVR) — Newly sworn-in Mayor Mike Johnston declared an emergency over homelessness in Denver, and he said he has a plan to house 1,000 people by the end of the year.
Johnston made the announcement in a Tuesday morning news conference, just shy of 24 hours after his inauguration. On Monday, he will activate the city’s Emergency Operation Center and Joint Information Center as part of the response.
The new mayor has said addressing homelessness would be a top priority for his administration. He said on Tuesday he will focus on the following:
- Moving unhoused people into housing units through rapid rehousing or access to available apartments
- Calling on landlords and property owners to partner to get people access to homes
- Hotel conversions
- Looking at parcels of land in the city to open micro-communities, like those with tiny homes, to give people shelter, housing and resources like addiction help and workforce training
Read more from his news conference below.
