Currently holds the office of Denver City Mayor until July 16, 2027.
Candidate for Denver City Mayor in 2023 Colorado General Runoff Election.
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Get StartedAs Mayor, I will enforce basic standards of decency so that people who are breaking the law are held accountable. Public drug use, harassment, and assault will not be tolerated; citizens who are following the lawneed to feel like Denver still belongs to them. Learn more
Protect Denver by putting 200 more first responders on the streets, including mental health professionals, EMTs and police officers. Learn more
Convert two pods of the Denver Jail to mental health and addiction treatment facilities so we can get low-level offenders the treatment they need. Enforcement does not need to—and should not—lead to putting people into the traditional prison environment. Under my plan, those whose primary needs are addiction and mental health support will be sent to treatment to get the help they need. Learn more
Reduce gun violence by making it more difficult for criminals and at-risk youth to obtain deadly weapons. Learn more
Establish a 10-day waiting period to purchase guns. The evidence from researchers and policymakers across America is clear—waiting periods save lives.12 That is why, in my first year as Mayor, I will work with City Council to enact a 10-day waiting period for the purchase of any firearm in Denver. Learn more
Enforce Colorado’s Red Flag Law. Learn more
Close the wealth gap by expanding homeownership through down payment assistance. As part of my plan to create moreaffordable housing, I’ll expand upon my success from the Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, which supports first-time Black homebuyers through down-payment assistance and was honored by the Brookings Institution as a national model.4 The wealth gap between Black and white families with children can be as large as 100 to 1, and assistance with a $40,000 down payment can increase a family’s wealth by at least $150,000 within 10 years. By expanding assistance to Denver’s broader population of first-generation and first-time home buyers, I’ll directly target wealth gaps and help every family’s dream of becoming a homeowner turn into a reality. Learn more
Provide centralized wrap-around services in every micro community. While the provision of stable housing is critical to solving homelessness, we must also address the underlying causes. That is why each new community for the formerly unhoused will connect residents with mental health treatment, addiction treatment, and workforce training. Learn more
Build 20 micro communities to end unsheltered homelessness in my first term. In my first four years as Mayor, I pledge to build 1,400 additional units of housing for unsheltered individuals, ending homelessness in Denver by the end of my first term. Learn more
Pair enforcement with the provision of services. Some portion of the homeless population will choose not to take advantage of the housing and services my administration will provide. The camping ban will continue to be enforced against these individuals, who will be routed to safe outdoor spaces and channeled to treatment options for mental health and addiction where appropriate. Learn more
Stop eviction and displacement. Beyond addressing those currently unhoused, I’ll invest in prevention to reduce the number of Denverites who become homeless in the first place. Invest in eviction defense. I will sustain and make permanent critical funding streams to help tenants on the verge of eviction negotiate favorable settlements with their landlords and stay in their homes, avoiding the unnecessary and disruptive costs to tenants, landlords, and our community that an eviction triggers. Learn more
A Mayor who owns the problem and gets direct feedback from residents. Denver needs a Mayor who will make solving homelessness a top priority and align every department of city government to ensure results. As Mayor, my office will be front and center of the fight against homelessness—and transparent in its communications with Denver residents. Learn more
Close the achievement gap and help kids find their passion by connecting low income students to positive out-of-school opportunities. High-income families spend five times more on out-of-school activities and summer programs than low-income families.5 That spending exacerbates disparities in access to opportunity, and it also deprives children of enriching connections and experiences. We can close this gap through innovative programs that can help reduce risk-taking behavior in teens simultaneously. Learn more
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