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Denverite

With 11% apartment vacancy rate, its a good time to be a renter in Denver
Approved, Denverite, Local

With 11% apartment vacancy rate, its a good time to be a renter in Denver

By Sarah Mulholland | Denverite Most Denverites have probably noticed all the apartment buildings being built in recent years. It turns out that those buildings are taking a while to fill — and that’s good news for renters. The vacancy rate for apartments in the metro Denver area was 11 percent as of October, according to real estate data company CoStar. That’s roughly double the vacancy rate of a few years ago, according to CoStar, which also owns Apartments.com, one of the biggest online rental portals in the U.S.  READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE
She worked for Denver for 20 years. Now she’s suing Mayor Mike Johnston’s office and his chief equity officer
Approved, Denverite, Local

She worked for Denver for 20 years. Now she’s suing Mayor Mike Johnston’s office and his chief equity officer

By Kyle Harris | Denverite A City of Denver employee is suing the Mayor’s Office and the Mayor’s Chief Equity Officer. Jessica Calderon’s allegations include sex and national-origin discrimination, retaliation and violations of her constitutional rights to free expression and assembly.  She filed the complaint in August and her attorneys amended it this week. It addresses several years of grievances that span the administrations of former mayor Michael Hancock and Mayor Mike Johnston. The Denver City Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the complaint, and neither the Mayor’s Office nor Chief Equity Officer Ben Sanders have responded to Denverite’s requests for comment on the allegations.  READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE
Colorado bought a Denver railyard for $50 million. 3 years later, it could be sold
Approved, Denverite, State

Colorado bought a Denver railyard for $50 million. 3 years later, it could be sold

By Nathaniel Minor | Denverite When the state of Colorado bought Burnham Yard in 2021, it had big plans for the old railyard south of downtown Denver. The state expected the roughly 60-acre site could accommodate the expansion of Interstate 25, new RTD light rail tracks, and even the planned Front Range passenger rail line. "This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,” a high-ranking state transportation official said then. Fifty million dollars later, state transportation officials say they don’t actually need most of the land and are preparing it for sale. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE
Bridge security at DIA, once a top-secret checkpoint choice, is going away forever
Approved, Denverite, Local

Bridge security at DIA, once a top-secret checkpoint choice, is going away forever

By Andrew Kenney | Denverite Denver International Airport will soon close its bridge security checkpoint as the Great Hall construction project gets somewhat closer to completion. The bridge checkpoint has been a slightly secret option for some travelers, sometimes offering shorter wait times when the main hall is packed. It sits on the elevated building segment that connects the Great Hall, where passengers check in, and Concourse A, which is one of the airport’s terminals. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE
Voters supported Denver ballot measure 6A, but what will be done with $570 million?
Approved, Denverite, Local

Voters supported Denver ballot measure 6A, but what will be done with $570 million?

By Kyle Harris | Denverite Downtown Denver is about to see a significant cash injection. Roughly 78 percent of voters living near Union Station passed Ballot Measure 6A — a policy that will authorize $570 million of debt for downtown revitalization. Only around 2,500 voters were eligible to decide the matter.  The passage of the measure was a big win for Mayor Mike Johnston. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE
Denver changed the rules for homeless shelters this winter. This week is the debut
Approved, Denverite, Local

Denver changed the rules for homeless shelters this winter. This week is the debut

By Paolo Zialcita | Denverite Subfreezing temperatures have reached Denver, prompting the city to activate three cold weather shelters on Monday. The National Weather Service is forecasting overnight lows in the mid-20s through the week. Denver saw its first snow of the season today, with chances for more on Wednesday and Thursday. In response, Denver will activate three emergency shelters across the city, offering round-the-clock services for people in need. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE
Denver’s mayor ‘factually incorrect’ as he argued for sales tax hike, state senator says
Approved, Denverite, Local

Denver’s mayor ‘factually incorrect’ as he argued for sales tax hike, state senator says

By Andrew Kenney | Denverite Mayor Mike Johnston recently faced a tough question about his proposal to pay for affordable housing by raising taxes, and he appeared to get a significant fact wrong when he gave the answer. The question was about Ballot Measure 2R, which would collect about $100 million a year by raising local sales taxes. Paul Karolyi, a host of the City Cast Denver podcast, asked Johnston in an interview why he wanted to increase sales taxes. Sales taxes are regressive, meaning they have a greater proportional impact on lower-income people. Karolyi asked why the measure didn’t tax property owners instead. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVERITE