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Arvada rolls $8M affordable housing bond into 2026 after developers show no interest
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Colorado Politics, Approved, Local

Arvada rolls $8M affordable housing bond into 2026 after developers show no interest

By Sage Kelley | Colorado Politics The Arvada City Council voted to roll the city’s nearly $8 million bond into 2026 to potentially help create large-scale affordable housing amidst shortages throughout the region. The council met with the city’s Housing Manager Carrie Espinosa on Tuesday to discuss how the city should move forward with the 2025 Private Activity Bond, ultimately voting 4-1 to combine it with next year’s funds. Arvada received $7.9 million of private activity bonds from the State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs for 2025, with the intention to use the bonds to support private or public developers in making an affordable housing project. According to the request for proposal, affordable was defined as housing costs that are less than 30% of gross income fo...
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Greeley voters demand a say on $1.1B entertainment district
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Fox31, Approved, Local

Greeley voters demand a say on $1.1B entertainment district

By Heather Willard | FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — In April, Greeley City Council voted 5-2 in favor of building a new entertainment district, bringing an arena for the Colorado Eagles, a waterpark, apartments and retail space to the area, but now there are concerns about how the project was advanced. The project has two main portions: Catalyst, the city-owned project and entertainment district, will cost about $832 million, which will go toward three ice rinks, a hotel and a water park, among other costs; and Cascadia, the private residential and commercial area owned by The Water Valley Company. A Greeley City Council meeting held Sept. 2 had a lengthy public comment period, mainly focused on the Catalyst Greeley West project, that lasted for nearly an hour. Many who...
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Colorado Officials Target Christian Bakery With Heavy-Handed Zoning Rules
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Local, Approved, The Federalist

Colorado Officials Target Christian Bakery With Heavy-Handed Zoning Rules

By Helen Raleigh | The Federalist A cherished French bakery in Jefferson County, Colorado, is facing potential closure because of the county’s harsh enforcement of exclusionary zoning regulations. This situation underscores how overly restrictive regulations create unnecessary hurdles that stifle entrepreneurship, especially when the local economy is struggling. Lookout Mountain, Colorado, is celebrated for its breathtaking views, luxurious homes, and as the final resting place of Buffalo Bill. Just 12 miles from downtown Denver, it has become a must-visit destination for hikers, mountain bikers, and tourists from all over the globe. This charming mountain community has long grappled with one significant drawback: the lack of a quality café. For many years, residents and visitors ...
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Police in Sanctuary City Defy Mayor Join ICE to Enforce Law
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The Western Journal, Approved, National

Police in Sanctuary City Defy Mayor Join ICE to Enforce Law

By Jack Davis | The Western Journal Many Boston police officers are defying Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu’s stance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement by secretly assisting federal authorities with critical intel. Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons told radio host Howie Carr about this crucial cooperation on Wednesday. “We have so many men and women of the Boston Police Department and other jurisdictions that are so pro-ICE, that want to work with us, and that are actually helping us behind the scenes,” he said. Lyons promised to target similar sanctuary cities with federal agents in order to get America’s immigration crisis under control. “We’re definitely going to, as you’ve heard the saying, f...
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Denver’s $950 million bond: Taxpayers deserve full accountability before another blank check
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Westword, Approved, Commentary, Local

Denver’s $950 million bond: Taxpayers deserve full accountability before another blank check

By Erik Clarke | Commentary, Westword "Denver residents want to support good projects that improve our daily life and solve real problems. Taxpayers also want to know that their money is being managed responsibly." In 2017, Denver voters approved the $937 million Elevate Denver Bond Program to improve civic infrastructure across the city. Eight years later, while some projects have made meaningful progress, many remain delayed, over budget or not yet started. Now, the city is preparing to ask voters to approve another nearly billion dollars through the proposed Vibrant Denver package. Before we’re asked to vote this November, we deserve more than summaries and categories. We deserve transparency. We deserve details. As of today, there is no public cost breakdown ...
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Local leaders warn new AI law could harm Colorado innovation
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The Gazette, Approved, State

Local leaders warn new AI law could harm Colorado innovation

By Seth Klamann | The Gazette While filling the $800 million gap in the state budget is a significant part of the special session set to go underway this morning at the state Capitol, the battle over artificial intelligence regulations is quickly taking center stage, with mayors from three major cities weighing in. In a letter, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman called on state legislators to intervene and stop Senate Bill 205 from going into effect as planned on Feb. 1, 2026, arguing they fear it would deter companies and jobs from coming to Colorado, not to mention millions of dollars in implementation expenses.  “As mayors of the three largest cities in Colorado, with different political affiliations, we are ...
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Colorado Springs Community Partners Transform School Into Shelter for Homeless Families
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Local, Approved, The Gazette

Colorado Springs Community Partners Transform School Into Shelter for Homeless Families

By Debbie Kelley | The Gazette Children’s laughter again will fill the hallways of an old elementary school in the Hillside neighborhood that closed nine years ago, but the kids won’t be in classes, they’ll be right at home with their parents. Helen Hunt Elementary School at 601 S. Institute St. is now Hunt Family Housing, a 24-unit transitional apartment complex for parents and children exiting homelessness. “We think this will have a significant impact on reducing family homelessness in our community,” Andy Barton, CEO of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado, said at a grand opening and ribbon-cutting event Wednesday. The annual count of the homeless population in El Paso County that was released last month showed 62 children through age 17 living in emergency shelters on o...
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Denver Mayor Accused of Political Purge After City Hall Layoffs
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Local, Approved, Axios Denver

Denver Mayor Accused of Political Purge After City Hall Layoffs

By: John Frank | Axios Denver Some Denver elected officials and laid-off staff are accusing Mayor Mike Johnston of weaponizing budget cuts to punish critics of his administration. The big picture: Their reproach reflects growing resentment at City Hall toward Johnston, whose governing style has frustrated many city policymakers. What they're saying: City Clerk and Recorder Paul López on Tuesday suggested this week's layoffs were retaliatory, calling them "part of a deliberate, hand-selected purge of those in the ranks who've … maintained responsibility and transparency in an administration that is neither." López also blamed job cuts on Johnston's "mishandling" of the city's budget. Councilmember Stacie Gilmore, a frequent challenger...
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Taxpayer-Funded Mountain Retreat Moves Ahead Amid Denver Layoffs
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Taxpayer-Funded Mountain Retreat Moves Ahead Amid Denver Layoffs

By Brian Maass | CBS Colorado Ten of Denver's 13 city council members are planning to attend a $26,000, two night, one day retreat in Colorado's foothills next week for team building and professional development, at the same time the city is laying off workers and trying to find ways to cut costs and save money. "We signed this contract prior to knowing of any budget shortfall," said Council President Amanda Sandoval, who pushed for the trip at the Lone Rock retreat in Park County. "We signed this contract prior to knowing of any furlough days, we signed this contract prior to knowing of any layoffs," said Sandoval. She said the council retreat had been in the works since December 2024, and the contract was signed May 8. Two weeks later, Mayor Mike Johnston revealed the depths ...
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Colorado governor pressures local leaders to ease rules and build more homes
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The Center Square, Approved, State

Colorado governor pressures local leaders to ease rules and build more homes

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square (The Center Square) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis updated an executive action to push more affordable housing for Colorado. This comes just months after he first issued the initial executive order. “We are building more housing now and breaking down government barriers to new homes. It is more important than ever to lower the cost of living,” Polis, a Democrat, said. “This action will lead to more housing that people can afford.” The amended executive order directed state agencies to prioritize grant funding to local communities that are “leading on the effort to create more housing that Coloradans can afford.”(The Center Square) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis updated an executive action to push more affordable housing for Colora...
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