Denver Mayor Mike Johnston delivered his second State of the City address to a packed audience on Monday night. His speech was framed by historical anecdotes about Denver’s early gamble to connect to the transcontinental railroad, a decision that initially failed but ultimately led to the city’s emergence as a regional hub, and stories about bold Denverites who didn’t settle when faced with adversity or challenges. Johnston used these stories to underscore a central theme of his address: bold vision, persistent effort and the belief that setbacks are not endpoints.
Throughout the speech, Johnston returned to the idea of Denver as the “capital of the new West,” a city defined by resilience, innovation and inclusivity. He acknowledged the challenges facing the city—including national political division and local budget constraints—and laid out four guiding principles for governance: minimizing the impact on residents, protecting core city services, maintaining equity for vulnerable communities and supporting the city’s workforce. These principles, he said, would shape how Denver navigates fiscal pressures while staying focused on its top priorities: homelessness, affordability, public safety and economic revitalization.
The mayor cited several major accomplishments from the past year. He reported a 45% reduction in unsheltered homelessness since taking office, describing it as the largest decrease of any major U.S. city in recent history with more than 7,000 individuals having been moved off the streets and with 5,000 placed into permanent housing.
Denver also became the largest city in the country to end street homelessness for veterans. Since the start of his term, Mayor Johnston has promoted the Housing1000 initiative as the cornerstone of his administration’s approach to addressing homelessness. However, the plan has faced significant criticism from community members, particularly regarding the emphasis on transitional rather than permanent housing solutions. In a recent interview with CBS Colorado, Johnston acknowledged the progress made in bringing many individuals off the streets and indicated that the administration will now focus on reaching those he described as experiencing the most severe challenges related to addiction and mental health.
On the public safety front, Johnston highlighted the city’s progress in rebuilding its police force, with 300 new officers hired since the start of his administration. He credited this effort with contributing to a 46% drop in homicides, a 50% reduction in auto theft and a 96% decline in catalytic converter theft. He emphasized that the next phase of public safety work will focus on quality-of-life and property crimes, aiming to make residents feel safer and more connected to their neighborhoods.
Economic development was another focal point. Johnston pointed to the reopening of the previously named16th Street Mall and reported that restaurants in the area have seen revenue increases ranging from 30% to 100%. He framed downtown recovery as essential to the city’s broader economic health, noting that 25% of Denver’s jobs are located in the urban core. He also spoke to the opportunity presented by the city’s 7 million square feet of vacant office space, suggesting that adaptive reuse for residential housing could help address affordability and density challenges.
Looking ahead, Johnston laid out several goals for the coming year. He called for the creation of 5,000 additional units of affordable housing to ensure that the workers who keep the city running can afford to live in it. He emphasized the need to expand access to high-quality education, positioning Denver as the best place in the country to raise a family. He also spoke about the importance of his proposed bond initiative, which he described as a necessary investment in the city’s infrastructure and long-term resilience.
Johnston’s address was a call to action rooted in optimism. He introduced the concept of “learned hopefulness,” the idea that past successes can build the confidence and capacity to tackle future challenges and a contrast to “learned hopelessness.” His final remarks painted a vision of Denver as a city where people turn toward one another in times of uncertainty, that believes in building something bigger than any one person, and that strives to be both a haven for its residents and an inspiration to others.
For clients engaged in housing, public safety, education, infrastructure or the downtown core, the mayor’s address signals continued alignment with strategic priorities and a willingness to pursue ambitious goals despite fiscal headwinds. The administration’s tone was confident but pragmatic, and the policy direction suggests a steady continuation of the initiatives launched during Johnston’s first year in office.
You can read a copy of the transcript of the State of the City here and view the full video here.
