Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, left, and District 9 City Councilman Darrell Watson, second from left, have a conversation with homeless activist Caryn Sodaro, right, as they visit an encampment on Stout Street near 22nd St on Aug. 3, 2023, in Denver. (Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston on Thursday named 11 sites within the city that could be used to house the homeless.
The city owns three of the properties and either the Colorado Department of Transportation, Denver Housing Authority or Denver Health own three. The remaining three are privately owned.
The properties are spread around the city, although two of them are in the Golden Triangle neighborhood just south of downtown.
Two of the properties named are no surprise. They have hotels on them that were purchased in recent weeks by the city in one case, and the Denver Housing Authority in the other.
The remainder of the properties are intended for “micro-communities,” where individuals could be housed in pallet shelters or other basic structures. The concept is similar to the handful of tiny home villages and sanctioned campsites in Denver operated by the nonprofit Colorado Village Collaborative.
Johnston, who took office last month, has made addressing homelessness his signature issue in his initial weeks, pledging to house 1,000 people by year-end.
The city said in a news release Thursday that it is still evaluating potential additional properties that could be used. Sites are being evaluated on factors that include proximity to transit, access to utilities and distance from schools, as well as “equitable distribution” around the city.
The 11 properties named Thursday are:
4595 N. Quebec St.
Neighborhood: Northeast Park Hill
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Denver Housing Authority
Note: The 194-unit hotel on the property, formerly a Best Western, was bought by DHA last week.
12033 E. 38th Ave.
Neighborhood: Central Park
Use: Hotel/micro-community
Owner: City and County of Denver
Note: The 96-unit hotel on the property was purchased by the city earlier this month.
1498 N. Irving St.
Neighborhood: West Colfax
Use: Micro-community
Owner: City and County of Denver
Note: This is the site of Denver Public Library’s Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales branch.
5500 E. Yale Ave.
Neighborhood: University Hills
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Denver-based Columbia Group, operating as 5500 E Yale LLC (private)
Note: Columbia Group bought the property, which has an older office building on it, for $4 million in June 2022 with plans to redevelop. “We bought it thinking it was an amazing site for affordable housing,” said Fred Glick, an executive with the firm. The office building has “mostly shorter-term tenants,” he said.
1380 S. Birch St.
Neighborhood: Virginia Village
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Krisana GP LLC (private)
Note: This parking lot was once owned by CDOT, which previously had its headquarters across the street.
950 W. Alameda Ave.
Neighborhood: Baker
Use: Micro-community
Owner: CDOT
Note: This undeveloped lot is next to a Denny’s and gas station between Santa Fe Drive and Kalamath Street.
2301 S. Santa Fe Drive
Neighborhood: Overland
Use: Micro-community
Owner: CDOT
Note: The property is undeveloped.
3700 N. Galapago St.
Neighborhood: Globeville
Use: Micro-community
Owner: CDOT
Note: This undeveloped site is by the I-25/38th Avenue interchange near the entrance to Fox Island.
1199 N. Bannock St.
Neighborhood: Golden Triangle
Use: Micro-community
Owner: 12th & Bannock LLC (private)
Note: This undeveloped site previously had an office building on it. Denver-based Urban Villages purchased the property in 2019 and plans to eventually develop it.
1375 N. Elati St.
Neighborhood: Golden Triangle
Use: Micro-community
Owner: City and County of Denver
Note: This parking lot is across the street from the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse.
5000 N. Tower Road
Neighborhood: Green Valley Ranch
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Denver Health
Note: Denver Health bought this undeveloped site in 2017 for $1.71 million.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, left, and District 9 City Councilman Darrell Watson, second from left, have a conversation with homeless activist Caryn Sodaro, right, as they visit an encampment on Stout Street near 22nd St on Aug. 3, 2023, in Denver. (Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston on Thursday named 11 sites within the city that could be used to house the homeless.
The city owns three of the properties and either the Colorado Department of Transportation, Denver Housing Authority or Denver Health own three. The remaining three are privately owned.
The properties are spread around the city, although two of them are in the Golden Triangle neighborhood just south of downtown.
Two of the properties named are no surprise. They have hotels on them that were purchased in recent weeks by the city in one case, and the Denver Housing Authority in the other.
The remainder of the properties are intended for “micro-communities,” where individuals could be housed in pallet shelters or other basic structures. The concept is similar to the handful of tiny home villages and sanctioned campsites in Denver operated by the nonprofit Colorado Village Collaborative.
Johnston, who took office last month, has made addressing homelessness his signature issue in his initial weeks, pledging to house 1,000 people by year-end.
The city said in a news release Thursday that it is still evaluating potential additional properties that could be used. Sites are being evaluated on factors that include proximity to transit, access to utilities and distance from schools, as well as “equitable distribution” around the city.
The 11 properties named Thursday are:
4595 N. Quebec St.
Neighborhood: Northeast Park Hill
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Denver Housing Authority
Note: The 194-unit hotel on the property, formerly a Best Western, was bought by DHA last week.
12033 E. 38th Ave.
Neighborhood: Central Park
Use: Hotel/micro-community
Owner: City and County of Denver
Note: The 96-unit hotel on the property was purchased by the city earlier this month.
1498 N. Irving St.
Neighborhood: West Colfax
Use: Micro-community
Owner: City and County of Denver
Note: This is the site of Denver Public Library’s Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales branch.
5500 E. Yale Ave.
Neighborhood: University Hills
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Denver-based Columbia Group, operating as 5500 E Yale LLC (private)
Note: Columbia Group bought the property, which has an older office building on it, for $4 million in June 2022 with plans to redevelop. “We bought it thinking it was an amazing site for affordable housing,” said Fred Glick, an executive with the firm. The office building has “mostly shorter-term tenants,” he said.
1380 S. Birch St.
Neighborhood: Virginia Village
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Krisana GP LLC (private)
Note: This parking lot was once owned by CDOT, which previously had its headquarters across the street.
950 W. Alameda Ave.
Neighborhood: Baker
Use: Micro-community
Owner: CDOT
Note: This undeveloped lot is next to a Denny’s and gas station between Santa Fe Drive and Kalamath Street.
2301 S. Santa Fe Drive
Neighborhood: Overland
Use: Micro-community
Owner: CDOT
Note: The property is undeveloped.
3700 N. Galapago St.
Neighborhood: Globeville
Use: Micro-community
Owner: CDOT
Note: This undeveloped site is by the I-25/38th Avenue interchange near the entrance to Fox Island.
1199 N. Bannock St.
Neighborhood: Golden Triangle
Use: Micro-community
Owner: 12th & Bannock LLC (private)
Note: This undeveloped site previously had an office building on it. Denver-based Urban Villages purchased the property in 2019 and plans to eventually develop it.
1375 N. Elati St.
Neighborhood: Golden Triangle
Use: Micro-community
Owner: City and County of Denver
Note: This parking lot is across the street from the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse.
5000 N. Tower Road
Neighborhood: Green Valley Ranch
Use: Micro-community
Owner: Denver Health
Note: Denver Health bought this undeveloped site in 2017 for $1.71 million.
