A leader in Denver s efforts to reduce homelessness told city officials that urban camping bans make their job harder and more difficult to get people off the streets.
In hopes of getting a handle on the size and makeup of this city s rental market and also raising the floor for dwelling requirements, Denver City Council has enacted a new landlord licensing system as part of a Healthy Residental Rentals for All program. This is a basic responsibility for a city the size and depth of Denver, that we know what our rental stack is and it meets basic habitation rules, Councilmember Jamie Torres said during the May 3 council meeting, before her colleagues unanimously approved the proposal.
The ordinance, championed by council President Stacie Gilmore, sets minimum standards that residential landlords will have to meet in Denver in order to receive a license to rent out a property. The standards include appliances being in good working condition and free of leaks ; landlords must also ensure that all dwelling units within a residential rental property contain a functioning smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher.
Colorado Public Radio
City officials are hoping the donation is the beginning of a new tradition.
Mayor Michael Hancock joined Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Gov. Reggie Wassana on Friday at Genesee Park as Denver embarked on what officials hope is a new tradition: donating bison from its herd to tribal nations.
The city donated 13 bison to the federally recognized tribe based in Oklahoma, holding a brief ceremony in Golden before the animals were loaded onto trailers for a 10-hour trip to their new home. Wassana said the animals will be used to help provide food for tribal members and breed more bison.
Against a backdrop of heightened public scrutiny of law enforcement actions, Mayor Michael Hancock has selected a retired Denver County Court judge and a Massachusetts police oversight official to join the search for Denver s next Independent Monitor.
“This committee, made up of respected voices in this field, will bring a diverse perspective to finding the next Independent Monitor for our city, who will build on the foundations that have made this office a national leader in this work,” Hancock said in a statement announcing the appointments. After serving over eight years as the city s chief law enforcement watchdog, Nick Mitchell left the job in January; Mitchell, who is still living in Denver, took a gig overseeing a court-ordered agreement designed to fix systemic, unconstitutional conditions in the Los Angeles County jails.