Mayor Mike Johnston announced last month that his administration has successfully housed more than 1,000 homelessness persons in less than six months. For the first time in Denver’s history, the city permanently closed more than 10 large encampments by moving people to local housing and wraparound support services like mental health care, substance misuse treatment, and workforce training.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston
“I am proud to announce that Denver succeeded in moving more than 1,000 people off the streets and into housing in less than six months,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “Working shoulder-to-shoulder with Denverites from every community, we are building a city that believes that hard problems are solvable, and we are the ones to solve them. Today is a new start for the 1,000 people sleeping in their new homes, the businesses getting back on their feet, and the neighborhoods finding renewed vibrancy, and it is just the beginning. As we welcome a new year, we will double down on our efforts to make Denver a city where nobody has to sleep on the streets.”
Since Mayor Johnston declared a State of Emergency on Homelessness on July 18, 2023, Denver has: 1) Housed 1,034 Denverites living on the streets in permanent units, converted hotels, and tiny home micro-communities, 98% of which are still indoors, 2) Permanently closed 10 encampments and kept those areas closed to future camping, shown in the map below, 3) Acquired and opened 1,173 units in 4 converted hotels and 3 micro-communities, 4) Gathered community feedback from thousands of attendees at over 60 community meetings hosted by Mayor Johnston, 5) More than 250 people volunteered through the initiative, & 6) Increased shelter capacity by 35% for families experiencing homelessness.
The House 1000 initiative succeeded thanks to robust collaboration between the Johnston Administration, Denver City Council, city agencies, and community partners. Denver City Council members cumulatively casted more than 300 votes on bills related to the House1000 initiative, and there were only seven no votes, showing a meaningful alignment across city leaders on this effort. The city has also partnered with local service providers, non-profits, and businesses that were critical in the success of this initiative.