Denver's got its second ever chief housing officer: Laura Brudzynski.
Mayor Michael Hancock appointed Brudzynski Wednesday, after last week's announcement that Britta Fisher is leaving to lead the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
Brudzynski comes to the role from her job at HOST as Deputy Director of Operations, where she managed a $250 million budget and a team of 40. Before that, she worked as Director of Housing Policy and Programs in Denver's Office of Economic Development, and got masters degrees in Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning at CU Denver.
"Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues facing our residents, and it's an honor to step into this role and continue to build on the critical foundation that Britta started as the city's first Chief Housing Officer," Brudzynski said in a press release Wednesday.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to keep moving the work of this agency forward with our partners and a committed team at the Department of Housing Stability. Together we will continue to advance the Mayor's priorities and meet the needs of our community with innovative solutions."
Brudzynski will be the second person ever to hold the role, after the city created HOST in 2019.
But with a new mayor coming this spring, it's unclear how long Brudzynski will stay in the role. Appointments serve at the will of the mayor, so Denver's next mayor could decide to keep her in the job, or appoint someone new.
The appointment comes during a moment where homelessness has risen, as have investments in a response, including creating the role itself.
"Laura has been a driving force in our efforts to house every Denver resident, and deeply understands the innovative new path we're charting for housing and supportive services in our community," Hancock said in the press release. "Laura's been an integral part of that success. Her long experience in crafting housing policy and her commitment to serving the people of Denver make her a natural choice for this role."
Brudzynski will start the job on Feb. 2.
