The Denver Auditor’s Office — the city’s internal oversight department — will take a magnifying glass to some of the city’s most ambitious projects next year.
Staff within the run are tasked with conducting independent audits of the city’s various agencies and the mayor’s office, measuring effectiveness and efficiency. The current auditor, Timothy M. O'Brien, was elected by Denver voters in 2015.
O’Brien said his office’s 2026 plan was influenced by Denver’s $250 million budget gap, which has caused layoffs and infighting over a squeezed 2026 budget.
“Not only is there a lot of public interest in our audit findings, but these audits can also help contribute to the city’s long-term financial health and budgetary accountability,” O’Brien said in a letter detailing his 2026 plan.
Planned audits include the budgetary process, 16th Street reconstruction and Vision Zero
The auditor has taken aim at some of the city’s most ambitious and consequential projects and programs.
One audit will examine how the city managed the reconstruction of downtown’s 16th Street, which was recently completed. It may also evaluate the city’s attempts to provide financial assistance to businesses affected by the multi-year construction.
The office will also take a closer look at Vision Zero, the Mayor Michael Hancock-era program that aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The report will review the effectiveness of the city’s bikeway programs.
The city has struggled to make the roads safer since launching the pledge in 2017. Although Mayor Mike Johnston committed to pursuing the idea when he succeeded Hancock, some bicycle advocates say the city has been slower to respond to road safety concerns.
The office will also audit one of Johnston’s major initiatives — All In Mile High, his ambitious program that aims to end street homelessness. The initiative has seen mixed results — while the mayor’s office says that thousands of people have been moved into shelters or permanent housing, service for families can be slow and its shelters, which are mostly run by third-party contractors, have faced a slew of criticism.
O’Brien’s office will also audit the city budget process to determine whether it is transparent and equitable when allocating funds.
In total, the office will work on 24 audits next year, which will also include reports on the Caring For Denver Foundation, National Western Center campus funding and the city’s use of artificial intelligence.
Some of these audits started in 2025 but will be published sometime next year.
Since 2020, the city’s auditor has made hundreds of recommendations to agencies.
According to a dashboard on the auditor’s website, O’Brien’s office has made 851 recommendations to city agencies since 2020.
Most of those recommendations have been accepted by the agencies, with about 26 percent of all recommendations being fully implemented.
Previous auditor reports have found that Denver mismanages its homeless shelter system, its Office of Social Equity and Innovation lacks direction and employee morale across the city was dismally low.
Last year, the auditor’s office received more power to investigate city contractors and nonprofits from Denver City Council. It also received the power to subpoena companies to investigate reports of wage theft, which it recently used to investigate two Denver strip clubs.
