On Monday, Mayor Mike Johnston announced some lofty 2026 goals, part of his administration’s first-term effort at making Denver “vibrant,” affordable and safe. Here’s what he said.
Downtown
The mayor celebrated the 2025 completion of construction on the 16th Street Mall and the return of 99 percent of pre-pandemic foot traffic in December.
But he also acknowledged roughly 7 million square feet of office and retail space sits empty in and around the city center. The downtown office vacancy rate is nearly 40 percent.
“We're gonna try to close almost half that gap in one year, because we think that the need is that urgent,” Johnston said. (The total amount of vacant space could be even higher, with a recent CBRE report putting it around 12 million square feet when including multiple downtown areas.)
With help from the Downtown Development Authority and private partners, the city will work to keep and expand current businesses and attract new ones, open childcare facilities and make creative spaces for artists and nonprofits in now-empty spaces. One of the biggest changes: Some commercial space will be converted into apartments.
Big projects (on time)
Johnston pledged to complete bond-funded projects in a timely manner. Voters approved the $950 million Vibrant Denver bond in November, but the city is also working on projects associated with the $260 million Rise Denver bond from 2021 and the $947 Elevate Denver bond from 2017.
“Our belief is that in uncertain economic times, public investments make a catalytic impact on helping the economy recover,” he said.
Vibrant Denver Bond projects must be completed within six years. They include everything from bridges, government buildings and parks.
He pointed to the importance of major projects across the city like the Park Hill Park, Ball Arena and River Mile; a new Broncos stadium at Burnham Yard; and the ongoing work at the National Western Complex.
Affordability
Johnston said the city plans to help deliver 2,500 designated affordable housing units this year. He hopes to see developers get another 5,000 into the permitting process.
The mayor also wants to see more apartment construction in general, with developers building both market-rate and affordable units.
“We have had success in stabilizing and even dropping rental prices in the city because we have added more units,” Johnston said. “And the more units we have, the more supply there is, the more we can keep control of pricing.”
While rents are currently lower than they have been in recent years, which happened after an apartment construction boom in 2024, Johnston fears the price of housing could go up as development slows.
Safety
The city saw a 48 percent drop in gun-related homicides last year.
Johnston’s goal in 2026 is to reduce gun deaths by another 10 percent and shootings in high-risk areas by 20 percent.
Denver Police Department plans to continue focusing on high-crime areas, whether by dismantling encampments or addressing poor lighting and troublesome businesses.
Homelessness
Johnston plans to reduce street homelessness by 75 percent compared to 2023, part of his goal to “end unsheltered homelessness.”
But Johnston on Monday acknowledged that some people will still live outside.
“What it looks like is we get to a stage where the total number of folks who are entering or experiencing homelessness in Denver at one time is smaller than the number of available beds we have to move them into,” he said.
He celebrated that 311 calls about homelessness have dropped 60 percent. Now, he’s pledging that the city address all homelessness reports within a single business day.
Climate
Johnston is pushing for every Denver neighborhood to be clean-energy powered and protected from climate risks.
To get there, he plans to install 5,000 clean energy systems citywide this year – things like EV chargers, charging stations, solar panels and heat pumps.
He also plans to develop 50 acres of green infrastructure, creating open space, grass and permeable surfaces and trees that absorb water and protect the city from heat.
Children
Johnston says he wants to make the city “child-friendly.”
To do so, the city will create a “citywide framework” to make childcare more affordable and reliable for kids up to age 4.
His administration plans to help 5,000 additional young people to after-school, summer and work programs.
Federal forces
The federal immigration crackdown and the shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis loomed over the press conference, and Johnston addressed them early on in his speech.
Johnston’s first hope is to show that there’s no justification for federal intervention in Denver. Denver’s strides on homelessness, reduction in homicide and integration of new immigrants show the federal government is not needed, he said.
Johnston also plans to continue fighting the Trump administration in court, potentially using the judicial system to keep federal troops out.
He also celebrated groups in Denver who have already worked to protect immigrant communities from federal raids.
“My job is to protect all of our residents and to be clear that they know we will have their back and support them and to expect that the federal government will follow the law and follow the Constitution,” he said.
