Denver Mayor Mike Johnston plans to shut down homeless encampments near 20th and Curtis streets and 48th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and move more than 200 people living in them off the streets, his administration announced Friday.
Those relocations will happen “in the next couple of weeks,” city spokesman Derek Woodbury said Friday. A specific timeline is being kept under wraps to protect the safety and privacy of people living in the encampments, city officials say.
If those actions — which Johnston and his team call encampment closures — are successful, it would more than double the number of people the administration has gotten off the streets in three prior cleanup efforts. It would also move Johnston significantly closer to the 1,000-person sheltering goal he set on his second day in office and has made the overwhelming focus of his work as mayor thus far.
The online dashboard tracking the progress of Johnston’s House 1,000 homelessness initiative on Friday morning counted 311 people as sheltered or housed through that work. That leaves 30 days to move close to 700 people off the streets, a goal the mayor continues to say is deliverable.
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“We are delighted to bring more than 200 Denverites into housing, help close encampments and reactivate public spaces all around the city,” Johnston said in a statement Friday. “Every individual we get into housing is a life changed and every encampment that we close is a neighborhood transformed.”
Media members are being asked to stay away from the encampments so that the city can carry out its relocation and cleanup work “with minimal disruption.” The locations of the converted hotels where people will be moved are also being kept confidential.
The city has already carried out one encampment closure in the area of 20th and Curtis streets. That effort, which concluded on Nov. 1, moved 61 people to shelter and resulted in the area bordered by Broadway, Curtis, 20th and Arapahoe streets being “permanently closed to any camping,” according to an announcement at the time.
In that action, dozens of people camped around the post office at 951 20th St. — on the east side of Curtis Street — were not moved. Woodbury confirmed that the action announced Friday will focus on the encampment in front of the post office.
A tent encampment along 48th Ave. and Colorado Blvd. in Denver on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Converted hotels have emerged as the primary form of shelter fueling Johnston’s effort. His proposed micro-communities — collections of tiny homes or other temporary shelter units set up on vacant land or surface parking lots — have faced delays and opposition from wary neighbors.
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The administration announced on Nov. 24 that a former Embassy Suites hotel at 7525 E. Hampden Ave. was being eyed as a shelter for families, transgender and nonbinary individuals. A lease agreement for that hotel was pulled from a City Council committee agenda next week to give officials more time to finalize details, Woodbury said, but the administration still hopes to bring an agreement before the council before the end of the year.
City Councilwoman Shontel Lewis — whose District 8 in the northeast part of the city is home to three hotel properties that are either already being used as shelters or are being prepared to serve that purpose — has repeatedly raised concerns about her district bearing the brunt of the sheltering effort while people living on the streets there have not been prioritized for shelter spaces. The 48th and Colorado encampment will be the first in her district closed as part of the House 1,000 work.
“While there is no magic wand that can be waved to eliminate homelessness, we know that offering stable housing works more than any other approach,” she said in a statement on Friday.
Johnston’s team is not seeking additional shelter sites in District 8 at this time, officials say.
As the administration gears up for a final push toward the mayor’s 1,000-person goal, the city is seeking volunteers to help prepare shelter sites for new arrivals. The first volunteer opportunity will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the former DoubleTree hotel at 4040 N. Quebec St., officials say. More information is available at denvergov.org/volunteer1000.
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After waiting 10 games due to injury, Vlatko Cancar finally made his return to the Denver Nuggets on November 15. Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, he only played a grand total of three games before suffering an injury again.
To make matters worse, it sounds like Cancar’s knee injury was a serious one. According to Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, Cancar will be out for the foreseeable future.
“Not necessarily (season-ending). It could go a couple different ways. We’re still gathering information, letting the knee calm down a little bit,” Malone said. “So I don’t want to get doom and gloom. But he’s out for the foreseeable future”
Vlatko Cancar weighing options for left knee. Malone: “Not necessarily (season-ending). It could go a couple different ways. We’re still gathering information, letting the knee calm down a little bit. So I don’t want to get doom and gloom. But he’s out for the foreseeable future”
Two seasons ago, Cancar played 60 games for the Nuggets and averaged 5.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 48/37/93 shooting from the field. He didn’t play a single game last season due to injury and has only played four games this season due to injury. It’s’ been an incredibly rough two seasons for Cancar with how many major injuries he’s sustained.
“I’m not gonna go into all the details, but some different options will be on the table for Vlatko, and we’ll try to educate him,” Malone said.
Coach Malone gave an update on Vlatko Čančar at Nuggets practice and says “he will be out for the foreseeable future.”
You can feel how bad Malone feels for the bad luck that has gone Vlatko’s way. pic.twitter.com/iBMMlWsUM0
The Denver Nuggets are still missing Nikola Jokic due to personal reasons, and Aaron Gordon due to a right calf strain. The team has been shorthanded, but still has a record of 8-5.
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Dogs like Bailey — the former Dog of the Week in The Denver Post’s Adventurist newsletter — will be in good company at the first Denver Dog Fair this weekend. (Provided by Barbara Ellis)
Denver Dog Fair
Saturday-Sunday. Woof! If the last few weeks have left you panting, why not surround yourself with unconditional love? The first Denver Dog Fair takes place on Nov. 22 and 23 with the promise of unending poochie goodness. There will be dog adoption booths, “celebrity” dogs, performances and tricks, a dog-fashion show, vendors, a dozen food trucks, kids’ bounce house, crafting, and more.
It takes place indoors at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, 25690 E. Quincy Ave. in Aurora, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Tickets: $20, good for both days; 5 and under free. $5 per dog. Price includes all entertainment and activities (minus adoption fees and food/drink). denverdogfair.com
Christkindlmarket and the Mile High Tree
Friday. The annual Mile High Tree at Civic Center park has quickly become a modern classic in Denver, with its 110-foot-tall display of 60,000, color-changing LED lights. Its location next to the annual Christkindlmarket and across from the brightly decorated Denver City & County Building makes it a one-stop shop for free family holiday fun.
At the 24th Christkindlmarket you’ll find local vendors plus Glühwein (mulled spiced wine), German biers and hot chocolate, Bavarian-style pretzels, fresh smoked salmon, Knödel, goulash, Nürnberger sausages, pastries, caramels and European chocolates. The tree’s light-and-music shows run from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly.
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The market and tree both open on Friday, Nov. 22, with the market running through Dec. 23. The market is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. denver.org/milehighholidays/mile-high-tree or christkindlmarketdenver.com
Charlie Fausette, 6, from Tampa, Fla., ice skates with her father Rob at Downtown Denver Rink in Denver on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Free ice skating downtown
Through Feb. 2, 2025. Whatever the weather, you can get a bit of holiday fun in by stopping by the popular Downtown Denver Rink. The rink, which basically bisects the 16th Street Mall’s Skyline Park (just outside the Daniels and Fisher Clocktower at 16th and Arapahoe streets), is a public rink where you can rent or bring your own skates.
It’s open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Entry is free; skate rentals are $12 for adults and $9 for kids 12 and under. winterindenver.com/rink
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be ready for photos at the Denver Christmas Show, this year moving to the National Western Complex. (Provided by Michelle Ellis)
A very merry Denver Christmas Show
Friday-Sunday. You don’t have to be in the market for gifts to get something out of the Denver Christmas Show at the National Western Complex. It’s a family-friendly affair, with Santa visits (and photos), daily storytime and hot cocoa with Mrs. Claus, live music, dancing, and more.
Of course, if you want to pick up some candy or chocolate, local gifts, or holiday decor, that will be right there too (with free gift wrapping), as well as plenty of other vendors. Tickets for the Friday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Nov. 24, event are $14 for 14-and-up, and free for 13-and-under. It runs 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at 4655 Humboldt St. in Denver. denverchristmasshow.com
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Dallas Mavericks (8-7, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (8-5, fifth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Dallas seeks to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Mavericks take on Denver.
The Nuggets are 4-5 in Western Conference games. Denver is fifth in the league with 46.2 rebounds led by Nikola Jokic averaging 13.7.
The Mavericks have gone 6-6 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 17.2 fast break points per game led by Luka Doncic averaging 4.6.
The Nuggets make 46.8% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.1 percentage points higher than the Mavericks have allowed to their opponents (44.7%). The Mavericks average 115.6 points per game, 0.5 more than the 115.1 the Nuggets give up to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is shooting 47.9% and averaging 18.3 points for the Nuggets.
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Kyrie Irving is averaging 24.3 points and 5.2 assists for the Mavericks.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 45.4 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points per game.
Mavericks: 5-5, averaging 118.0 points, 44.3 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.2 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: out (calf), DaRon Holmes II: out for season (achilles), Nikola Jokic: day to day (personal).
Mavericks: Dante Exum: out (wrist).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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