Denver, CO

One year after migrant surge, Denver’s spending tops $35 million

Published

1 year ago

December 15, 2023

One year after migrant surge, Denver’s spending tops million

Denver has received more migrants per capita over the past year than any other large U.S. city that doesn’t flank the southern border.

In what Denver city staff is considering the fourth wave of record arrivals, Mayor Mike Johnston is pushing for not only more money from the federal government but steps to ease the process of integrating the migrants into their new communities, whether that is Denver or elsewhere.

“When I look back at the last year, my overwhelming sentiment is one of pride at what the city has done,” Johnston said. But, he added: “It is both a huge crisis for us to face and somewhat remarkable in that of the (more than) 30,000 that have come through, we’re down to maybe 300-400 that have ended up without a place to stay.”

One year ago then-Mayor Michael Hancock declared a state of emergency, calling on local, state and especially federal partners to provide resources. But the assistance has been scarce and people who need help have kept coming.

Shelters are reaching capacity, though no one has been turned away. City staff members are working overtime in multiple jobs and nonprofits are struggling to meet the demands while their leaders are feeling disconnected from decisions. People staying in shelters have reached their time limits and set up camps outside, further exacerbating a homeless crisis in the city.

The city has spent more than $35 million on its response (including to buy 14,800 tickets to other cities), according to Denver Human Services spokesperson Jon Ewing, only a fraction of which the federal government has agreed to reimburse. The highest costs have been for personnel costs at 39% of that money, followed by facilities, including hotel, costs at 23%.

It’s a situation Johnston inherited without long-term solutions, particularly as a city contract to outsource migrant sheltering and services was nixed at the last minute, shortly before Johnston took office, due to concerns about the ethics and practices of the selected company GardaWorld.

Now, his administration is in discussions with local nonprofits and private companies as potential providers for a new contract for next year, which Johnston and many of the city’s partners hope will alleviate at least some of the issues they’ve faced. A City Council vote is still required for contract approval. The city also hired more than 200 people earlier this month to work as on-call staff in the make-shift hotel shelter.

If Denver doesn’t receive more federal support, Johnston said, the city could be looking at spending an unplanned $100 million in 2024 — about $2 million per week — and “we wouldn’t be able to survive that.”

As of Friday morning, the city had helped 31,721 migrants since the first buses of migrant arrivals a year ago, the latest publicly available data show — about 4.4% of Denver’s population. That’s more per capita than Chicago (almost 1%); New York City (1.8%); Washington, D.C. (1.8%); Los Angeles (0.03%); and Philadelphia (0.2%), according to data compiled by the Denver mayor’s office. More than 3,300 are currently in six shelters, higher than the then-peak in October.

The majority of the migrants coming into Denver and other big cities over the past year hail from Venezuela, overcoming treacherous journeys to escape political, economic and humanitarian crises, and they’re seeking legally granted asylum. The first bus of about 100 migrants pulled into Denver on Dec. 7, 2022, and since then, the buses have continued over multiple surges, in some cases because they chose to come here and in others because they were sent.

Johnston and other mayors cited lengthy delays in getting work authorization approvals in a letter they sent to federal officials in November. Meanwhile, Johnston said, employers have jobs they want to fill and people who want the jobs but can’t work them. Some migrants who have been able to find labor jobs while undocumented are being exploited with their wages stolen, he said.

While the federal government earlier this year granted Venezuelans temporary protected status — a move Johnston applauded — allowing migrants to get expedited work authorization, it only applies to those who have lived in the U.S. since July 31.

The Denver mayor is also calling on the federal government to speed up its adjudication process for asylum cases to 30 days. Johnston recalled meeting a migrant last week who had paperwork showing he was admitted to the country over a month ago but his asylum court date isn’t until April 23, 2027, and he can’t work until then.

And Johnston wants a “coordinated entry system,” similar to what the government established for Ukrainian and Afghan refugees to determine where to send people around the country.

The city implemented a temporary moratorium on requiring families with children to leave shelters after a certain amount of time to avoid forcing people to live on the street. But that hasn’t been the case for individuals who face a two-week time limit. That’s resulted in hundreds of migrants living outside in tents.

The change for families, though not unwelcome, highlighted a challenge for nonprofit leaders working with migrants who say they aren’t informed about the city administration’s decisions ahead of time and say the mayor’s office hasn’t been involved in their biweekly discussions on long-term solutions during the crisis.

Jennifer Piper of the American Friends Service Committee said the disconnect leaves a lot of uncertainty for both nonprofits and city staff about timelines and changes to shelter protocols. It also complicates working with faith communities or even private landlords who want to offer short-term shelter options for migrants because the efforts are not coordinated.

The city’s upcoming contract is intended to help with those concerns, but Piper worries about how long it’s taking as migrants continue to arrive.

Nonprofits Vive Wellness and Papagayo have been working with migrants since their initial arrivals and are leading a nonprofit consortium’s proposal to provide migrant services through the city next year. The organizations are ready to start and are already doing some of the work, said Yoli Casas, Vive’s executive director. While the organizations continue to help people find housing, register kids in schools, get access to health services and provide food, Casas said they will be able to hire more staff if they get the contract and work directly in city shelters, improving communication and coordination.

She applauds Johnston’s administration for relying more on nonprofit expertise than the city has in the past but also empathizes with the difficulties nonprofits face before the contract takes effect. Casas wants to move beyond emergency response to implementing more long-term management to help people access all the services they need by going to one place, especially for those who plan to stay in Denver.

“This emergency is not going away,” Casas said. “Even if people stop coming, we have a year’s worth of work to settle everybody that’s here and work with that.

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Denver, CO

Broncos Cautioned About Bo Nix With Pivotal NFL Draft Approaching

Published

4 hours ago

March 22, 2025

Press Room

Broncos Cautioned About Bo Nix With Pivotal NFL Draft Approaching

The NFL has taken notice of the Denver Broncos. After defying the odds last season, winning 10 games on the way to a playoff berth, the Broncos followed that up by making several splash free-agent signings in March.

Relative to the NFL’s power rankings around the web, the Broncos have universally climbed. In NFL.com’s post-free agency power rankings, the Broncos climbed just one spot from where they were at season’s end to No. 12. But in Pro Football Focus‘ new NFL power rankings, Denver has cracked the top-10 to check in at No. 8.

“Backed by an exceptional defense that ranked second in EPA allowed per play in 2024, Denver was expected to prioritize offensive upgrades in free agency. Instead, they doubled down on their defensive strength, adding high-upside pieces in Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw. Both spent much of 2024 dealing with injuries, but given the unit’s overall strength, the potential reward outweighs the risk.

“While the addition of Evan Engram provides a boost, the offense is still lacking playmakers. Bo Nix showed promise in his first year, but his continued development could be hindered without more weapons to support him,” Mason Cameron wrote.

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The Broncos have been scouting and meeting with many of the 2025 NFL draft class’ top prospects at tight end and running back. Engram gives Denver a tight end and big slot/joker weapon, but he’s on the wrong side of 30, so the team would be remiss to pass over this incredibly deep class at the position. It wouldn’t surprise me if they drafted two tight ends.

That being said, what Denver’s offense still sorely lacks is a viable running back. The Broncos would be setting up Nix for a sophomore slump if Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime were to headline the running back attack in 2025, so it’s imperative that a starting-caliber option (or two, again) is procured in the draft.

At running back, names like Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson have been heavily linked to the Broncos. At tight end, it’s a question of naming which guys haven’t met with or been linked to Denver.

The tight end headliners are Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland. But just beyond them are some absolute studs who check at least one ‘joker’ trait, like Miami’s Elijah Arroyo, Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson, LSU’s Mason Taylor, Texas’ Gunnar Helm, and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr.

The more the Broncos are able to add to the arsenal around Nix, the higher this team’s outlook will climb. The Broncos already have one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks and offensive lines. Now it’s about weaponry.

It might sound counterintuitive, but the Broncos did build around Nix by bolstering the defense with two top-tier free-agent signings. However, both Hufanga and Greenlaw fill a roster need at safety and linebacker, respectively.

The Broncos let starting linebacker Cody Barton walk in free agency, and they did it for a reason; he faltered down the stretch when the stakes began to rise. With Barton gone, a big hole on the defense opened up and while Drew Sanders was always going to be the fall-back option, the Broncos were able to go with Plan A in Greenlaw.

Hufanga arrives in a similar situation, except, the guy he’s replacing in the starting lineup is still on the roster. The Broncos gave P.J. Locke a two-year extension a year ago, but after thriving as the No. 3 safety in 2023, he failed to put a stranglehold on the starting job in 2024 with very leaky coverage and inconsistent tackling.

Not only does Hufanga provide an infusion of talent, but he relegates Locke back to a role that plays to his strengths as the No. 3 guy. Alongside fellow starter Brandon Jones, Hufanga gives Denver a much higher defensive ceiling than what it had in Locke.

The caveat with both Greenlaw and Hufanga is health, but that goes without saying. On the other side of the ball, Engram’s arrival comes in the spirit of building the nest around Nix, and it won’t be the last move in that effort.

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Denver, CO

Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers | 3 takeaways from Denver’s disappointing loss in Portland

Published

16 hours ago

March 22, 2025

Press Room

Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers | 3 takeaways from Denver’s disappointing loss in Portland

The Nuggets got deep fried on Friday in Portland.

Here are three takeaways from Denver’s 128-109 loss at Moda Center:

1. That looked a lot like an effort loss. A Portland team playing without its best big men grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and turned those extra possessions into a 26-10 advantage in second chance points. All five of Portland’s starters grabbed multiple offensive rebounds, while Duop Reath came off the bench and grabbed a team-high four offensive rebounds. Hunter Tyson, who only played the final 4 minutes and 19 seconds, led Denver with three offensive rebounds. Four Trail Blazers grabbed six or more rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun and Peyton Watson led Denver with five boards apiece.

Friday Faceoff: Is playoff seeding or rest more important for the Nuggets?

2. Turnovers were another big issue for the Nuggets, and no player had more issues protecting the ball than Russell Westbrook. The veteran guard started with Nikola Jokic again out of the lineup and committed nine of Denver’s 21 turnovers. Those giveaways led to 25 more Portland points. No other Denver player committed more than three turnovers. Westbrook is at his best when he toes the edge between ultra-aggressive and out of control. There were bright spots, as Westbrook recorded 18 points on 13 shots with four rebounds, four assists and three steals, but the turnovers undid all of that.

Nuggets vs. Lakers | 3 takeaways from Denver’s loss in Los Angeles

3. It was a pretty pedestrian return to the rotation for Jamal Murray. He managed 10 points on as many shots in 35 minutes on the court. On a night Jokic watched the action from the bench in a Prada sweater, Murray had more than enough space to be more aggressive. Instead, Denver’s second-leading scorer took fewer shots than Westbrook (13) and Watson (11), while Porter and Gordon also took 10 shots. Murray grabbed four rebounds, dished out a couple of assists and recorded a couple of steals to supplement his stat line, but the Nuggets needed a more lethal scoring punch in Portland.

UC San Diego’s Milos Vicentic, BYU’s Mihailo Boskovic following Nikola Jokic’s footsteps at Ball Arena

TRAIL BLAZERS 128, NUGGETS 109

What happened: The second quarter started in a 30-30 tie. Denver led 59-54 at halftime, but Portland took a six-point lead to the fourth quarter and pulled away in the fourth to drop Denver to 44-27 on the season.

What went right: Aaron Gordon continued to score efficiently since returning from injury. Denver’s starting center with Nikola Jokic out of the lineup for a third consecutive game led the team with 23 points on 10 shots from the field. He also went 10 for 12 on free throws with four assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes of playing time. He’s led the Nuggets in scoring the last three games.

What went wrong: Sure, the Nuggets were without Jokic, but Portland won despite missing Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons. That wasn’t an issue for Deni Avdija, who dropped 36 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block in the win.

Highlight of the night: Peyton Watson broke a 40-40 tie in impressive fashion early in the second quarter. Watson used a hesitation move to beat Duop Reath down the baseline and took off for a reverse dunk. The only thing that wasn’t smooth was the landing. Watson looked uncomfortable running back down the court but didn’t come out of the game.

Up next: The Nuggets conclude their four-game road trip with a Sunday matinee in Houston.

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Denver, CO

RTD’s L Line will be suspended for pretty much all day on Tuesday along downtown Denver for maintenance work

Published

1 day ago

March 21, 2025

Press Room

RTD’s L Line will be suspended for pretty much all day on Tuesday along downtown Denver for maintenance work

DENVER — People working or traveling through downtown Denver Tuesday might want to find another way to commute if taking RTD’s L Line as service will be suspended pretty much all day for maintenance work.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) will temporarily suspend L Line service along the Welton corridor between 20th/Welton and 30th/Downing stations from start of service until 5 p.m. as crews perform rail maintenance.

The L Line will not operate along the corridor or in the Downtown Loop during the temporary suspension, but the D and H lines will continue to operate in the Downtown Loop. Customers can also use Bus Route 43 as a alternative to the L Line.

Customers are encouraged to use RTD’s Next Ride App to plan a trip, view other travel options, or receive Service Alerts.

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