New council president vows to work with mayor to address housing
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Denver City Council president Amanda Sandoval. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
Denver City Council president Amanda Sandoval has already earned bragging rights in her new role: She's earned a perfect approval rating.
The big picture: Sandoval received a unanimous vote from her council colleagues to make her president during Monday's meeting — an unsurprising decision after two years serving as president pro tem.
- Despite the lack of suspense, her nomination drew emotional praise from departing president Jamie Torres: "You can't ask for a better person to lead your community, to lead this body."
What to watch: Now, Sandoval will oversee the council's relationship with other city branches, serving as an ambassador for the 13-member City Council.
- That includes maintaining ties with Mayor Mike Johnston's office, whose powerful position means his agreements — and disagreements — with the council are consequential for the city.
What she's saying: She cited housing as her top priority, saying she wants to examine zoning regulations to help find what she calls "missing tools" for building more affordable housing.
- She says she enjoys a good working relationship with Johnston, most recently backing his new tax proposal to pay for more affordable housing, and she wants to ensure his staff follows proper legislative protocol when working with the council.
- Johnston in a statement to Axios called Sandoval, "a dedicated public servant who has an amazing ability to hear the community's needs and take action to respond to them."
The intrigue: Sandoval's position reflects the council's historically diverse makeup. She's one of six Latinas on the dais, a record for the legislative body.
State of play: Sandoval has made a name for herself for her zoning policy, enacting sweeping changes to maintain her northwest Denver district's character, and becoming a loud voice backing ADUs citywide.
- She was pivotal in renaming Columbus Park to La Raza Park in 2020, a significant step Latino community members had advocated for decades.
Context: A council president's responsibilities include presiding over meetings, ensuring they run smoothly, and managing the council's legislative agenda.
- Presidents also serve as voting members on all five permanent city committees, where decisions on city bills and proposals are made.
The daughter of the late Democratic political titan Paul Sandoval and former state Sen. Paula Sandoval, the younger Sandoval was first elected to council in 2019 and reelected in 2023.
- She is quick to say she didn't always see eye to eye politically with her dad. For instance, he supported Hillary Clinton, while she backed President Obama in 2008, but they always debated amicably.
What they're saying: "I think that some of the work I would do, he'd be like, 'Amanda, what are you doing?' … but ultimately, he'd be so proud," Sandoval tells us.
What's next: Sandoval's term runs until July 2025, at which point she will likely serve one more year, per council tradition.