Denver's mayor spills the tea in Reddit AMA
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston participated in Reddit's "AMA" forum last Thursday. Photo: Courtesy of the Denver Mayor's Office
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston participated in another Reddit "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session on Thursday, spending more than an hour responding to hundreds of user questions.
Why it matters: Johnston's latest AMA offered a window into what Denverites care about most — from the future of the 16th Street Mall to affordable housing — and gave insight into how he plans to tackle issues affecting residents' daily lives.
Here are some things we learned:
🗳️ Denver Ballot Measure 2R: Johnston said "the whole purpose" of his proposal to raise the local sales tax for affordable housing is "to bring on 45,000 units that are deed restricted so that you never have to pay more than 30% of what you make to rent."
🚌 RTD board election: The mayor is endorsing Chris Nicholson, a candidate running in RTD's crowded District A race in central Denver. Johnston called him a "great community leader."
📍 16th Street Mall: This is one project he said keeps him up at night. "I have a map that covers half of the side of my office that charts every single block of 16th Street, every vacant retailer, and every opportunity we have for more public activation. This is what I'm spending a lot of time [on] over the next 6 months."
- He added his team is "working super hard " on accelerating construction and aiming to re-open it ahead of schedule next June.
⛳ The Park Hill Golf Course: The city is in "active negotiations" with the owner, Westside Investment Partners, regarding its future. Johnston says he's "confident we will have an answer by the end of the year."
✈️ Denver's airport: Johnston said he talked to Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington last week about creating a cafeteria for its 40,000-plus employees. The "biggest challenge" right now is "finding enough space," he noted.
- He added the city is "looking at actively reducing" the costs of employees working at the airport, including making transit more affordable by offering discounts or free rides on RTD's A-line.
🏘️ Housing: The city has added just 1,600 affordable housing units, 56% toward his goal of creating 3,000 affordable units every year he's in office.
- Johnston also repeated the claim Denver is "housing more people faster than any city in America."
🏙️ Cities he admires: Charlotte, North Carolina, for its vibrant downtown integration, exemplified by the Carolina Panthers stadium's walkable design that enhances community connectivity.
- Mexico City for its innovative bike lane protection.
- Boston for its proactive crime prevention strategies aimed at early intervention for at-risk individuals.
🤖 Under-the-radar city service: A new tool called "MyFriendBen" lets Denverites take a survey to identify what government benefits, programs and tax credits they're eligible for and then helps them with the application process.