City Council progressive bloc lays out 2025 priorities

• All three cited a measure that extended collective bargaining to most city workers as a major achievement last year.

Why it matters: Their work to address the needs of working-class Denverites will be greatly tested in a year marked by reduced city spending.

State of play: The three council members tell us providing more affordable housing is a top priority, with Parady and Lewis saying they want to figure out how the city can own housing complexes for people from across income levels.

• The model is often called "social housing." It could create a reliable rental income stream for the city, which Parady said can then be used to bond again to develop more housing units.
• Such housing is proving successful just outside Washington D.C. Locally, a similar effort would require an initial investment that Parady said doesn't have to be "eye-popping."

What they're saying: "I do think that in the long run, [social housing] will save us a significant amount of money as a city and provide us with the opportunity to truly take care of all of our citizens," Lewis told us.

Meanwhile, Gonzales-Gutierrez told us she wants to provide more treatment options for disorders like addiction, from continued funding of local needle exchange programs to inpatient treatment.

• It could include "beefing up" Denver's Roads to Recovery program to provide drug and mental health treatment for at least 200 people.

The intrigue: Gonzales-Gutierrez told us Trump's incoming administration could place further limitations on the federal funding the city receives, including for services like behavioral health.

• Trump's allies last year targeted Mayor Mike Johnston over his pledge to protect undocumented immigrants.

What's next: Denver City Council's first 2025 meeting will be Jan. 6.