Johnston's affordability pitch sets up second-term bid
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston used his third State of the City address Tuesday to unveil a vision that appears to double as a reelection pitch — anchored by promises of universal child care, more affordable housing and a city built for families.
Why it matters: Johnston is asking Denverites to embrace an ambitious next chapter even as many of the problems that helped get him elected — housing costs, downtown vacancies and public safety — remain unresolved.
What he's saying: "Our real fear," Johnston told reporters before the speech, is that people will leave the city because they can't afford to live here.
The big picture: The message comes as affordability dominates Coloradans' concerns. A recent Colorado Health Foundation poll found 76% of residents worry they may not be able to afford living in the state in the future.
- The mayor's affordability emphasis follows a broader Democratic strategy nationally, with party leaders increasingly framing affordability — rather than ideology — as the issue that will resonate most with voters.
Zoom in: Speaking on stage from the National Western Center, Johnston envisioned making Denver "the best city in America to raise a family."
His boldest new proposal: a path toward universal child care.
- Johnston said the city will soon create a task force to lead a listening tour, followed by a pilot program next fall.
- If successful, he said, Denver will develop long-term funding to deliver a plan to achieve child care for all "before the end of our second term."
"This is one of the legacy items Denver should do: make sure that from birth to graduation, every kid is supported," he told Axios Denver.
He also doubled down on affordable housing, pledging 20,000 units tied to what he's branding the Mile High Line — a network of seven major redevelopment projects stretching from the former Park Hill Golf Course to Ball Arena, Burnham Yard and the National Western Center.
- Johnston pointed to the future of the Broncos' current stadium site at Empower Field at Mile High, saying if the team moves to Burnham Yard as planned, the city would make the 85-acre parcel available for housing without charging developers for the land.
- The Mile High Line initiative overall, he said, is meant to connect neighborhoods while steering growth toward added housing and public space.
By the numbers: Johnston also highlighted what he called signs of progress:
- Unsheltered homelessness down 64%.
- Most crime dipped sharply from pandemic-era highs.
- Downtown foot traffic back to roughly 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
- More than 100 new downtown businesses since January 2025.
- About 2,500 new housing units built, underway or planned.
The bottom line: Johnston is trying to redefine affordability not as one policy challenge, but as the thread connecting housing, child care, downtown and Denver's future growth.