Denver City Councilmember Darrell Watson, who won the District 9 seat over incumbent Candi CdeBaca in the June runoff, was at the July 25 gathering to Johnston answer questions from residents about the city's Homelessness Resolution Initiative efforts — specifically, the mayor's public vow to house at least 1,000 people "living and dying on the streets of Denver" by the end of 2023.
"Seventeen people in about six weeks...are dying on the streets of Denver, day in and day out," Johnston told the crowd. "That is a moral crisis for us to solve."
The roughly fifty people who'd showed up to hear Johnston were emotional and angry at times; many made impassioned speeches about the importance and, in some cases, naiveté of the mayor's plan.
"Five Points is really being crushed under the weight of what's happening right now," said John Hayden, a realtor and longtime Five Points community member who broke down in tears.
"It's really hard to see that, because I love this community," Hayden said. "Where does Five Points stand on your list of what's being taken care of? We've watched a beautiful neighborhood really being hurt. Will the city come back and repair the public spaces that have been destroyed?"
"Absolutely, we will get this city back to what you love about it," Johnston responded. "We can't do it alone. We're going to do it with you."
Denver's new mayor declared a citywide emergency on July 18 — his first full day in office — with the promise to shelter at least 1,000 people currently on the streets by the end of the year. But first, Johnston plans to visit all 78 of the city's neighborhoods across its eleven city council districts in order to inform residents about his initiative and get feedback. The July 25 town hall was the first of these gatherings; fifteen more have been scheduled so far.
Johnston noted how the location of that first meeting — the heart of Five Points, a historic neighborhood "that is the most burdened by the homeless crisis in Denver" — was symbolic. It ultimately gave him a chance to clarify his stance on enforcing Denver's camping ban, which currently allows homeless sweeps. At a press conference held earlier that day, the mayor had said he would instead "decommission" encampments.
"Sweeps will continue where there are public health risks” or "when there are camps in the public right-of-way...or if they're on private property," Johnston explained at the town hall, adding that the city would "conduct them in a way that is respectful, dignified and that is thorough.”
Former mayoral candidate Jesse Parris, who didn't qualify for the 2023 ballot, called the new mayor out for his policies at the July 25 town hall. "What I'm hearing is more of the same," he yelled, although it was not his turn to speak.
"You just want to sweep people out of sight and out of mind," Parris hollered at the mayor. "I don't hear no long-term solutions, either. All I hear is, 'I don't want to see people camping out in front of my house,' but I don't hear no long-term solutions."
"Jesse," Johnston responded, before others in the crowd started yelling.
"Let's get some order!" they shouted at Parris.
Once the room quieted, Johnston continued. "We all want this to be the best version of Denver again," the new mayor said."You just want to sweep people out of sight and out of mind," Parris hollered at the mayor. "I don't hear no long-term solutions, either. All I hear is, 'I don't want to see people camping out in front of my house,' but I don't hear no long-term solutions."
"Jesse," Johnston responded, before others in the crowd started yelling.
"Let's get some order!" they shouted at Parris.
Seventy-seven more meetings to go.
Upcoming stops on Johnston's town-hall schedule include:
Thursday, August 3, 6 to 7 p.m: Most Precious Blood Catholic Parish, 2200 South Harrison Street, with District 6 Councilmember Paul Kashmann
Saturday, August 5, 9:30 to 11 a.m.: Montclair Recreation Center, 729 Ulster Way, with Councilmembers at-Large Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Sarah Parady
Tuesday, August 8, 4:30 to 6 p.m.: The Kirk of Highland, 3011 Vallejo Street, with Amanda Sandoval
Tuesday, August 8, 6 to 7 p.m.: Johnston Rec Center, 4909 Race Street, with Darrell Watson
Wednesday, August 9, 4 to 5:30 p.m.: George Washington High School, 655 South Monaco, with Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Sarah Parady
Wednesday, August 9, 6 to 7 p.m.: Carla Madison Rec Center, 2401 East Colfax Avenue, with District 10 Councilmember Chris Hinds
Thursday August 10, 6 to 7 p.m.: South Broadway Christian Church, 23 Lincoln Street, with District 7 Councilmember Flor Alvidrez
Tuesday, August 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center, 4890 Argonne Way, in partnership with District 11 Councilmember Stacie Gilmore, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Sarah Parady.
Saturday, August 19, 9 to 10 a.m.: Highlands Recreation Center, with Amanda Sandoval
Saturday, August 19, 11 a.m. to noon: Aztlan Recreation Center, 4435 Navajo Street, with Amanda Sandoval
Sunday, August 20, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Denver Indian Center, 4407 Morrison Road, with District 3 Councilmember Jamie Torres
Tuesday, August 22, 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Harvey Recreation Center, 2120 South Tennyson Way, with District 2 Councilmember Kevin Flynn
Saturday, August 26, 9 to 10:30 p.m.: Scheitler Recreation Center, 5031 West 46th Avenue, with Amanda Sandoval
Tuesday, August 29, 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Thomas Jefferson High School, 3950 South Holly Street, with District 4 Councilmember Diana Romero Campbell
