Denver City Council’s most progressive members say they will prioritize housing, substance use treatment options and affordability this year.
The big picture: Council members Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Shontel Lewis and Sarah Parady emerged over the past two years as key supporters of blue-collar workers, renters and others struggling to stay in Denver.
- 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.”