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Tag: Denver7 The Follow Up journalism

  • Denver7 follows up ahead of All in Mile High shelter closure

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    DENVER — Around 130 people were staying at the Comfort Inn hotel that was turned into a homeless shelter when Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced last September that the facility would close.

    “Our plan is to transition all those folks out of those shelters into permanent housing. None of those folks will return to the street. They’ll all go into permanent housing,” Johnston said at the time, while unveiling his proposed 2026 budget.

    Denver

    Denver mayor unveils 2026 budget proposal amid $200 million shortfall

    With one month to go until that shelter closes, Denver7 followed up to see how the rehousing efforts are going.

    “We have 134 units here,” said St. Francis Center CEO Nancy Burke. “We’ve been full most of that time.”

    The St. Francis Center operates the shelter for the City of Denver. They note that over the last two years, they have helped 117 people find permanent housing after they stayed at the shelter.

    The shelter is set to close at the end of March and has been winding down in preparation.

    The Follow Up: Inside Denver’s shelter shutdown and the transition plan

    “We did have to stop accepting residents, except for when it’s cold,” Burke said.

    Currently, she said there are 72 residents at the shelter.

    “There’s about 70 of those people who are able to go out into community housing. So, it’s sort of a combined effort of looking for new placements for people if they’re not quite ready for that next step,” Burke said.

    Raenell Ficenec lived at the shelter for two years before finding an apartment back in May. She still visits her friends at the Comfort Inn and has even been chosen to lead art classes there.

    “It feels good,” Ficenec said. “Just keep on going.”

    It’s because of cases like hers that the city said they no longer need a big hotel to be used as a shelter.

    “Are you concerned at all that once the shelter’s closed, that people will just end up back on the streets and those encampments will pop back up?” Denver7’s Danielle Kreutter asked Jon Ewing, press secretary for the Denver Mayor’s Office.

    “No, we’ll have other areas for people to go if we absolutely need them,” Ewing said. “We don’t see that huge need for thousands of beds. What we do see is a need for a different approach.”

    That approach includes investing in more affordable housing instead of shelters.

    Another part of the potential solution is performance based contracts.

    “The focus for this year is to move people into shelters and out of shelters and into permanent housing on a quicker timeline,” said Ewing, “We’ve added performance based contracts, where all of our providers now get paid more for delivering that outcome. They are actually incentivized to ensure that they’re meeting with their caseworker every week, that they’re getting folks into housing, and that they’re staying in that housing. This is a real permanent solution.”

    The Follow Up

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    Danielle Kreutter

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  • Fire and closure of Fort Collins Rescue Mission shelter takes toll on resources during the winter

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    FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Last August, there was a fire in the kitchen at the Fort Collins Rescue Mission and since then, the shelter has been closed.

    “The dorms, the showers, the bathrooms and the laundry facilities that we have here, we can get them back into operations. It’s just a matter of how soon we can do it,” said Seth Forwood, vice president of programs for Northern Colorado, Fort Collins Rescue Mission.

    “Do you know how soon that could be?” asked Denver7’s Danielle Kreutter.

    “I thought we were going to get back in here before Thanksgiving. Fire damage always takes way longer than you would expect,” he said.

    Forwood said the closure has taken a toll on the options available to those experiencing homelessness.

    Fort Collins

    Fire at Fort Collins Rescue Mission displaces 82 people

    “Between August 23 and December 22 we turned away people, 1089 times, who came to us, but we just didn’t have space for them,” said Forwood.

    Thanks to generous community donations they were able to to open another shelter north of Wellington called Harvest Farm, and a temporary shelter at 117 Mason.

    That was working well, until winter weather rolled in Thursday night.

    “Last night, we are really getting to the maximum that we can handle, even with the expansion of this second site. We have a capacity for 40 at the Harvest Farm overflow site. So we are full up with 70 at the Mason shelter, and we reached 39 last night,” and Forwood.

    The Rescue Mission is nervous, especially considering they are the only shelter for men experiencing homelessness in Fort Collins.

    One way the community can continue being part of the solution is donations — particularly warm clothing for anyone who may need to be turned away if the shelters reach capacity.

    Denver7

    “I hope to God, we don’t, but for our staff to turn away people that they know, they call them by their names, they know their stories. And have somebody in the dead of night come when it’s freezing out, say, ‘We can’t help you, we’re full.’ To give them something to go out into the night with is a blessing,” said Forwood.

    Work is underway for a long term solution in Fort Collins. The creation of the Homeless Resolution Center.

    The center will have a 250 bed shelter inside of it in addition to other supportive services. The project is set to cost $27.5 million and the Rescue Mission is about $150,000 short.

    “This building is going to be more than a shelter, just like our guests are more than just people experiencing homelessness. Fort Collins in Northern Colorado can do more than we’ve ever done before, if we all rally around this and give to make that building a reality,” he said.

    Click here to learn more about how to donate to that project.

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    DANIELLE CALL TO ACTION.jpg

    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Danielle Kreutter

    Denver7’s Danielle Kreutter covers stories that have an impact in all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in reporting on affordable housing and issues surrounding the unhoused community. If you’d like to get in touch with Danielle, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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    Danielle Kreutter

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  • Four years after Marshall Fire, Superior turns to ADUs to rebuild lost housing

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    SUPERIOR, Colo. — Four years after the Marshall Fire destroyed Superior’s most affordable neighborhoods, the town is turning to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as one path toward rebuilding lost housing.

    An ADU is a separate, secondary dwelling built on the same lot as the main residence.

    “Historically, our original town was the more affordable area of town,” said Renae Stavros, planning and building director for the Town of Superior. “But we lost all of it to the Marshall Fire.”

    She explained the original homes in the neighborhoods near town hall were built in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.

    “They were just naturally affordable before, and once gone, the cost of the land is much higher now. The cost for construction, the cost for materials, really, just in order to build a house today, especially in Boulder County—it’s expensive,” she said. “Affordable housing in Superior, as of today, doesn’t really exist.”

    Throughout this month, Denver7 has checked in with metro-area communities receiving funds from the first-ever Colorado Department of Local Affairs Accessory Dwelling Unit Grant Program.

    Superior will receive $225,000, which they will put toward their Superior Building Today: Encouraging ADUs in the Town of Superior program, with the town providing $75,000 in matching funds.

    Part of the plan is to develop pre-approved ADU designs for homeowners to choose from.

    It’s similar to what the City of Brighton plans to do with its grant.

    Brighton

    Brighton to streamline permitting process for ADUs offering pre-approved plans

    “Having a pre-set design will help you get through that process a lot faster,” said Michael Martinez, city manager for the City of Brighton, when Denver7 reported on the city’s ADU plan.

    Superior also plans to research how to waive building fees or offset ADU costs in certain cases, using a consultant in the upcoming year.

    Larimer County is exploring similar solutions with their grant funds, considering fee waivers to support affordable ADU construction.

    The Follow Up

    Larimer County to waive building permit fees for affordable ADU rentals

    “In exchange for keeping that housing affordable, we are willing, and able now, to waive the building permit fees,” said Rebecca Everette, community development director for Larimer County, when Denver7 reported on their ADU plan.

    Superior’s plan also includes a GIS story map that will guide homeowners interested in building ADUs through the process and explain the available waivers and preset designs.

    “There are still a lot of Marshall Fire survivors who have been displaced because of the cost of housing, and so we really hope that we can incentivize, in some way, Marshall Fire survivors to be able to come back,” said Stavros.

    She added that about 50 units of affordable housing for Seniors are set to begin construction in 2026.

    The Follow Up

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    Danielle Kreutter

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  • Growing DIA wants new energy sources, but nuclear option has some concerned

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    DENVER — Denver International Airport is already the third-busiest airport in North America, serving around 82 million passengers in 2024 and generating roughly $47 billion in revenue annually.

    Airport CEO Phil Washington said the airport, which opened in 1995, was initially built to accommodate 50 million passengers a year.

    Annual passenger numbers are now expected to hit 100 million in the coming years, and airport leaders plan on hitting 125 million by 2045.

    To do that, the airport is in the early planning stages of a terminal expansion to build future walkable concourses in order to add 50 new gates. It’s also planning a new consolidated, indoor rental car facility to replace the expanse of outdoor lots outside the airport.

    Growing DIA wants new energy sources, but nuclear option has some concerned

    In a community meeting at the Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center on Tuesday night, Washington reiterated that leadership also wants DIA to be “the greenest airport in the world,” to electrify its fleet of vehicles and snowplows, and to help the city of Denver reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2040.

    Those environmental goals combined with what Washington said is “incredible growth” coming, means the airport is looking to expand its alternative energy sources.

    The airport’s 11 solar arrays currently on-site generate roughly 50 megawatts of power, and the airport currently requires about 45 megawatts to operate. However, Washington said those needs will increase dramatically and he emphasized the importance of power redundancies to avoid catastrophic power failures seen at other airports.

    The airport is now submitting a request for information (RFI) from the private sector to assess those energy needs and what potential solutions could look like. Potential options include solar, wind, geothermal and small modular nuclear reactors.

    Before Tuesday’s meeting in Green Valley Ranch, airport leaders held community meetings at the airport Westin, as well as in Commerce City and Aurora, to garner feedback to consider before posting the RFI.

    “We’re not building anything, we’re not breaking ground on anything,” Washington told Denver7 in a one-on-one interview on Tuesday. “We’re pursuing information, and information is a powerful thing, and we need it for our community.”

    Denver7

    Denver Airport CEO Phil Washington speaks with Denver7’s Ryan Fish.

    Back in August, it seemed the airport was ready to navigate down the path of nuclear energy.

    A press conference featuring Washington and Denver mayor Mike Johnston announced plans for a 6-12 month, $1.25 million feasibility study to explore small modular nuclear reactors as a future energy source.

    But just two days later, that plan was grounded after community pushback. Denver City Council member Stacie Gilmore — who represents District 11 including the Green Valley Ranch and Montbello neighborhoods near the airport — expressed concern that community outreach didn’t happen before the feasibility study began.

    PREVIOUS COVERAGE

    Washington apologized to those at Tuesday’s meeting before starting his presentation, saying they should have prioritized outreach to District 11 first.

    Denver7 asked Washington why August’s press conference announcement of a nuclear power feasibility study changed to a more methodical approach.

    “It’s important that we get things right, and so getting things right may mean changing course, and we’re happy to do that,” Washington replied.

    A packed Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center for a meeting with Denver Airport leaders.

    Denver7

    A packed Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center for a meeting with Denver Airport leaders.

    Other neighbors have raised environmental, health or safety concerns surrounding a plan to use nuclear energy at the airport. Those same concerns came up at Tuesday night’s meeting.

    “To consider that here for this airport would be precedent-setting,” one attendee said in a Q&A with Washington. “Once that precedent is set, it’s likely to begin a chain reaction… A singular modular reactor may not be much of an issue. You get ten of ’em, you get 10 times the potential for a problem.”

    Gilmore spoke during the Q&A as well, accusing Washington and the airport of planning to generate more revenue at the cost of their District 11 neighbors’ health.

    Others said there should be better communication between the neighborhoods and airport leaders, or called for a community benefits agreement where the airport uses revenue to invest in the well-being of neighbors who now deal with airport impacts like worsening traffic.

    For his part, at one point Washington told the packed meeting, “If there are [energy] solutions out there that are gonna harm people, then we’re not gonna do it.” He did not commit specifically to avoiding nuclear power or any other alternative energy option.

    • Denver7 previously spoke with Thomas Albrecht, professor and director of the Nuclear Science and Engineering Center at the Colorado School of Mines, about SMR’s, what they are, and how they work. You can watch the full interview in the player below:

    Denver7 interview with Thomas Albrecht

    Washington says the work being done now will be the blueprint for handling energy needs at the airport for decades to come.

    “We’re making the first step to ensure the future of the largest economic generator in the state, and west of the Mississippi, for the next 50 years,” he told Denver7. “We don’t know what we don’t know. And so it’s our responsibility to get the future prepared.”

    Washington says the airport plans to post the RFI by January, evaluate it through the spring, and then start another round of community outreach about their conclusions sometime next summer.

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    Ryan Fish

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  • Families of United Flight 629 victims come together to remember 44 lives lost 70 years ago

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    DENVER — Seventy years after the bombing of United Flight 629, one of Colorado’s deadliest tragedies, the families of the 44 victims met face-to-face ahead of Saturday’s memorial.

    More than 100 loved ones gathered Friday inside the Denver Crime Lab, coming from across the country to share stories, memories, and grief that has quietly stretched across generations.

    Friday’s memorial luncheon kicked off the weekend of activities the Denver Police Museum planned to permanently and officially recognize the 44 people killed when the plane exploded just minutes after taking off from Denver’s old Stapleton Airport on November 1, 1955.

    Richard Butler

    “When we first undertook this project, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Michael Hesse, president of the Denver Police Museum. “It’s been 70 years. Their families were so strong that they wanted to come here and recognize them.”

    The museum spent the past two years tracing the victims’ family trees, identifying relatives through ancestry research, and inviting them to Denver for this milestone gathering. Many met one another for the first time Friday, united by a single event that changed aviation and Colorado history.

    Investigators later determined that the explosion was caused by a dynamite bomb hidden in a suitcase. The bomber, intent on collecting insurance money, killed all 44 people on board — including his own mother — in what became the first confirmed case of airline sabotage in the United States.

    For Shirley Rinn, whose mother, Alma Windsor, died on the flight, the event brought both closure and connection.

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    Denver Police Museum

    Alma Windsor was on of the victims on United Flight 629

    “My mom was a friend to everybody,” Rinn said. “We all loved her, and she was good to us. This is wonderful. I think this is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

    Now 88 years old, Rinn told Denver7 she has spent decades without a sense of closure for her mother. Seeing more than 100 people gathered to honor the victims, she said, was proof that others still think about the lives lost.

    Friday’s luncheon also recognized the families of the FBI agents who helped solve the case — men whose investigative work led to the bomber’s confession and changed how air disasters are investigated nationwide.

    “It’s important for Coloradans to be aware of this,” Hesse said. “This had national and international implications.”

    Hesse said the museum sees this project as part of its responsibility to preserve stories of both loss and resilience.

    “There’s an old saying: You die twice: once when you physically pass, and again when people stop saying your name,” he said. “By building this memorial, we’re giving people a chance to keep saying their names.”

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    Richard Butler

    Part of the official memorial

    Families will gather at the old Stapleton Tower on Saturday for the unveiling of the first permanent granite memorial dedicated to the victims and first responders of United Flight 629. Twenty-one of the 44 victims will have family present at the ceremony.

    Later Saturday evening, a symposium at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum will explore the investigation and its lasting impact on aviation safety and forensic science.

    For the families of United Flight 629, this week marks the end of seven decades of silence and the beginning of shared remembrance.

    Denver7’s coverage of United Flight 629 changed the way courtrooms are covered in Colorado. We continue to share the stories from that dark day many have forgotten.

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    Richard Butler

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  • ‘I see cuts to essential programs’: City leader reacts to Mayor Johnston’s proposed 2026 budget

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    DENVER — After Denver Mayor Mike Johnston released his proposed 2026 budget Monday afternoon, Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López plans to hold a press conference Tuesday to oppose cuts made to his department.

    He’s not the only one. Denver7 talked to Denver City Council member Stacie Gilmore Monday as well about the proposed budget.

    “Unfortunately, when I look at this budget, I see cuts to essential programs,” Gilmore said.

    One of the cuts she cited was to the Office of Children’s Affairs. Gilmore said there will be no after school or summer programs, which she believes will have a significant impact on youth.

    “I mean, what are kids supposed to do after school while their parents work?” Gilmore exclaimed.

    She emphasized that equity is a factor that needs to be considered throughout the development of the budget.

    “They have totally cut the foundational support for children, families, for communities of color that are at risk of involuntary displacement and or gentrification, there has been no bright light shown on those very real vulnerable segments of our population,” Gilmore added.

    City leader says Mayor Johnston’s proposed 2026 budget cuts essential programs

    In his press conference Monday afternoon, Mayor Johnston noted that while making the budget, city council concerns were considered.

    “City council sent us a letter before this process naming their priorities. They named 29 priorities that were in that list. I believe of those, we had 25 of them,” Johnston said. “25 of their priorities are all represented in this list. We think this is very much their priority list as well as ours.”

    Starting next Monday, Denver City Council will begin budget hearings to approve the budget.

    Johnston’s 2026 proposal comes after the city laid off 169 city workers, including Councilwoman Gilmore’s husband who lost his job working in Denver’s Park and Recreation Department. The city also eliminated more than 600 open positions and started requiring furlough days because of a $200 million budget shortfall. Johnston said this new budget will not require any future layoffs or furloughs.

    “We have budgeted for 0% growth in 2026 if our returns are 0% or better, we will have no need for furloughs or layoffs in 2026,” he said.

    Johnston’s 2026 proposed budget includes $118 million in personnel savings, $77 million in savings from services, supplies, and internal transfers, and $5.7 million in new revenue.

    Some of those new revenue ideas include renting out space in city greenhouses to residents and increasing photo radar enforcement for the police department.

    “We’ve built the most conservative budget the last 15 years. It’s building on 0% growth for next year. Our goal as a city is now to work to deliver better than 0% growth,” Mayor Johnston said in his press release Monday on the proposed budget.

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    Lauren Lennon

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  • Boulder Valley School District students earn school credit while building affordable housing

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    BOULDER, Colo. — Students within the Boulder Valley School District are helping combat the affordable housing crisis while also earning school credit.

    Denver7 first told you about the Boulder MOD project in 2022, when the City of Boulder and Boulder Valley School District were working together on building a factory. Today, the now-up-and-running factory is far from what you’d find at a typical high school wood shop class.

    “I think it’s absolutely amazing that we’ve come together and built this,” said Elan Castillo-Veltman, a senior at Centaurus High School and a second-year student at the Boulder MOD.

    • Read our previous coverage in the story below:

    Local

    Boulder students could soon be building modular houses

    Inside the factory, students are building modular homes. The prefabricated buildings are constructed inside the factory and then delivered to their location, according to the City of Boulder.

    The program is a partnership between the city, Boulder Valley School District and Habitat for Humanity Flatirons.

    “When we look at a home that is going to appraise at $750,000 or $850,000, and we sell that home to a family at $250,000 or $350,000, that gap has to be made up,” explained Dan McColley, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity Flatirons.

    Denver7

    Pictured: Denver7’s Danielle Kreutter speaking with Dan McColley, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity Flatirons

    That gap can be filled in various ways, including donations and volunteer labor, which is received through the Boulder MOD.

    “While we’re doing that, we’re training the next generation of construction professionals,” said McColley.

    The students receive school credit and hands-on experience.

    Boulder Valley School District students earn school credit while building affordable housing

    Denver7

    The benefits for some extend far beyond the classroom. Castillo-Veltman was able to connect with his future employer, a solar energy company, through his involvement in the program.

    “Now I can literally leave the school and go right into a job,” he said.

    The modular homes will eventually be moved to the Poderosa Mobile Home Park in North Boulder, and the residents there will soon be homeowners.

    “They’ll move out of that mobile home, they’ll move into one of these homes, have a much better life,” McColley said. “Live in a home without water infiltration, without rust, without mold.”

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  • As summer winds down, how much did business heat up on Downtown Denver’s new 16th Street?

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    DENVER — Summer on Downtown Denver’s rebranded 16th Street started loudly: a pounding electronic dance music concert on Memorial Day, followed by a “Summer Kickoff” event the next weekend. Both events, meant to celebrate most of the corridor’s long-running construction being complete, drew thousands of people.

    Denver7 spoke with optimistic members of the business community along the corridor around that time. One of them was Rafail Martinez, general manager for the 3 Margaritas restaurant and bar on 16th Street.

    “We wait a long, long, long time to having this here now,” he said in May as people flocked back to the area for the concert.

    Now with those big events in the rear-view mirror, Denver7 checked back in with Martinez to see if the new 16th Street had continued to make a financial difference for the restaurant.

    Denver7 has been following the changes to 16th Street all summer. Read our previous coverage below:

    Martinez estimates his sales are up 85% compared to the previous summer when the street was consumed by construction.

    “Before it was dark, dangerous, yeah. Now looks so different,” he said. “We have a patio outside, so now it’s open. Like 20 tables outside. Before it was nothing, just closed, no patio, construction.”

    Denver7

    Rafail Martinez

    Martinez also said that while there have not been big blowout events like those to start the summer, there have been events on the corridor to bring vendors and music to the area to attract visitors.

    Others told Denver7 the same: less construction and more of a police presence on 16th Street have made a difference.

    “Compared to last year, we’re in a much, much better spot,” said Feven Nebiyu, who works at the Brooklyn’s Finest Pizza on 16th Street. “For reference, we used to average like 200-300 tickets a night. Now we’re averaging about 400 or 500 on a busy night.”

    Nebiyu acknowledged the busy start to the summer fizzled out recently, but she’s hopeful the reimagined stretch of downtown will have a lasting impact.

    “Traffic just kind of mellowed out, as it does, especially towards the fall,” she said. “But I think this upcoming winter is going to be real good for us because when we have all of this open and they’re doing the Parade of Lights, when they’re doing the New Year’s show, that’s when we get the most people all year, actually.”

    Feven Nebiyu

    Denver7

    Feven Nebiyu

    Some who spoke with Denver7 still want to see changes, like restarting bus service down the entire corridor to spur more foot traffic. That’s expected to happen once construction is fully complete. Another business manager told Denver7 that they want to see better signage so more people know about these outdoor drinking zones at 16th and Glenarm.

    “It’s been great until COVID,” said Michael Falls, who has lived at 16th and California since 1998. “COVID changed a lot, and I think the city’s about at least 85% back to where it used to be.”

    Michael Falls

    Denver7

    Michael Falls

    The Downtown Denver Partnership’s July 2025 report shows foot traffic was indeed at 85% of 2019 levels. So far, Falls is happy with the changes the city has made.

    “They’ve done a lot,” he told Denver7. “I think now it’s up to the business community to come in and do more patios, bigger patios, and just fill in the blank spots.”

    The final stages of construction are expected to be complete this fall. The Downtown Denver Partnership is planning a “grand opening” for 16th Street on Oct. 4.

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  • RTD police said one workflow change from officers increased safety on public transit

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    DENVER – A simple change in strategy for Denver’s Regional Transportation District, appears to be working.

    After years of growing complaints about safety and security on public trains and buses, RTD data shows criminal incident reports have been trending downward, at their lowest point in July.

    RTD publishes much of their statistics online. The following is data from 2025 so far.

    RTD

    Denver7 has been tracking safety issues on RTD for years.

    In 2023, Denver7 Investigates went undercover to see the scope of the problem and found people doing drugs in plain sight. Regular riders told us, they saw drug use daily.

    In the summer of 2025, riders may now notice a few more people on board light rail trains.

    “A lot of security officers and police officers were on more static posts, they were just at a location, but they weren’t getting on our vehicles, they weren’t riding the trains back and forth, they weren’t getting on the busses,” said RTD Transit Police Chief Steven Martingano.

    Before he was sworn in as Chief, he served as Acting Chief in 2024. He says he made a big change right away.

    “We had asked them to start getting on the vehicles, checking fare,” he said.

    Denver7 Investigates

    ‘It’s scary. It’s unsafe’: Drug use still rampant on RTD property

    Ticket checks increased by 500% since 2024, and RTD said safety improved too.

    “With the officers being on the trains, they’re highly visible, right? So they can interject if there’s any incidents happening,” he said.

    RTD reports security related calls into RTD Police are down about 33% and reports of illegal drug use are down between 50-70% depending on the month compared to last year.

    “Since this was so effective, why do you think this wasn’t done before?” asked Denver7 reporter Danielle Kreutter.

    “I can’t explain why decisions were made before,” Martingano responded, “I took over as acting police in July. When I met with our teams, our security teams, as well as our police officer teams, I was trying to understand their direction. A lot of that was the static post- not really being on our vehicles. So then that’s when I made the immediate change. You could kind of see the 13 month decline from really last July to this August, every month, we continue to decrease, and I think a lot of that’s just a high visibility.”

    The chief acknowledges there’s more work to be done.

    “We don’t want to just make one plan and hope that works every single time,” he said.

    The department is expected to have another 120-130 officers by the end of the year. Martingano also mentioned the recent completion of the evidence room at the police department which will reduce their reliance on other law enforcement agencies.

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