City Cast
February 26, 2023

Mayoral Madness: Mike Johnston on Rent Control, the Police, and Peña Boulevard

Mike Johnston served in the state senate for eight years, ran for governor and the U.S. Senate, and most recently was president and CEO of Gary Community Ventures — and he wants to be mayor. He sits down with host Bree Davies to talk about his plan to end homelessness in Denver during his first term, his stance on rent control, and the proposal to widen Peña Boulevard.


We are inviting all 17 candidates for interviews before Election Day on April 4. So far, we've talked to:

Renate Behrens

Leslie Herod

Lisa Calderón

Ean Thomas Tafoya

Trinidad Rodriguez

Thomas Wolf

Chris Hansen


Keep up with Mayoral Madness on our site! And if you’ve got a question you’d like us to ask the candidates, or one candidate in particular, email it to us at denver@citycast.fm.


For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866


Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Or instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver


Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬


Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Hey Denver

Want to know what's happening in Denver? Sign up for our free newsletter, Hey Denver. Packed with local news, curated event recs, local life hacks, and more, it's your daily toolkit for getting the most out of the city you love.

Latest Episodes

See all
September 29

A Big Break for Polluters? Plus, Pedestrian Deaths and Jon Caldara’s Poop

It’s no secret — Colorado’s air quality is suffering, and last Friday regulators approved yet another new plan to address the state’s bigges...

A Big Break for Polluters? Plus, Pedestrian Deaths and Jon Caldara’s Poop image
September 28

Our Favorite Road Trip-Worthy Restaurants

As we wrap up a week of fall getaways, we wanted to leave you with an enticing list of delicious destinations — restaurants we’d go the extr...

Our Favorite Road Trip-Worthy Restaurants image
September 27

The 6 Most Haunted Places in Colorado

What’s the most haunted place in all of Colorado? A lot of folks would tell you it’s the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, but is that place real...

The 6 Most Haunted Places in Colorado image
September 26

Is Pickleball Too Noisy for Denver? Plus, Mayor Johnston’s Housing Thermometer

Pickleball fever has swept the country, and after three years of explosive growth it looks like it’s not going anywhere (much to the neighbo...

Is Pickleball Too Noisy for Denver? Plus, Mayor Johnston’s Housing Thermometer	 image
September 25

Weekend Getaways for a Perfect Colorado Fall

All this week, we’re celebrating the gorgeous season that is fall in Colorado. Today, we’re focusing on perfect weekend getaways — the best ...

Weekend Getaways for a Perfect Colorado Fall image
September 22

Denver’s Got Startup Fever, More Hotels Not Housing, and a Green Chile Debate

More than ten thousand people with big dreams arrived in the Mile High City for this year’s Denver Startup Week, and AI was the talk of the ...

Denver’s Got Startup Fever, More Hotels Not Housing, and a Green Chile Debate image
September 21

High Plains Comedy Turns 10, ‘Vandal Futurism,’ and Music for Beer-Drinking

This weekend marks the tenth anniversary of what our guest calls “Comedy Christmas” — aka, the High Plains Comedy Festival. Returning fave J...

High Plains Comedy Turns 10, ‘Vandal Futurism,’ and Music for Beer-Drinking image
September 20

Should Denver Rename These 6 Parks?

At the height of the racial justice protests of 2020, Denverites — like the rest of the country — reckoned with our past. Statues depicting ...

Should Denver Rename These 6 Parks? image
September 19

Is the 'Homeless Bar' Real? Plus, Public Overdose Deaths Are on the Rise

It’s Tuesday, so host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are breaking down all the local stories that matter. First, a report of a so-cal...

Is the 'Homeless Bar' Real? Plus, Public Overdose Deaths Are on the Rise image
September 18

Has Denver’s Dumpling Moment Finally Arrived?

With the opening of Yuan Wonton’s new shared brick-and-mortar restaurant in Park Hill, the food trend of the fall is officially the humble d...

Has Denver’s Dumpling Moment Finally Arrived? image