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November 24, 2025

Two Mayor Mikes. Two Wildly Different Approaches to Homelessness.

City Cast Denver

Two Mayor Mikes. Two Wildly Different Approaches to Homelessness.

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The Denver metro area has two mayors named Mike who have made homelessness a top priority. Johnston, the Denver liberal, has pursued a “housing first” strategy as he attempts to end unsheltered homelessness in our city, but recently he’s been branching out, including a proposal for $11 million to fund a new street ambassador program. Coffman, the Aurora conservative, just opened a new shelter with a support model that features a twist on his “work first” approach. Denverite’s Kyle Harris has reported on both, and he’s on today with host Bree Davies to compare and contrast.

Be sure to grab a ticket to our first-ever The Denver-est Denver Awards, presented by our friends at Denver Health! You’re cordially invited to attend a fancy holiday party slash formal awards show celebrating the very best of Denver on Dec. 18 at The Oriental Theater. City Cast Denver Neighbors will have received a discount code in the inbox, but everyone can buy tickets now! And we need your help picking the winners, too! Nominate your faves in our six big categories!

What do you think about the two Mayor Mikes and their divergent strategies? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

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