Mike Johnston: “We will build 25,000 affordable homes in Denver”

ELECTIONS IN DENVER

THE CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR OF DENVER SPEAKS.

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

Haga click aquí para leer la versión en español

Mike Johnston wants to be mayor of Denver. “People are looking for who can perform better as mayor. They are looking for someone who has worked with many groups of residents in the city and who can bring people together to solve very difficult problems. I have done that. I did it as a school principal getting 100 percent of the students to graduate. I did it for 8 years when I was a state senator and pushed gang and pro-immigration bills,” Johnston said.

This candidate also highlighted his role as CEO of a non-profit organization in the past three years. Johnston added that “from my position in that foundation I promoted Proposition 123 to provide funds to build affordable housing. I can be that executive that this city needs, ”he asserts. Based on his experience, Johnston says he dares to launch an important campaign promise. “I am going to build about 25,000 affordable houses so that it would possible to live in Denver.”

Affordable housing

Johnston further explained his proposal. “This means that you don’t have to pay more than 30 percent of what you earn on your rent. If your salary doesn’t go up, the rent doesn’t go up. If you make $40,000 each year, 30 percent is $12,000 each year. That means you pay about a thousand dollars every month and you don’t pay more than a thousand, even if your salary goes up. We’re going to build houses all over Denver that apply that. I think that if we do that, we will have a city where all the people can live”, indicates the candidate.

Johnston said he also has a solution for the homeless crisis. “Some 1,400 people live on the street. For these people we are going to build small houses. We can develop about 40 communities of 50 tiny houses each. In these communities, the homeless can train to work. They will have mental health support. There will have Access to programs to combat their addictions and whoever fails to comply and consumes drugs on the street will be taken to a drug court,” Johnston says.

Policemen and Social Workers

The candidate wants to increase the staff of the security department. “We need more police on the street. I am going to hire about 200 additional police officers here in Denver. These officers are going to do important things. We are going to have some that will only be focused on carjacking. We have to focus there. At the same time, we will have social workers in this department who can handle security emergencies related to mental health. The problem must be addressed in an integral way ”he concluded.

Respuestas cortas

What seems unique to Denver?

Mike Johnston: This is an incredible city. We have amazing restaurants and we have museums. We have sports. We have streets you can walk. I believe that Denver can be the best city in the country, if we can solve those problems like so many homeless people; housing at inaccessible prices; and the high level of crime. If we fix those things, this city is going to be so much better than what we have.