Teddy’s Commitments to District 8
Affordability
Housing Stability
Build more homes. Bring down costs. Keep families in the neighborhoods they love.
Set a 10-year housing production goal with a public dashboard tracking progress quarterly
Allow duplexes, triplexes, and small apartments near transit by-right, without lengthy rezoning
Hold the city to its 180-day permitting target with regular public reporting
Fight corporate rent-fixing software that allows landlords to coordinate pricing
Protect renters from source of income discrimination
Limit venture capital and corporate ownership of residential housing
Rezone East Colfax BRT station areas for housing production
Land bank publicly-owned parcels for affordable housing before values spike
Expand pre-approved building plans for ADUs and small apartments to speed up construction
Protect the right to counsel for renters facing eviction
Homelessness Response
Being unhoused is a housing issue. The solution starts with stable, permanent housing.
Prioritize permanent housing over temporary shelter. Warehousing doesn't work.
Set housing placement goals and track outcomes publicly each quarter
Fund outreach teams that build trust with consistent staff and lived experience
Expand ID assistance, benefits enrollment, and connections to care
Protect and expand emergency rental assistance to prevent people from becoming unhoused in the first place
Partner with landlords to increase housing options through guaranteed rent and case management
Ensure people leaving jail, hospitals, or foster care have housing plans before discharge
No sweeps without housing options. Outreach before enforcement.
Demand public reporting on permanent housing placements, not just beds filled
Supporting Local Business
Small and Local businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods. The city should make it easier to open and run one.
Audit city fees and fines, and cut the ones that cost more to administer than they bring in
Warning first, fine later for non-safety violations. Give businesses a chance to fix problems before penalizing them.
Create a "Denver First Year Free" program waiving initial registration and permit fees for new small businesses
Establish a citywide Small Business Ombudsman to help business owners navigate city processes and hold city offices accountable for timelines
Streamline and simplify business licensing with a unified portal and clear timelines
Support home-based food entrepreneurs by backing state efforts like the Tamale Act to remove unnecessary barriers
Expand access to affordable financing for small businesses, especially immigrant, minority, and women-owned businesses
Making Ends Meet
Housing isn't the only thing pushing families out. Groceries, gas, childcare, and everyday essentials are getting harder to afford.
Support and expand the FreshLo nonprofit grocery model across District 8 and advocate for citywide replication
Incentivize grocery stores and fresh food retailers to open or expand in underserved neighborhoods
Support mobile markets and corner store programs to bring fresh produce into areas without grocery access
Advocate for using underutilized city-owned properties for food distribution and farmers’ markets
Protect utility assistance programs and push for stronger shutoff protections in the Xcel Energy franchise agreement
Push for city-supported childcare pilot programs for low-income families
Expand awareness of existing city and state programs that ease everyday costs
Accessibility
Transit & Streets
Public transit is how people get to jobs, school, and doctors’ appointments. It should work for everyone in the district.
Advocate for better RTD frequency on routes serving Montbello, Park Hill, Central Park, and East Colfax. Every 45 minutes isn't enough.
Improve pedestrian access to A-Line stations by completing sidewalks, ensuring safe crossings, and connecting to neighborhoods.
Audit bus stops for accessibility, shelter, lighting, and seating. Publish findings and push for fixes on a clear timeline.
Support Colfax BRT with real pedestrian safety: visible crosswalks, signal timing, center medians, and lighting.
Oppose highway expansion at Peña Boulevard until a genuine transit alternative is fully studied.
Focus road safety investments on the High Injury Network: the 5% of streets causing 50% of traffic deaths.
Improve safety at all at-grade light-rail crossings by installing visible crosswalks, signals, and barriers where needed.
Use the city's leverage: restrict RTD access to city grants if District 8 keeps getting shortchanged on service.
Our Public Spaces
Public spaces should be clean, safe, and accessible to everyone. Especially in communities that have been historically underserved.
Track parks funding by neighborhood and demand equitable investment across the district
Conduct walk audits of parks in underserved neighborhoods to assess safety, accessibility, and conditions
Require the parks department to report findings and action plans to City Council
Make parks fully accessible for people with physical and developmental disabilities
Improve walkability, lighting, and safety in and around public spaces
Invest in kid-friendly amenities and programming
Build community input into public space improvements
Safe Neighborhoods
The right response when you call. Safe streets in every neighborhood.
Protect and expand STAR to 24/7 coverage. The program works and should be funded accordingly.
Demand faster police response times in District 8. Publish neighborhood-level response data quarterly so residents can track progress.
Invest in street lighting upgrades in high-crime areas. Research shows that improved lighting reduces nighttime crime significantly.
Partner with small businesses on larceny prevention, including camera subsidies tied to timely cooperation with investigations.
Oppose surveillance contracts without strict accountability: clear legal limits, data retention caps, bans on sharing with immigration enforcement, and City Council approval for any contract.
Require all city contracts to prohibit contractors from sharing data with immigration enforcement.
Accountability
Staying Connected
You shouldn't have to dig through city websites to find out what your council member is doing. I'll make it easy.
Hold weekly open office hours. My door stays open, and you'll see me at community events across the district, not just when something newsworthy happens.
Establish a District 8 Community Cabinet with representation from every neighborhood to advise on major votes and policy decisions.
Host quarterly budget briefings for District 8. Support budget reforms that give Council timely financial information and bring that information directly to residents.
Publish a monthly newsletter covering votes, upcoming decisions, community events, and local spotlights.
Use Council's amendment and hearing powers to demand advance notice before major cuts, changes, or new contracts. Refuse to rush votes.
Push the Department of Finance to track city investment by neighborhood. A pothole in Montbello should get fixed as fast as one downtown.
Protect independent oversight. The Auditor and Clerk shouldn't be defunded or undermined in the budget process.
Uplifting Native Peoples
Native people have always been here. We're still here. And we deserve a city government that sees us, serves us, and includes us.
See the American Indian Cultural Embassy through to completion. Construction is likely funded; now the city must budget for operations so it can open and thrive.
Establish an Office of Tribal and Native Community Relations with dedicated staff to coordinate tribal consultation, connect Native residents to city services, and support urban Native organizations before city decisions are made.
Fund Native health, housing, and cultural preservation through direct partnerships with Denver Indian Health and Family Services, Denver Indian Center, and other Native-led organizations.
Include Native perspectives in how Denver tells its story: public art, signage, place names, and city communications that reflect Indigenous history and presence.
Environment & Clean Air
The air you breathe shouldn't depend on your zip code. For too long, some neighborhoods have carried more than their share of pollution.
Push for permanent air quality monitoring in District 8 neighborhoods, especially near highways and industrial sources. Residents deserve real-time data on what they're breathing.
Use Colorado EnviroScreen data to identify overburdened areas and direct city resources accordingly.
Expand tree canopy in neighborhoods with the least coverage. Trees reduce heat, filter air, and lower energy costs.
Require environmental impact review for new industrial or high-traffic developments in already-burdened communities.
Give residents from impacted neighborhoods a formal role in city environmental and land-use decisions by appointing them to seats on advisory bodies.
Hold polluters accountable by pushing the state to enforce permits more strictly and supporting community-led efforts to monitor and report violations.
Get Involved. Stay Informed. Help Elect Teddy.
Be the first to hear updates and discover ways to get involved in the campaign.