Denver Mayor Mike Johnston unveils downtown app, “ambassadors” program

Pedestrians walk along the 16th Street Mall in downtown on February 1, 2023 in Denver. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s plan to ensure downtown sidewalks stay free of homeless encampments will rely in part on a new app, roving “ambassadors,” and better coordination between the city and outside partners, he said Monday.

Clad in a branded yellow vest from the new Denver Ambassadors program, Johnston announced the initiative as well as the launch of the Clean & Safe smartphone app. He joined city and nonprofit officials at the headquarters of the Denver Dream Center at 22nd and Curtis streets — two blocks from what until last month was a massive encampment outside the downtown post office.

The camp’s residents were among more than 1,000 people moved to hotels and other temporary accommodations by the end of 2023 under the mayor’s House 1,000 initiative. Monday’s announcement was aimed at building on that effort, and the new program also will involve coordination with police, nonprofit groups and private security guards.

The city will work with the Downtown Denver Partnership and other nonprofits, including the Dream Center, a community service group. The new app will allow people to report problems they see downtown — illegal camping, trash or other things that would not warrant a 911 call.

From there, someone with a 24-hour city dispatch center will send the appropriate responder, whether it be a city public works truck driver for trash cleanup or a nonprofit outreach worker who specializes in working with people who are homeless, Johnston said.

The yellow-vest-clad ambassadors won’t be new employees or volunteers. They will be a collection of Denver city employees, nonprofit workers and private security guards who already work downtown and can serve as visible sources of information and support for residents and visitors.

Johnston said Monday that 650 people would be involved in the program across all participating agencies, with roughly 30 to 40 sporting their vests in the downtown area at any given time.

“I think what you see here is a comprehensive approach to how to take on (ensuring) a beautiful and safe downtown,” Johnston said.

In an interview after the event, Johnston highlighted the importance of a unified system for communication and response to problems in the urban core after the House 1,000 sheltering effort resulted in the clearing of many encampments.

Denver police Chief Ron Thomas and Public Safety Director Armando Saldate donned yellow vests at the event. While Johnston said police will be part of the city’s strategy, the app and ambassador program will allow for frequent responses by people who aren’t uniformed officers.

In some cases, he said, that will reduce tension during interactions. It also will give Denver police time to focus on other calls around the city.

“I think it’s going to have a very significant impact on the lived experience” downtown, Johnston said of the new program.