Mayor Hancock Delivers State Of The City Address

DENVER, CO — Mayor Michael Hancock delivered the annual State of the City 2020 address remotely Monday morning. In his speech, the mayor discussed pandemic recovery, the city's budget shortfall, homelessness, rising crime and institutional racism.

"In these last few months, we’ve faced uncertainty, upheaval and loss," Hancock said.

"But we have also acted with resolve. Resolve to define together what a better city looks like – and attain it. The resolve to create a better future, where we elevate the commonality of the human experience in our decision-making."

More than 300 Denver residents have died since the coronavirus outbreak in Colorado began, Hancock said.

"COVID-19 has threatened our healthcare system and quality of life. It has wreaked havoc on our economy and left thousands unemployed. But you have shown resolve."

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Hancock asked Denverites to "stay the course."

"The risk of politics interfering in our recovery is too great. A mask isn’t a political statement. Social distancing isn’t an attack on freedom," Hancock said. "These temporary public health measures are about social responsibility, yours and mine – to ourselves, each other and the welfare of our city, state and nation."

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, financial support was provided to more than 800 small businesses in Denver, Hancock said. But despite the financial aid, the pandemic has also had a "disastrous" impact on the city's economy, the mayor said.

"We do have a $227 million budget shortfall to tackle, and it will mean hard cuts," he said.

"We’re going to maintain the essential services you depend on, while making where we can investments to strengthen the social fabric of our city. We’re approaching all of these financial challenges with an equity lens, so the people working hardest, who’ve been hit the hardest, don’t face the brunt of it alone."

The mayor also spoke about the "growing risk" of crime in the city.

"No one, particularly children, should feel unsafe in their neighborhood. The rise in crime, particularly youth violent crime, is unacceptable. It’s a troubling trend not just in Denver, but nationwide. I will never allow it to be normalized in our city.

"We need to get at the root causes of this problem once and for all. That’s why I’ve directed members of my administration, led by City Attorney Kristin Bronson, to work with youth and youth-serving organizations to create a community-driven plan to support them.

"Our efforts must be more than just anti-youth violence, they must be comprehensive strategies to promote and develop healthy youth and productive adults. It must be addressed from a public health perspective, not just a law enforcement perspective."

The mayor also addressed one of the city's biggest challenges — homelessness.

"The encampments that have appeared don’t represent the humane approach we have followed for years. Addressing encampments during the pandemic, following CDC guidelines and caring for those from surrounding communities has complicated the challenge," Hancock said.

"We have never stopped working toward better ways to address the conditions of those experiencing homelessness, and we aren’t stopping now, but these encampments cannot persist. COVID-19 is an extraordinary circumstance requiring an extraordinary response. That’s why we are permitting temporary – and I emphasize temporary – Safe Outdoor Spaces in more managed, safer, and sanitary conditions where people can be connected to critical services," he said.

"I’m asking everyone to support a proposal brought forward by Councilwoman Robin Kniech and our city’s shelter operators and service providers, to deliver the funding necessary to create better shelters, expanded services, and more housing options."

Hancock also spoke about a new initiative — the proposed Denver Institute of Equity and Reconciliation – to tackle institutional racism and bias. The mayor called racism a "public health crisis."

"These times have created another uncomfortable, hard truth we must finally face: the hard truth that racism is still a problem in law enforcement across the nation. It cannot be ignored. And we have not ignored it in Denver," the mayor said.

"We have one of the best police and sheriff departments in the nation. These departments are made up of men and women from many backgrounds who have taken the oath to serve and protect everyone in this city. In these trying times, it needs to be said that the vast majority of our officers and deputies uphold that oath with professionalism, compassion, integrity and a commitment to excellence.

"However, across this nation, and many painful times in our community, some have disgraced the badge through their actions and severely damaged the public trust. I can tell you firsthand, these actions have left generations of people, particularly Black people, having a profound fear and distrust of law enforcement."

View Hancock's full State of the City 2020 address: