The Current

The Sacramento region is similar in population, economy, and make up to many areas across the United States, and leaders can learn a lot from these “Peer Regions.” That is why the SACOG board, local jurisdiction staff, and developers embarked on a flight to Denver, Colorado to learn how this peer region has gone about tackling issues of housing, homelessness, infill, and transportation. Attendees connected with elected officials and policy makers from the Denver area to learn from and get some inspiration to tackle these challenges at home.

The Denver Peer Region Tour took place in late June with much help from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). Below is an overview of the projects and topics explored:

A Big Picture of the Denver Region

To help kick things off for the tour, DRCOG provided a big-picture perspective of Denver and the agency’s role in shaping its transit networks and built environment. Attendees heard from DRCOG Executive Director Doug Rex, who provided insight into how the agency, which represents 48 municipalities and nine counties in the Denver metro area, coordinates regional transportation planning, housing, land use, and transit, and serves as the Area Agency on Aging.

DRCOG is guided by its region’s long-range plan, Metro Vision, which works together with board members and jurisdictions toward five stated outcomes:

• An efficient and predictable development pattern
• A connected multimodal region
• A safe and resilient natural and built environment
• Healthy, inclusive, and livable communities
• A vibrant regional economy

In addition to presentations from DRCOG, attendees heard from the City of Denver Mayor, Mike Johnston. Downtown Denver has seen a challenge similar to that of downtown Sacramento with increasing affordable housing supply and revitalizing the downtown economy post-pandemic. His address included his strategy for creating more housing for the city’s unhoused population, and how he is focused on revitalizing the city’s downtown. His enthusiastic presentation was both insightful and inspiring. 

Housing and Infill Development Highlights

The Denver region has an impressive list of housing and infill development projects to explore. The projects highlighted on the tour were similar to projects and challenges faced here in the Sacramento region.

The Belmar neighborhood in the City of Lakewood is an extraordinary example of turning a tired 100-acre indoor shopping mall into a mix of housing along quiet walkable streets with shopping and entertainment folded into the community. Attendees couldn’t help but get excited for the prospect of how the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan in Citrus Heights envisions a similar transformation of Sunrise Mall that will transform more than 1 million square feet of deteriorating retail space into a vibrant walkable community with housing, hotels, shopping, and community amenities.   

Images of the Belmar neighborhood captured during the walking tour. Attendees heard from Ben Goldstein, deputy city manager, and Travis Parker, planning department director, for the City of Lakewood.

In the southern part of Denver, the Loretto Heights redevelopment project aims to transform a 70-acre site while also preserving the community’s rich history. Loretto Heights was once the site of Loretto Heights Academy, a Catholic boarding school for girls. It holds a rich history for the Denver region, and planners are working to honor this history while constructing the area into a modern mixed-use cultural hub. Watch this video on the project to see the planned community. 

On the eastern edge of Denver is the location of the former Stapleton International Airport, one of the largest infill development projects in the nation. The sky was the limit for the 7.5 square miles that now make up the Central Park neighborhood. Attendees stopped and walked through the community and learned more about the complexities of taking on such a large infill project. Now, tree-lined streets and parklets provide a vibrant base for the residents who call this neighborhood home.

Transportation Highlights 

DRCOG has an ambitious strategy to construct and begin service for several Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects over the next decade. Attendees learned more about the coalition of public agencies at the center of implementing these projects. The ripest BRT project is along the Colfax corridor, the longest continuous street in the United States and the base of the region’s busiest transit lines. As the group drove down Colfax, they got to see the site of future stops and learn how this BRT line will enhance safety and connectivity for historically disinvested neighborhoods and residents at large.

In addition to learning about BRT projects, attendees stopped by the Colorado Department of Transportation to learn how the Colorado Transportation Investment Office manages a network of 176 miles of express lanes in operation throughout the region and state. The presentation covered governance structure, fees, equity initiatives, and public perception. It was insightful to learn how the system is evolving as the office strives to meet the needs of residents.