It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your mayor. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for putting your trust in me and my administration to lead our city these past 12 years – you made a grown man’s childhood dream come true. Together, we cemented Denver’s reputation as one of the most desirable places in the country to live, learn, work, and play.

Progress didn’t come easy. From the recession and growing unemployment in 2011, we emerged with a AAA bond rating, budget reserves, and as one of the country’s fastest-growing economies. As growth came to our city, we refocused to manage it.

Now, we’re boldly leading Denver’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing economic shutdown, and the triple crises of untreated mental illness, drug addiction, and homelessness. We also are forging new pathways forward following the murder of Georg Floyd and the more recent influx of Central and South American migrants.

Without fail, this city rose to meet every one of those challenges. Every obstacle we faced and every problem we solved, we did it together. I will be forever grateful to every partner who selflessly linked arms with me and my administration and set out to make Denver better.

The job of building a city is never done. A mayor’s time in office is limited. We know the work we set in motion doesn’t always finish while we’re here. Part of our mandate is to address the challenges of today and set up the opportunities of tomorrow. My hope is that my administration built a solid foundation for the incoming administration of Mayor-elect Mike Johnston to succeed, a foundation that itself was built on the shoulders of the mayors who came before us.

The pieces are in place for Denver to seize the future. Over $1 billion in infrastructure investments approved by voters will make improvements in neighborhoods and drive our economy forward for years to come. Several major projects are primed to elevate Denver, including the revitalization of downtown Denver and the 16th Street Mall, the Colorado Convention Center, Denver International Airport, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, and the South Platte River. Housing, homelessness resolution, transportation, and climate action are now core services with programs and funding ready to tackle these challenges. Your city government is now geared to deliver on its work with a focus on equity and justice so that no one is left behind – ensuring that ours is a city that works for everyone.

We attracted tens of thousands of new businesses and new jobs. We supported hard-working Denver residents. We created new opportunities for children, the unhoused, and other vulnerable members of our community. We strengthened neighborhoods. We enhanced our airport, increasing the economic impact by $4 billion with 17 new international flights that will continue connecting Denver to the world.

We drove an agenda focused on the people – helping to build or preserve over 10,000 affordable homes, rehouse over 15,000 of our unhoused neighbors, opening our recreation centers for free to all Denver kids and older adults, reducing child poverty by 13%, supporting workers with good-paying jobs across the city, and bringing more services to every neighborhood and community.

We also kept our city vibrant: Over 5,000 miles of roads repaved, expanded bike lanes and transit and micro-mobility options, protected and grew our parks and open spaces by over 2,000 acres, hired more safety officers and implemented reforms to improve policing, built four new recreation centers and four branch libraries. We brought the minimum wage up to $15 an hour, the first city in Colorado to do so, and kept supporting our local businesses even during the depths of the pandemic.

It’s true – we still face serious challenges. But we’ve worked hard to set the next administration up for success with the policies, programs, and projects that remain underway, including new approaches to address unsheltered homelessness, housing affordability, untreated mental illness and gun violence.

Denver’s reputation is one of never giving up – we always lean in and put people first, because that’s how we deliver a world-class city where everyone matters. We’re headed in the right direction.

I have full confidence that Johnston will continue to reach for and attain the hopes and aspirations of our beloved city. I wish him the best of luck as he prepares to take office and get to work for the people of Denver.

I love you, Denver. Thank you once again for the privilege of serving you.

Michael Hancock was first elected mayor of Denver in 2011 after having served on Denver City Council for eight years.

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