Denver Pauses Multifamily Development in Westside Neighborhoods Amidst Gentrification Concerns

City officials say the pause on permits for redevelopment projects aims to stop the displacement of long-term residents.

1 minute read

January 9, 2025, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Colorado flags draped between buildings in downtown Denver, Colorado.

pabrady63 / Adobe Stock

A “quietly released” memo from the Denver Community Planning and Development department signals a plan to stop approving higher-density projects in some West Denver neighborhoods. According to an article by Joe Rubino in Governing, the move is an effort “to stem the tide of gentrification trends in the historically Latino area.”

The memo announces a pause on rezoning approvals until “more affordability tools to preserve and/or create affordable housing are available to be paired with rezonings to higher intensity districts.”

Proponents of the moratorium say it will help slow the displacement of residents in the area, while critics argue that limiting the development of multi-family housing is exacerbating the housing crisis. “Home values in the West Area Plan neighborhoods increased 155 percent, on average, from 2010 to 2022, a period when home values skyrocketed citywide. But that spike has corresponded with a rapid decline in ethnic diversity in the area,” Rubino explains. 

Advocacy group YIMBY Denver says the best way to limit the impact of gentrification is not to stop development in certain neighborhoods, but to eliminate single-family zoning to make it easier to build new housing everywhere in the city. “In 2025, CPD is undertaking a “missing middle housing” project aimed at fostering a more gentle increase in density in appropriate places.”

Tuesday, January 7, 2025 in Governing

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

April 24 - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 24 - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

April 24 - Missouri Independent