🌱23,000 Vacant Apartments + Rock Kills 20 Year Old + Auditor's Report

Hello all. I'm back with your new edition of the Denver Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Here's what you need to know about what's happening locally. Today's issue includes news about...

• Denver Auditor says that the city hasn't been keeping track of expenses from homeless sweeps.
• Arvada woman killed by rock that was thrown at her car.
• Finish What You Started program helps students return to school to complete degrees.

Friday's weather: Mainly cloudy and cool. High: 53 Low: 27.

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Here are the top stories today in Denver:

1. Denver hasn't been keeping track of expenses incurred from homeless sweeps. Denver's Auditor's Office has discovered that the city has not been keeping track of its expenses as it relates to the homeless sweeps. The report discovered that the city doesn't know how much money has been spent or how effective the spending was. Only four of the 10 city agencies, namely public health, the fire department, transportation and infrastructure, and parks and recreation, provided the Auditor with expense records over a three-and-a-half-year period. (Axios)
2. Nearly 23,000 apartments in the Denver metro area are sitting vacant. The Apartment Association of Metro Denver's report showing there are nearly 23,000 unoccupied apartments in the metro area. Buildings constructed after 2020 have the highest vacancy rate at 6.8 percent. (Denverite)
3. A 20 year old killed by rock that was thrown at a car in Jefferson County. An Arvada woman is dead after her car was hit by a large rock. Police have found a pickup truck believed to be involved in the incident and are searching for the owner of the vehicle. (FOX31)
4. Colorado's Finish What You Started program is helping former students return to school and finish their degrees. The Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative is overseeing a program that provides individuals who have earned some college credits a second chance at obtaining their degree or certificate by providing financial assistance and support. The initiative is funded by over $46 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act until June 2026, and is designed to help hundreds of thousands of Coloradans with incomplete degrees. (CO Sun)

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Today in Denver:

• Cuentacuentos: Edgewater Library. (10:15 AM)
• Artist Reception for "Elephant in the Room" Juried Show at Niza Knoll Gallery (5 p.m.)
• Opening Reception for "Spring Awakening" Art Exhibition at Bitfactory Gallery (6 p.m.)
• Opening Reception for Extra Spectral: Magenta and Friends at NKollectiv. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• History Colorado exhibition takes deeper look at Indigenous Futurism. (Yellow Scene)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Discount Dumpster — (Visit website)
• The Better Mattress — (Visit Website)
• Improovy Painters Denver — (Visit website)
• MILE HIGH GUTTER, LLC. — (Visit website)
• Colorado Custom Welding — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Guardian Storage Free Shred-It Event: April 22 (April 22)
• Estate Planning Webinar (April 24)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (April 24)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (April 25)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (April 26)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar on April 24th and 26th (April 26)
• TPC Great Spring Breakaway Event (April 29)
• TPC Great Spring Breakaway Event (April 30)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday. I'll see you soon! — Brad K. Evans

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Denver Patch newsletter? Contact me at denverdaily@yahoo.com