AURORA | Despite the cooler fall days, the race for two at-large city council seats is heating up. There are new faces, familiar names and some Aurora-sized controversy.

In what is technically a nonpartisan race, Republican leaders are pushing to keep their majority on city council while Democrats hope to disrupt it.

Aurora City Council elections are held on Election Day in odd years, resulting in more unpredictable and generally lower voter turnout, according to decades of Aurora voting history. Election results for 2023 in Arapahoe County reveal a 39% voter turnout. Last year’s general election drew 76% of voters. Like all local elections, this year’s election is conducted by mail ballot, which are now being mailed to voters. Election Day is Nov. 4. A close look at city council ward candidates is coming Wednesday.

A variety of topics are on the minds of Aurora voters and candidates, including the city’s approach to crime and immigration, particularly in light of the changes being implemented by the Trump Administration.

In talking to at-large council candidates and attending campaign events over the last several weeks, The Sentinel focuses this week to report on policies that have been on the dais and in the news over the past two years. Questions to candidates were linked to police officer-involved shootings and police reform, the city’s approach to homelessness, and how city council can work to make housing more affordable or obtainable for all income levels. 

Aurora is currently under a consent decree, imposed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in 2021. It was the result of investigations into allegations of the Aurora Police Department’s excessive use of force and discriminatory practices, particularly against people of color. Triggered in part by the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, who died at the hands of police and rescuers after being stopped, unarmed, the decree mandates broad reforms in training, accountability, use-of-force policies, data systems and community engagement.

This year, four people have died in police involved shootings, and three were unarmed. Critics have concerns about whether the city is making changes to the police department quickly enough and whether the city should implement an independent police oversight structure, a long-standing issue that has been ongoing for years. 

Homelessness is also a compelling issue for people in Aurora, as a two-year-old camping ban was backed by a Supreme Court decision last year. For about three years, the city has increasingly made the ban more restrictive. Although the city is not required to offer shelter for the homeless while ticketing for it, the city council, spearheaded by Mayor Mike Coffman, is about to open the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus, which will offer a three-tier work-first approach to homelessness. This has been controversial because almost all national, credible studies point to the greatest short-term and long-term success for permanent housing and rehabilitation being linked to some variation of  “Housing First” policies. Candidates were asked whether they would keep the policies as they are or make changes.

Other questions concerned affordable housing and how candidates might utilize policy or their position as a city council member to create more affordable and workforce housing for groups of all income levels. 

There are currently two at-large city council seats at stake. The top-two vote getters in the election win.

Danielle Jurinsky

Danielle Jurinsky, a Republican, at-large, first-term incumbent, has been a highly controversial and polarizing figure in local politics since she took the dais in 2021. Her aggressive stance on public safety and immigration issues has drawn both staunch support and fierce criticism.

Jurinsky currently chairs the council’s Public Safety, Courts and Civil Service Policy Committee. Last year, she raised allegations that the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) had “taken over” parts of Aurora, garnering her and the city national attention, much of it on Fox News. She later walked back the comments to say they had only taken over multiple apartment complexes within Aurora.

Those claims have been repeatedly challenged by law enforcement, and eventually Jurinsky and Mayor Mike Coffman acknowledged that the framing of TdA’s presence was overstated, insisting the gang’s influence is limited to the few properties, rather than the city at large. The city’s court, suing the landlord who owns three controversial apartment complexes, has also argued that the extent of gang activity, including Venezuelan gang activity, has been overblown and that critical issues at the complexes, shut down by the city, were caused by the building owners’ negligence. 

Aurora police arrested eight individuals who were said to be members of TdA in December last year, and a few later raids were able to prove the presence of the gang infiltrating parts of Aurora, but there has been no evidence of a city or even a full apartment complex takeover. 

She took part in a campaign rally last fall with now-President Donald Trump, in which Trump repeated exaggerations and factless claims that Venezuelan gangs had taken over the city and even much of Colorado. After Trump’s re-election, Jurinsky, in a public safety committee meeting, said she’d been in contact with the new administration and wanted the city to coordinate with the Trump team on how it would handle dealing with immigrants in the city. 

Her confrontational style quickly became a hallmark of her tenure.

She publicly became a harsh critic of former Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, calling her “trash” on a right-wing radio talk show in 2022. Wilson was appointed as chief just as national attention was drawn to the city because police became embroiled in controversy over the 2019 death of Black men contacted by police. Dispute over the police-involved death of Elijah McClain grabbed national headlines as the nation roiled from protests linked to the Minneapolis police death of George Floyd. Some Aurora police union members pushed back against a state-ordered consent decree against Aurora, which, after a state investigation, found that police exhibited “patterns and practices” of using excessive force, especially against people of color.

Wilson is now suing Aurora for wrongful firing, and Wilson’s attorney has linked at least part of the allegations to Jurinsky.

Jurinsky became a target of progressives on the city council, linked to her public comments about whether to fire top police officials. That controversy evolved into a call by former Councilmember Juan Marcano for her censure. City lawmakers are prohibited from dictating work or deciding employment matters for city employees. The chief of police is appointed and reports to the city manager’s office.

The call for censure controversy ended up in a closed city council meeting, where conservative members outvoted progressives to drop the call for censure against Jurinsky. The Aurora Sentinel has sued the city, saying the meeting and vote conducted in secret were done illegally. The state appeals court has upheld the Sentinel’s argument, demanding the city release recordings of the meeting. The case has been appealed by the city to the state Supreme Court, expected to rule this week. As a result of the closed-door decision to abandon censure proceedings against Jurinsky, the city council also voted along party lines to award Jurinsky $16,162.50 for defense attorneys David Lane and Suzanne Taheri of law firm Killmer, Lane and Newman stemming from fees she linked to the issue.

Jurinsky has, from the beginning of her term, billed herself as a proponent of small business. She owns and operates JJ’s, a local tavern.

Last year, she made ending the city’s so-called head tax — a $2 per month tax on each employee in the city — a signature issue.

While she initially garnered a majority of council support for the cause, that support evaporated last year when it became clear the city was headed for a budget deficit and the loss of the head tax would cost the city $6 million a year in lost revenue.

When council allies turned against ending the tax, Jurinsky turned against her council allies with a vengeance.

Jurinsky sent a string of text messages to four of her conservative council allies — council members Françoise Bergan, Stephanie Hancock, Steve Sundberg and Dustin Zvonek — in advance of a meeting last year that would decide the fate of the head-tax cessation. The texts were obtained by the Sentinel.

Jurinsky was angry about Bergan’s proposal to continue levying the tax.

“I will not be at the meeting on Monday, and every single one of you can go fu** yourselves!” her first message reads. 

“I fu***** campaigned on that you fu***** pieces of shit! AND FU** YOU DUSTIN!!”

“And I hear you’re a co sponsor, Francoise. You can definitely go fu** yourself! You’ve never owned a business or a fu***** thing in your life you pretentious bitch!”

“My friendship will literally (sic) every single one of you is dead! DEAD! oh, and my loyalty… also dead! I hope you all have miserable fu***** lives! I might make that happen for a few of you. FU** YOU!”

Jurinsky did not respond then to the Sentinel’s inquiries for comment about the invective.

Sundberg defended Jurinsky despite her harsh words toward him and fellow Republicans.

“I don’t know one member of City Council who has not, in frustration, spontaneously expressed their passion. Many of us, including Councilwoman Jurinsky, can be fierce in our love for the city, as we want the best for it,” he wrote last year in an email to the Sentinel. 

Bergan, Hancock and Zvonek — the three other recipients of the threatening texts — did not respond for comment at the time.

In a public meeting, however, Bergan called Jurinsky’s behavior “abusive and toxic.”

“Whenever we have a discussion and she doesn’t get her way, let me tell you what she does, she’s a bully and she has bullied a lot of people on the council over this issue, and she curses me out with cuss words and is vile,” she said.

Jurinsky eventually got the votes from her conservative colleagues and was able to end the employee “head tax” right as the city realized it was about to hit a $20 million budget shortfall in 2026. The overall shortfall will now lead to employee furloughs, programming cuts and a draw on the city’s “rainy day” reserves. 

Each of the conservative colleagues she attacked in the emails has also endorsed her in her run for city council this year.

Her supporters view her as a tough-minded defender of law and order, while critics state that her rhetoric is reckless and divisive. Jurnisky did not reply to repeated requests for an interview from the Sentinel. 

Jurinsky has taken a position of full support of the Aurora Police Department and their actions. In her most recent political rally, she stated that she fully supports the Aurora Police and that the media vilifies the police department because they hate them. 

Homelessness is not a topic Jurinsky talks about in many meetings, but she voted and stated support for Coffman’s “work first” approach to housing. She also voted in favor of a camping ban. She supported the Supreme Court ruling that legalized camping bans, which did not require municipalities to offer housing options when citing people for violating the ban. 

In multiple city council meetings, Jurinsky has stated that she believes the city no longer needs to focus on building affordable apartments, condos and townhomes, but rather it should concentrate on building middle housing, such as single-family homes.

“​​The amount of multifamily housing that is coming in, unless those are duplexes, I know council member Bergen and I are working on a few things to kind of bring that to a screeching halt in Aurora,” Jurinsky said during a Planning and Economic Development meeting in August. “I think that is, for every developer listening, that is a huge let down for me to see the amount of multifamily housing coming into this city, unless it is duplex or affordable housing for seniors or veterans.”

Jurinsky says one of her most important pet projects during her term so far was just that. Jurinsky has spearheaded, over the past few years, an effort to secure $51 million in funding for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the city’s aging and decaying animal shelter.

“We (were) on the verge of totally being shut down and not having the animal shelter at all,” Jurinsky said earlier this year.

The shelter, originally intended to house a limited number of strays, faced a capacity crisis, with 90% to 95% of kennels occupied. The new facility will have 250 spaces for animals, improved services, and better access for both staff and animals. The project will be funded through federal relief, city capital, and lease-purchase financing mechanisms. 

“I first adopted an animal from the animal shelter about 14 years ago,” Jurinsky said. “I adopted a Rottweiler. I have a passion for animals in general, but the Rottweiler breed specifically, I’m very fond of.”

Jurinsky has also been an advocate for increased community police, promoting events like “Coffee with a cop.” She has also sponsored and appeared as a special guest at youth enrichment events, such as the Fall Break Boxing and Basketball Camp.   

“I can’t be quiet, so I have to be brave,” Jurinsky said during a campaign rally Sept. 25. “So I’m going to be brave, and I’m going to keep being myself, and I’m going to keep representing Aurora, because I’m going to win this re-election, and I believe that the sky is the limit.”

Meet Danielle Jurinsky

Danielle Jurinsky, a Republican, is an at-large incumbent running for a second term. Jurinsky is an Aurora native and single mother, according to her campaign page. 

Jurinsky owns and operates JJ’s Place bar and restaurant in Aurora and describes herself as a pro-business city lawmaker.

During her first term, Jurinsky garnered national media attention and that of the Trump presidential campaign, promoting the narrative that immigrant gangs had “overrun” or “taken over” parts of Aurora. Jurinsky’s critics argue that the exaggerated claims she made were intended to benefit a national election season narrative.

Jurinsky’s campaign is focused on “fighting for a stronger, safer Aurora while bridging the gap between Aurora citizens and our local Aurora law enforcement.” She said she is focusing on economic growth, public safety and reducing taxes and fees.

Danielle Jurinsky Q&A

Did not respond to requests to participate in the candidate Q&A

The lighter side of Danielle Jurinsky

Did not respond to requests to participate in the candidate Q&A

Amsalu Kassaw

Republican Amsalu Kassaw joined the Aurora City Council after being appointed by the majority of city lawmakers to fill the vacant at-large seat left by Dustin Zvonek after he resigned last year to work for a political lobbying and public relations firm. This appointment made Kassaw the first refugee and Ethiopian immigrant and the third naturalized citizen to serve on Aurora’s City Council. Kassaw immigrated to Aurora in 2007.

Kassaw accepted the role of at-large city council member after becoming acquainted with Coffman through legislative work supporting Ethiopia through the Ethiopian American Civic Council. When he won his appointment as an Aurora City Council member, he said he is committed to public safety and inclusive representation. He told the Sentinel that in Ethiopia, he worked for a nonprofit organization that focused on teaching democracy, human rights and civic engagement. 

“We’ve got to be a bridge, not the divider,” Kassaw said. “As a council member, I want to try to bring together both sides of the aisle.”

He currently works as a lieutenant for GEO Group, Inc., which runs the ICE immigrant detention center in Aurora. 

On public safety, he has aligned with the Republican “tough on crime” stance, arguing that firm enforcement is necessary to keep neighborhoods safe. He has said his approach to how the city should handle officer-involved shootings centers on rebuilding trust between police and residents through something like a town hall or community meetings. Kassaw said he supports following existing state investigative procedures through the judicial districts rather than creating new police oversight committees.

“​​We really need to come together and sit together and have a dialogue,” Kassaw said about the police and the community. “Otherwise, the problem is still going to continue.”

He said that to build trust, both sides need to hear each other out, and that no officer wants to kill another person. He said he feels that if people could hear from and talk to the police, they could understand where they are coming from. 

Aurora is currently under a consent decree, imposed by the state attorney general. After a state investigation, the attorney general determined Aurora has for years exhibited “patterns and practices” of using excessive force, especially against people of color. 

The problem should be addressed with community education, patience in police interactions and respectful engagement on all sides, he said.

Regarding homelessness, Kassaw said he supports Mayor Mike Coffman’s “work first” plan, which includes a strict camping ban and the upcoming opening of the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus in November. The center would offer some services to anyone who accepts communal shelter, but other housing services would be reserved for individuals who secure employment and undergo rehabilitation.

He said he has personally visited the Navigation Campus and the recently opened Aurora Mental Health Crisis and Acute Care Center, and he believes the city now has the resources to connect people to rehabilitation programs and help them rejoin the community as productive members. 

“I strongly believe that now we are getting, one at a time, or we are connecting the dots that Aurora will have soon,” Kassaw said. “We’ll have the resources to fight homelessness.”

Kassaw said his views on affordable housing policy focus on expanding homeownership opportunities, particularly for young families and first-time buyers. He said there are already enough apartments being built in Aurora and that he would want to use his power on city council to pursue closer partnerships with developers to ensure that a portion of new projects are affordable across various income levels. He did not say specifically what leverage he would impose or offer. He also said he would want to streamline development processes to attract builders of affordable homes. Balancing housing options, including those suitable for single-income households, is crucial to creating a strong and inclusive community, he said.

“We gotta really fight for that so people can have their dream house,” Kassaw said.

Meet Amsalu Kassaw

Amsalu Kassaw, a Republican, is an Ethiopian-born and longtime Aurora resident, serving as the at-large incumbent. He was appointed to former Councilmember Dustin Zvonek’s vacant seat last fall.

Kassaw has worked in the security industry for 20 years and currently serves as a lieutenant at the GEO Group’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is the first Ethiopian immigrant to hold office in the state of Colorado. He graduated from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and has served his local community in various capacities. 

He said he “wants to continue to be a voice for the city’s diverse residents,” in a statement. Kassaw’s campaign focuses on community, including diversity and civic engagement, public safety, and economic growth, according to his campaign page.

Amsalu Kassaw Q&A

Q: Why should Aurora voters choose you as their next at-large representative?

Aurora voters should choose me as their next at-large representative because I put public safety, economic growth, and community opportunity at the center of my service. As someone who has lived the American Dream right here in Aurora, I feel a deep obligation to give back to the community that embraced me and my family. I’ve been a consistent advocate for safer streets, affordable housing, and small business support ensuring Aurora remains a city where families can thrive. I also believe in bringing people together across differences, because strong communities are built on collaboration, not division. My record shows that I listen, I act, and I deliver. With trust, I’ll continue working to make Aurora a place where every family feels safe, every business has the chance to grow, and every voice is heard.

Q:  What will be your top three legislative priorities if elected?

Public Safety, Creating Economy opportunity and Homelessness

Q: What sort of working relationship do you want to develop with council members who don’t share your political views?

I  believe that even when we don’t share the same political views, I will continue to work with all of my colleagues, because at the end of the day we serve the same community. Open communication and respectful dialogue are key, and I will always be open to listening, finding common ground, and moving forward together for the good of Aurora.

Q: During the past few years, Aurora’s City Council has responded to the p by banning camping on public property and stepping up sweeps of encampments. In addition, the city will open a “work-first” regional homeless Navigation Center next year. 

The issue of homelessness in Aurora has seen some positive steps, but I wouldn’t say it has fully improved yet. Programs like the Navigation Center model are a good start, The issue of homelessness in Aurora has seen some positive steps, but it has not fully improved yet. Programs like the Navigation Center are a strong start, giving us the resources and structure to address the challenge. Our work-first approach still requires adjustments, but it lays the foundation for long-term success. Through this model, we aim to provide a comprehensive package of services—housing support, mental health care, addiction treatment, job training, and more so that individuals can regain stability and successfully reintegrate into our community.

Q: To discourage criminal behavior, should the city invest more in social programs (education, job training, etc.), or should it invest more in policing and impose tougher criminal penalties?

Aurora is taking a very different approach than Denver, we are leading the way in tackling crime, especially vehicle and retail theft. That’s why City Council initiated the 3-strike ordinance, which has now also been approved at the state level. To date, we’ve impounded more than 1,700 vehicles, and retail theft is down. Community awareness and training are also key parts of our strategy to fight crime. While we’ve made strong progress, we know there is still more work ahead. That’s why we remain committed to keeping Aurora on the right track by being tough on crime, supporting our businesses, and ensuring our residents can enjoy safe streets. We will continue to fully fund public safety, strengthen communication, and provide the training and resources necessary to uphold the rule of law and protect our community.

Q: After the death of Elijah McClain and other incidents of excessive police force, Aurora’s Police Department agreed to implement a list of reforms to address what the Colorado Attorney General’s Office described as a pattern of racially-biased policing and excessive force. How much progress have Aurora police made toward reform? Have calls for reform gone too far, or are they not ambitious enough?

Aurora Police are making strong progress, crime is down 23% from last year, and under the new Chief’s leadership, key reforms are underway with strong community partnership. We’re moving in the right direction, and while there’s still work ahead, trust and transparency remain our focus to keep Aurora safe.

Q: Aurora is grappling with a shortage of affordable housing, with some state officials seeing a need for thousands of  additional affordable units to meet demand. What specific steps would you like to see the city take to expand its inventory of affordable housing, or is this an issue best dictated by market forces?

Expanding affordable housing in Aurora is one of my top priorities, and I believe we are moving in the right direction. We are working closely with developers every day to ensure new projects include attainable homes that meet the needs of working families, seniors, and first-time buyers. This is about more than just building units, it’s about building a stronger community where people can afford to live, work, and raise their families. So We’re on track Aurora has added over 2,000 new affordable units in recent years, and we’re working with developers to bring hundreds more. My focus is making sure families and especially young people have real opportunities for homeownership and stability right here in our city.

Q: Grade the performance of President Donald Trump: A, B, C, D, or F..

No response

Q: Grade the performance of Gov. Jared Polis: A, B, C, D, or F.

No response.

The lighter side of Amsalu Kassaw

•  If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I’d choose the ability to instantly remove barriers between people, so we could always understand and respect each other, no matter our differences. That would make building stronger communities much easiest. 

•  Did you have any New Year’s resolutions? What were they?

No response.

•  What was the last movie you watched?

No response.

•  What is your least favorite household chore?

No response.

•  What fun fact about you would most surprise people who know you?

Every Christmas my kids and I serve dinner to about 50 people experiencing homelessness. It’s become one of our favorite family traditions.

Rob Lee Andrews

Democrat Rob Andrews ran for Aurora mayor two years ago but announced he would step down to support the previous council member, Democrat Juan Marcano, in the race against Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman. Andrews entered the race this year for an at-large seat, stating that he aimed to bring a community-centered message and nonprofit work background to the field.

“I think my greatest skill is building bridges and bringing people together for the greater good,” Andrews said. “I played quarterback for most of my life, so my job was always to make sure that everybody worked together. We may not agree on what the play is, but we’re going to run the play.”

Andrews founded the One Voice Coalition, a local nonprofit group that focuses on helping underserved populations find pathways into economic stability and opportunity. Along the campaign trail, he has stated that Aurora faces critical challenges in housing affordability, public safety and equitable economic growth, and that these challenges must be met with ambition and collaboration.

A Colorado native from Colorado Springs, Andrews’ journey includes a stint as a professional football quarterback before pivoting into community and public service. His time in nonprofit leadership has given him insight into what it takes to bridge divides between government, social services and neighborhoods, he said.

Andrews said he supports establishing an independent oversight committee for police-involved shootings, although he would want to add ordinances on how the positions are appointed in order to ensure it includes community members, especially those affected by such incidents. 

Other concepts Andrews said he would want to work with the rest of the city council to implement include community policing, meaning building strategies between the community and the police to problem-solve. This concept encompasses police work, such as foot patrol, where officers actively engage with the community and allow the community to see them in a more casual and positive light. He also said he would want to implement restorative justice policies to reduce officer-involved shootings by repairing harm and promoting accountability by bringing together the community, those affected and the police to discuss what is done next.

Providing young people with a “third place,” such as additional community centers, helps build trust in the community because the city is investing in their well-being, and it helps keep the youth out of trouble, Andrews also suggested.

“We also need to open up our rec center so kids have a place to go,” Andrews said. 

He said that Baltimore significantly reduced their crime by creating more community spaces. 

Much like most studies suggest, Andrews stated that addressing homelessness yields the most success through a “housing first” approach, rather than a “work first” model. People need stable housing before they can successfully find and maintain employment, he said, based on both his professional experience and examples from the community.

The Denver Rescue Mission’s “housing first” strategy exemplifies the success of the “housing first” approach, which boasts an 80% success rate for individuals staying in stable housing after a year with the Denver Rescue Mission’s support. Andrews said he is skeptical about whether work-first models can be as effective.

The work-first approach neglects to address aspects of homelessness, like individuals facing significant barriers to employment, such as older adults and people with disabilities or mental health disorders. Overall, he said he would want to focus on policies that prioritize providing stable housing as the foundation for addressing homelessness.

When it comes to affordable housing, Andrews said he would press the city to pursue a multifaceted approach. He stated that recent legislation has made the construction of townhomes and condos easier, and that he would support increasing the availability of this type of housing. He said that Aurora needs to make it more equitable for every construction owner to have the same rights to bid on contracts, which he said is currently not happening in Aurora. The city only sees affordable housing contracts when it already has a contract with them, he said.

Andrews also made sure to distinguish the difference between affordable housing and workforce housing. He said catering more to workforce housing is likely to be the best option for Aurora, as filling workforce positions is also a challenge in the city. This would include making housing affordable for police officers, nurses, and teachers to attract them to move to Aurora and work there. His goal would be for workforce families and individuals not to have to pay more than 60% of their adjusted monthly income. This is calculated by taking 60% of the income remaining after paying all bills except housing, and then only charging 60% of that for housing. 

Finally, he also suggested that there should be more policies and incentives to make construction fair and equitable for developers, along with collaboration among city council, legislators, developers, and nonprofits. 

“That’s why my slogan is Aurora together, because we got to bring people together to make these things work,” Andrews said. “And it’s a critical time, very critical time.”

Meet Rob Lee Andrews

Rob Lee Andrews, a Democrat, is the founder of the One Voice Coalition, a local start-up that works with underserved communities. He is a Colorado native and a longtime resident of Aurora, according to his campaign page. 

Andrews serves on various nonprofit and public boards and commissions, including the Colorado Workforce Development Board.

He said his campaign will focus on fostering economic opportunity, creating high-quality jobs and taking a unique but proven approach to building affordable housing and community-based public safety. 

Andrews ran for Aurora mayor in 2023, but ultimately decided to drop out in order not to “split the vote” with fellow Democrat Juan Marcano, who started campaigning earlier than Andrews. 

Rob Lee Andrews Q&A

Q: Why should Aurora voters choose you as their next at-large representative?

Aurora voters should choose me because I am committed to putting people over politics. I will work to bridge divides on the City Council, fight for affordable housing that’s actually attainable, and ensure public safety is community-based and equitable. Aurora deserves leaders who bring people together, not tear us apart.

Q:  What will be your top three legislative priorities if elected?

• Expanding affordable and workforce housing.

• Investing in community-based public safety, including restorative justice and youth programs.

• Supporting small businesses and building an economy that works for everyone.

Q: What sort of working relationship do you want to develop with council members who don’t share your political views?

I believe progress is only possible when we listen to one another. I will work to build respectful, professional relationships with all council members, even when we disagree. My goal is to find common ground where we can and keep Aurora residents at the center of every decision.

Q: Do you think the issue of homelessness in Aurora has improved with recent changes? If you could implement a program, what would it be?

The Navigation Center is a positive step, but homelessness cannot be solved through sweeps and bans alone. What’s needed is more supportive housing that combines permanent housing with mental health, job training, and wraparound services. I would prioritize transitional and supportive housing programs that help people regain stability while reducing long-term costs to taxpayers.

Q: To discourage crime, should the city invest more in social programs or policing?

This is not an either/or question. We need both effective policing and strong investments in prevention. I believe Aurora must expand youth engagement, education, and job training programs while ensuring police reforms continue and resources are used in ways that build community trust.

Q: How much progress have Aurora police made toward reform? Have calls for reform gone too far, or not far enough?

The reforms are a start, but we are not finished. There has been progress on accountability and training, but trust has not been fully restored. We must continue implementing trauma-informed training, cultural competency, and transparency measures to ensure every resident feels safe and respected.

Q: What specific steps should the city take to expand affordable housing?

The city must partner with developers to build more workforce housing for teachers, healthcare workers, and service workers, expand supportive housing that includes services, and create transitional housing options. Relying on the market alone will not solve this crisis – the city has to lead.

Q: Grade the performance of President Donald Trump: A, B, C, D, or F.

F.

Q: Grade the performance of Gov. Jared Polis: A, B, C, D, or F.

B.

The lighter side of Rob Lee Andrews

• If you had a superpower, what would it be?

The ability to bring people together to solve problems – instantly.

• Did you have any New Year’s resolutions? What were they?

To spend more quality time with my family and to knock even more doors and have quality conversations with voters this campaign season.

• What was the last movie you watched?

I have spent all my free time recently campaigning, so not much time to watch movies – but I did get some time to watch Creed III with my wife recently – great movie!

• What is your least favorite household chore?

Folding laundry – I’ll do anything else first.

• What fun fact about you would most surprise people who know you?

I played both college and professional football, and the lessons I learned on the field – teamwork, discipline, resilience – still guide me today.

Alli Jackson

Alli Jackson grew up in Aurora and has worked as a social worker in the metro area. A registered Democrat, she was raised by a Russian immigrant mother who worked for the Aurora Police Department and a Black father.

Jackson is currently serving on the Aurora Charter Review Board and the Downtown Development Authority on East Colfax, which voters in the specified district area will be voting on in this election. 

When it comes to policing and officer-involved shootings, Jackson said that Aurora relies too heavily on armed responses and that she would want to work with city council to expand the role of civilian crisis teams, such as the Critical Response Team (CRT), to respond to situations involving mental health crises instead of police officers with lethal weapons. She said that de-escalation training is standard in public-facing professions and says APD should “hold the line on de-escalation,” with clear limits on the use of lethal force.  

Jackson said she backs the idea of creating an independent monitor and community-driven oversight structure, separate from the police chain of command. 

“We need data to be collected and markers to be set that we’re trying to reach and meet,” Jackson said. “And they should be set by the community, first and foremost.”

She said she would want to work with city council to move Aurora’s Critical Response Team into its own freestanding department with separate funding and authority, which would also be helpful to avoid possible power dynamics. Continued public data tracking of use-of-force outcomes and community-set benchmarks are part of the consent decree she supports and said she would want to maintain.

“When I talk about a culture problem in Aurora Police Department, I think it starts with the hiring processes that we have, because we do see that a lot of the police officers that we end up hiring have marks in their record where they use excessive force or lied on record when testifying in court, and so I think we should be taking those offenses more serious, especially given the fact that we we know what the culture of Aurora Police Department is currently,” Jackson said. 

With the current consent decree approaching its end, Jackson said she would favor a continued external mechanism, whether through a renewed consent decree or a strong monitor. She said she would also want this done without non-disclosure agreements for community members involved in oversight. 

“This is supposed to be a process that creates more transparency and relationship building between the community and the police,” she said.

Jackson said there should also be more accountability from the police department and city council regarding the use of force. She suggested that police policies should avoid “shoot to kill” practices and instead use non-lethal measures whenever possible. One example she mentioned was how Aurora police recently used pallets or foam bullets as a non-lethal approach. 

Jackson said she supports Aurora reallocating public safety funds to non-policing, supportive services, such as the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus, for people experiencing homelessness. 

Although she supports some of what the city is doing with homelessness, she said she also supports decriminalizing homelessness and using more compassion, while expanding the definition of homelessness beyond visible street homelessness. For example, offering resources to people staying on people’s couches or living in their cars while working, but not being able to afford their own housing. 

“I definitely want to decriminalize being unhoused,” Jackson said. “I think that’s just a double whammy on somebody who’s already down.”

She also said she appreciates the one-stop shop for working with the unhoused, but she is concerned about whether transportation and healthcare are being adequately addressed within the facility. 

Jackson said that she would hope to make services more inclusive. She also believed in more evidence-based policy and stated that adding criminal charges to the unhoused only worsens outcomes. Jackson’s views center on ensuring access to support, housing and dignity for all, rather than punitive measures.

With the navigation campus opening, she said she hopes there will be regular reporting on shelter capacity, waitlists, and outcomes once the campus is fully operational.

On housing, Jackson said she supports the rapid production of middle housing, such as condos, townhomes and accessory dwelling units, paired with tenant safeguards and accountability for negligent landlords. Recent state-level tools were created, she said, that allow third-party construction review and enforcement against bad actors, creating guardrails that clear the way for building denser, ownership-oriented housing in Aurora.

Jackson said she would also want to explore city-owned affordable units if she were elected to the city council. They could work to create stronger partnerships with the Aurora Housing Authority and implement zoning changes to permit ADUs, allowing homeowners to add lower-cost rentals. On financing, she said she supports directing more local revenue toward affordability programs and pursuing progressive tax and state/federal funding streams to expand HUD-style vouchers and down-payment assistance.

Meet Alli Jackson

Alexandra “Alli” Jackson, a Democrat, is a social worker and mother to both her foster and biological children. She is also an Aurora native and the daughter of a Black veteran and a Russian Immigrant. On her campaign website, Jackson said she is running on a community-first platform and is committed to ensuring that Aurora’s growth benefits all residents, not just big corporations or special interests. Jackson said her campaign is centered on economic growth, affordable housing, family matters and support, and community wellness.

Alli Jackson Q&A

Q: Why should Aurora voters choose you as their next at-large representative?

Because I will give a fresh perspective to the Aurora City Council. As a social worker, I have experience with mental health and interfacing with the public. I was born and raised in Aurora and I am invested in this community. Aurora shaped who I am, and I’m ready to fight for an Aurora that works for everyone. I will meet the community where they are. I believe your voice matters and I know our community matters. Together, we can build a city that truly puts community first, now and for future generations to come.

Q: What will be your top three legislative priorities if elected?

My campaign has three pillars: Economic growth for all, Families Matter, and Community Wellness. 

I want to create grants for small businesses, career pipelines for students, and protections against price gouging. Aurora’s economy should work for everyone. The City Council must champion policies that put money back into the hands of our community. 

Families deserve affordable childcare, safe spaces for youth, and policies that keep them together.  As a mother, foster mom, and social worker, I understand firsthand the struggles families face, from childcare challenges to accessing mental health support. The City Council must do more to support families, and I will fight to ensure Aurora invests in families to create a strong community. 

Healthy communities start with safe streets, green spaces, and strong social support. As a social worker, I’ve seen firsthand how our environment affects well-being. I will push for increased parks, improved and expanded community centers, and will resist all efforts to damage our environment through fracking and polluting industries. 

Q: What sort of working relationship do you want to develop with council members who don’t share your political views?

I will work with anybody and everybody. Just because we do not agree on everything does not mean we cannot find common ground. I welcome hard conversations and am trained on how to have them. It’s important for members of city council to listen to the community and to fight for what the community wants and needs. 

Q: During the past few years, Aurora’s City Council has responded to the phenomenon of homeless camping by banning camping on public property and stepping up sweeps of encampments. In addition, the city will open a “work-first” regional homeless Navigation Center next year. Do you think the issue of homelessness in Aurora has improved with these changes? Why or why not? Also, if you could unilaterally implement a law, policy or program to address the problem, what would that be?

From what I see, the homeless population hasn’t changed. The work-first navigation center is not yet open so there is no ability for me to say whether it has improved anything. The camping ban and sweeps of encampments do not solve these problems, it just moves the problem around. The recent increase in homelessness is a very complicated problem that has a multitude of causes and any solutions to homelessness need to be multidisciplinary. We need to rethink how to conceptualize homelessness. While we often think of unhoused people who are unemployed and living in tents, we ignore the fact that not all homelessness looks the same or has the same root causes. The hard truth is that we have working families who cannot afford stable housing in Aurora, who often are not targeted by city support services. If I could unilaterally implement a policy to address homelessness in Aurora, I would replace the “work-first” model of housing intervention with a “housing-first” approach that has been data-proven to be more effective.

Q:Aurora and other cities in the Denver metro area have recently struggled to respond to increases in certain crimes, including vehicle and retail thefts. To discourage criminal behavior, should the city invest more in social programs (education, job training, etc.), or should it invest more in policing and impose tougher criminal penalties?

I take a preventative approach to addressing crime. To solve this issue at the roots we need more social support that lift people out of poverty and help those experiencing mental health crises. 

Q: After the death of Elijah McClain and other incidents of excessive police force, Aurora’s Police Department agreed to implement a list of reforms to address what the Colorado Attorney General’s Office described as a pattern of racially-biased policing and excessive force. How much progress have Aurora police made toward reform? Have calls for reform gone too far, or are they not ambitious enough?

I do not believe that reforms have taken place as a result of the agreement with the Attorney General’s Office. The police in Aurora have routinely demonstrated unreasonable and excessive violence against the community. There needs to be more effort into deescalation and cultural issues within the department. Specific interventions need to be made regarding police interactions with certain populations such as youth and people experiencing mental health crises. Even when Police are acting within the existing rules and regulations, we should be pushing for a growing and higher standard to improve outcomes for everyone involved.

Q: Aurora is grappling with a shortage of affordable housing, with some state officials seeing a need for thousands of  additional affordable units to meet demand. What specific steps would you like to see the city take to expand its inventory of affordable housing, or is this an issue best dictated by market forces?

Affordable housing is a huge issue for many people in Aurora, and it is the central part of the affordability crisis. The city should invest in creative solutions such as supporting the creation of tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, co-operative ownership models, and tenant land trusts. When multi-unit buildings come up for sale in Aurora qualified non-profits should have the right to first offer and refuse to grow the amount of affordable housing. Zoning in the city should be flexible to quickly meet needs. At the same time I want to make sure we combat gentrification through the development and support of community land trusts. New units in Aurora should be mixed-used and transit connected. I would consider policies that increase owner occupancy and impose limits on the corporate ownership of housing in Aurora. I also want to tackle affordability more generally, which starts by implementing a living wage and increasing worker protections city wide, so that everyone can afford the rising prices of housing and other items. 

Q: Grade the performance of President Donald Trump: A, B, C, D, or F.

Donald Trump does not represent American values and is a threat to our democracy. He constantly oversteps the constitution which can be seen in his use of ICE to wage war on our community. Trump’s economic policy is a disaster and is going to make lives harder for all but the wealthiest in Aurora.

Q: Grade the performance of Gov. Jared Polis: A, B, C, D , or F.

I am inspired by Jared Polis’s pride for Colorado, his support for freedom of speech, and his role in expanding healthcare access in Colorado. I have been concerned by some recent decisions related to his coordination with the Trump Administration and his use of the Veto power to stop popular legislation designed to empower Colorado workers. 

The lighter side of Alli Jackson

•  If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation.

•  Did you have any New Year’s resolutions? What were they?

My New Year’s resolution was to take a Ballet class. 

•  What was the last movie you watched?

I am currently watching all of the Fast and the Furious movies for the first time. 

•  What is your least favorite household chore?

I love my cat, but I hate cleaning the litter boxes.

•  What fun fact about you would most surprise people who know you?

At Aurora Hills Middle School I was on the Wrestling Team.

Watson Gomes

Watson Gomes is a Brazilian immigrant who has lived all over the world, including in New York, before settling in Aurora to make it his final home to raise his family. He works as a college professor at the Community College of Aurora. Gomes, who is politically unaffiliated, said his views are always community-focused. He represents himself as an independent candidate who does not want to be influenced by party politics. 

Independent oversight for the Aurora Police Department was something Gomes said he agreed with, saying that there should be an additional oversight system to do additional research into police involved shootings in Aurora. 

Gomes says he is the only candidate with a whole five-point plan for Aurora that involves affordable housing, addressing homelessness, public safety, investing in higher education and the workforce.

He said the oversight group can have a few appointees from the city council, but many of the positions should be decided separately. Overall, he said it should come from a broad community representation across different civil societies, not just political appointees, to ensure fairness and balance of political interests.

“We need to support accountability with transparency,” Watson said. “In that, we need to have independent oversight investigations of all officers involved in shootings to ensure fairness.”

Gomes said that transparency and accountability are crucial for the community. Much like in the consent decree, he thinks there should be an ongoing independent oversight body with public reporting and transparent actions to build trust between the police and the community.

Police should adhere to the Aurora police manual, which states that lethal force should be the last resort, not the first response, he said. Broader solutions he suggested include investing in crisis response teams and moving beyond policing to address root causes and enhance community safety. 

He said it is a necessity for policies based on practical, people-centered solutions, with all segments of society involved in oversight and reform, including the police.

Gomes said he agrees with what the mayor is offering, a resource area and shelter for the homeless, but does oppose the “work-first” approach to homelessness, because it does not fully address underlying issues like mental health, substance abuse and trauma. 

A “housing first” strategy prioritizes the stabilization of individuals with housing before requiring them to work or maintain sobriety, he said.

“Some people are living in their car, but they are working, and cannot pay the rent,” He said. “We need to get them stable first. Then we can move to getting them to work.”

He said he would want to integrate housing projects with comprehensive social and mental health services, enabling individuals to access the support they need to transition to a stable life. Gomes believes solutions must be multifaceted, encompassing transportation, skill development, and overall societal integration for the homeless.

He disagrees with criminalizing homelessness, and said there needs to be a need for persuasion and support rather than enforcement and citations. This is somewhat offered with the navigation campus, but if individuals choose not to go to the shelter, the law implies they will receive a citation or jail time instead.

Homelessness should be addressed with compassion, practical assistance and the inclusion of people with lived experience when developing policy, Gomes said. 

A city-led approach to affordable housing, by using policy through city council to create more affordable housing, could include the city government directly purchasing land and developing housing, rather than relying solely on private developers for these purposes, Gomes said. 

Hiring contractors and architects to reduce costs would be another area he would want to look into. Revitalizing underused or abandoned areas could be a helpful and affordable tool that the city council could utilize, ensuring these projects include amenities and public spaces to create livable, community-oriented environments. He mentioned amenities, such as requiring a developer to build a library or other publicly accessible facilities. 

Gomes said he would be interested in working with the city council to propose balancing government-built homes with private development and integrating community backing and participation throughout the process.