Denver’s 2019 City Council Race: District 4

The Neighborhoods in District 4: Southeast Denver, including Hampden, Hampden South, Wellshire, University Hills, Goldsmith, Southmoor Park, and Kennedy

Who Lives There: District 4 is among the wealthier parts of Denver, as the average individual salary is nearly $51,000. Like District 6 to the North, most of the residents (80 percent) are white, while only one in 10 is black and one and six identify as Hispanic.

About the District: Bordering wealthy municipalities like Greenwood Village and Centennial, Denver’s southeastern district is home to more suburban sprawl than urban density—but it also features unparalleled park space via the High Line Canal and Cherry Creek State Park. As development continues throughout the metro region, some in the district worry that the neighborhoods will lose their charm and character unless the scale and design of new buildings are built in harmony with the existing architecture—which is why Councilwoman Kendra Black is advocating for more neighborhood plans, which have yet to be adopted in her district.

You May Remember When… In 2017, the High Line Canal Conservancy unveiled its community vision plan for the 71-mile High Line Canal trail, which was originally built as an irrigation ditch by the city 136 years ago. Part of the plan involved creating underpasses so people on the trail wouldn’t have to cross busy roads throughout the metro area, and one of those is slated for the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and Hampden Avenue in Wellshire. The design process is still ongoing, and residents of District 4 are being encouraged to weigh in at public meetings.

Who’s Running 

Kendra Black, the incumbent, was born in Denver and has lived in Wellshire for nearly 25 years. Before being elected to City Council in 2015, she ran a statewide educational program in the history department at the University of Colorado Denver. In addition to her education background, she touts her experience working in the nonprofit sector and as a community organizer throughout the city.

Colleen Zahradnicek is a real estate broker who has lived in Denver since she was a child and who has been living in University Hills for the past three years. She has seen firsthand that affordable housing is out of reach for many Denver residents and hopes to use her background to address that on a larger scale before families are pushed out of the city.