Britta Fisher will step down as Denver’s chief housing officer and become the CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, according to a news release.

Her last day with Mayor Michael Hancock’s administration is Feb. 1.

Fisher joined the City and County of Denver in 2018 and was selected as the first executive director of the newly created Department of Housing Stability in October of 2019. 

During her time with the Hancock Administration, Fisher oversaw and secured millions of dollars in homelessness resolution. The Affordable Housing Fund almost doubled to $30 million, voters approved the Homelessness Resolution Fund – which raises $40 million annually – and she helped secure $38 million in general obligation bonds for homeless shelters in 2021. 

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“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Denver and a joy to build a team with such dedication and passion and a department envisioned by Mayor Hancock to deliver housing stability to thousands of residents,” Fisher said in the release. “In my new role, I look forward to continuing the partnership between the city and the Coalition to serve our unhoused residents.” 

Fisher focused on housing with supportive living services as a solution to homelessness in Denver. Recently, homelessness has exploded, with an increase of almost 800 homeless residents over the course of one year, according to previous Denver Gazette reporting. Other solutions include purchasing hotels and constructing new buildings. 

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Partners funded by the housing stability office have created 409 apartment homes with supportive services and there are 1,500 more in the development pipeline, according to the mayor’s office. In October, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless opened a $46.5 million building, part of which – $4.1 million – was funded by HOST. 

Denver recently acquired two hotel properties that will be used as transitional housing options for those experiencing homelessness. 

Fisher oversaw the creation and evolution of the housing stability department. Hancock praised her for finding a “new approach” to addressing homelessness. He said she helped the city learn that housing and supportive services were core services the city needed to provide. 

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“Britta led the charge with determination and innovation. Our housing and homelessness efforts, as a city and as a community, would not be where they are today had she not stepped forward to serve,” Hancock said. “While I’m sad to see her leave the administration, I couldn’t be prouder that her passion and her expertise will stay in Denver as the next leader of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, one of our city’s and Colorado’s most impactful housing and services providers.”

Fisher is replacing John Parvensky, who led the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless for the past 36 years. He announced his retirement in June. 

Parvensky helped build the organization from a small advocacy group with six employees and a $100,000 budget in 1985 into the “nationally recognized leader” in supporting homeless communities it is today, now with a staff of 750 and a $100 million budget, according to the Coalition.