ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Englewood Mayor Pro Tem Joe Anderson, who played a key role in community conversations around infrastructure following deadly flooding in 2018, died Friday while hiking in Summit County, according to city officials.
In a statement obtained by Denver7 Friday afternoon, city officials said they were mourning Anderson’s loss, who was elected to represent District 3 on the Englewood City Council in November of 2019. He was re-elected to serve another four-year term in November 2023 and was elected the mayor pro the following month.
“We are all shocked and saddened at the sudden passing of our friend and council member, Joe Anderson,” said Englewood Mayor Othoniel Sierra. “Joe was always there to lend a hand, whether it was in his role as friend, neighbor, pastor or council member.”
Sierra said that before his time on council, Anderson advocated for the unhoused with his work on Change the Trend, a nonprofit he helped found that would eventually lay the groundwork for what would become the Tri-Cities Homelessness Policy Committee. Anderson also helped seniors and disabled neighbors with home repairs through his Neighborhood Rehab Project, he said.
“That compassion carried over to his seven years on council,” Sierra wrote in a prepared statement obtained by Denver7. “This is a tremendous loss for our city and our heart goes out to his family and friends during this time of loss.”
City officials said Anderson regularly advocated for and helped craft legislation around solutions to homelessness, affordable housing, infrastructure, economic development and bicycle-pedestrian safety.
“Mayor Pro Tem Anderson was this rare combination of a constant encourager behind the scenes while simultaneously challenging us as staff to think bigger and do better,” said outgoing City Manager Shawn Lewis. “I’ll never forget the kindness and care he showed to me and I know so many others throughout this time on council."
