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DJ Summers

Director of Communications & Research Operations

For media inquiries, please contact cinamon@csinstituteus.org

DJ Summers is Common Sense Institute’s Director of Communications & Research Operations. He oversees CSI fellows and research staff, coordinates with partners, iterates and analyzes projects, and breaks down findings for the public, legislators, and commercial leaders. 

Prior to CSI, DJ attended the University of Utah and Syracuse University. He worked as a journalist, investigator, and political researcher across the U.S. from Washington, D.C. to Alaska. DJ has a drive to understand complex truths and make them clear and accessible to the public and its leaders alike.

DJ lives in Denver and is a classically trained pianist. He devotes his spare time to practicing and studying music. When not at the piano bench, he has a regimen of strength training, combat sports, and enjoying good Colorado beer.

Expert's Work
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Crime & Public Safety
Human Trafficking in Colorado: 2025 Update

Colorado’s human trafficking has not improved since 2023, when it tracked its highest-ever year for statewide human trafficking cases.

February 09, 2026 Mitch MorrisseyDJ Summers
Housing & Our Community
Crime, Drugs, Rent Prices: What is the Strongest Connection to U.S. Homelessness?

This report examines two aspects of homelessness policy: how homelessness is defined and categorized, and how federal funding is currently structured.

Jobs & Our Economy
Denver Metro Household Budget Pressure: Inflation, Taxes, and Shifting Spending Patterns

Over the past several years, the financial landscape facing households in the Denver metropolitan area has shifted: residents are saving less and spending more than in previous economic cycles. Inflation al

Crime & Public Safety
$1.3 Billion Gone: How Retail Theft is Draining Colorado’s Economy

Between the two, retail crime has reached record levels in Colorado. In 2024, law enforcement agencies across the state recorded 27,094 reported shoplifting incidents – a 22.4% growth rate increase over 202

Jobs & Our Economy
Downtown’s sluggish recovery costing Denver tens of millions in unrealized sales tax revenues, study finds
The Denver Post

Restoring a “sense of safety and security” could help bring people back to city’s core neighborhoods, Common Sense Institute says.

October 31, 2024 Kelly Jean BroughDJ Summers
Crime & Public Safety
Common Sense Institute's DJ Summers talks about the FBI updating crime data
KOA Colorado

Common Sense Institute's DJ Summers talks about the FBI updating crime data

October 18, 2024 DJ Summers
Taxes & Fees
Town hall: Regional leaders delve into Denver's illegal immigration crisis
Colorado Politics

Panelists agree the federal government is not stepping in to fix growing crisis.

May 10, 2024 DJ Summers
Housing & Our Community
CSI’s DJ Summers talks about the new Colorado property tax relief proposal
KOA Colorado

DJ Summers talks about the new Colorado property tax relief proposal.

May 09, 2024 DJ Summers
Energy & Our Environment
Executive Action & Extraction: Economic Impacts of the Mineral E.O. in the West

In this episode, we discuss the economic impacts of mineral mining and alternative energy production in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, driven by the implementation of Executive Order 14241.

May 27, 2025 DJ Summers
Housing & Our Community
Homelessness: What Is the Best Approach to Tackling It?

There are two main ways to address homelessness: housing first and work first. In this episode, DJ Summers breaks down what each approach means, how they work, and the pros and cons of both.

April 21, 2025 DJ Summers
Housing & Our Community
Could Federal Workers Returning to the Office Boost Downtown Denver?

Our host DJ Summers, Director of Policy and Research for Common Sense Institute, delves deeper into CSI's recent report "Returning Government Employees to Work a Boon for Urban Economy" on this episode of C

March 10, 2025 DJ Summers