Mayor Tim Keller wants to ease costly rules that have stalled efforts to open more Safe Outdoor Spaces in Albuquerque, saying churches and nonprofits should be able to create legal encampments without facing major financial barriers.
Speaking July 28 at New Creation Albuquerque Church—the city’s only operating Safe Outdoor Space—Keller said current regulations make it nearly impossible for others to follow suit. The ordinance requires 24/7 security, permanent showers and dedicated space for service providers, pushing annual costs well over $100,000.
“We’ve over-regulated it such that it doesn’t even work,” Keller said at the Monday news conference. “These rules are in our own way, and we owe it to folks. The government should make life easier for people—both on the street and people who want to help—not make it harder.”
With more than 2,700 people experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque, Keller wants to ease the requirements to expand the program. The proposed changes could reshape how the city responds to record-level homelessness—and residents will have a chance to weigh in next month when it is expected to go before the City Council.
At New Creation, 61-year-old Michael Maldonado lives in a tent that sits in a circle with six others behind the church, part of what residents describe as a supportive community where people barbecue together and help each other survive. He and his partner found the Refuge Safe Outdoor Space after falling into homelessness and have found a supportive, tight-knit group.
Current Barriers Prevent Expansion
Pastor Jesse Harden of New Creation Church said current rules are the biggest barrier to opening more Safe Outdoor Spaces. The current ordinance requires 24/7 security, permanent showers and space for service providers—pushing security costs alone over $104,000 a year.
“I think the 24/7 security is probably the most significant obstacle to getting things started. It’s our highest expense,” Harden said at the press conference. “If you pay someone minimum wage to be there 24/7, it’s over $100,000 a year. So that, right there, eliminates 99% of people who try to do it.”
Keller’s plan includes three key changes to make Safe Outdoor Spaces more affordable and practical for churches and nonprofits.
The first change would ease the rule requiring 24/7 on-site security. Currently, sites must have someone on duty at all times—a cost Harden said “eliminates 99% of people who try to do it.” The proposed fix would allow flexible security plans based on each site’s needs, especially for smaller communities where residents already look out for one another.
“I think a lot of these ordinances were possibly created in the context of resistance, neighborhoods that didn’t want them,” Harden said. “But really, man, it’s a beautiful community. There is a code of conduct. People care for one another. They protect one another, and I think it’s an unnecessary thing, especially for a smaller site for 10 people. It’d be huge for us and huge for other spaces.”
The second change would drop the rule requiring on-site showers 24/7. Keller said that doesn’t make sense for small sites with just 10 people, where showers often go unused. Instead, mobile trailers could rotate between locations throughout the week.
“We want to make sure they’re safe and clean. So we want access to bathrooms, we want access to showers,” Keller said. “The current law makes you basically have a shower 24/7 on the site. And you know, if you only have 10 people at a site, the showers aren’t going 24/7.”
The third change would eliminate the requirement for a dedicated space for service providers. Keller said many services can be handled off-site or as needed, and paying for a room that rarely gets used doesn’t make sense.
The proposed changes would establish $100 application fees and $50 renewal fees, with permits lasting 12 months before requiring renewal. Sites would also be required to participate in a “Good Neighbor Program” with nearby property owners.
He said the updates would cut costs, reduce red tape and open the door for more churches and nonprofits to help. “The government should make life easier for people—both on the street and people who want to help—not make it harder,” Keller said.
Record Homelessness Numbers Drive Urgency
Albuquerque’s homelessness crisis has hit record levels, with 2,740 people experiencing homelessness in January 2024, including 1,231 living unsheltered, according to the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness Point-in-Time count.
Statewide, 4,631 people were counted in 2024—a 20.5% jump from the year before and the highest number ever recorded, according to the federal Housing and Urban Development’s 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report.
Keller said even small Safe Outdoor Spaces can make a big difference.
“It’s always worth it to help 10 people,” Keller said.
He said, helping even 10 people makes a huge difference in their lives, “that’s never lost on me.”
Still, he said the city needs to scale up. “We think there’s at least 1,000 people on the street who would say yes to a Safe Outdoor Space and who currently say no to the Gateway system,” Keller said.
He said those individuals either aren’t ready for traditional shelters or can’t find available housing. To meet the need, the city may need as many as 100 Safe Outdoor Spaces, depending on size.
“If you do the math, we’d need around 100 Safe Outdoor Spaces,” Keller said. “That’s a lot, but if each one shelters 15 or 20 people, the numbers add up fast.”
He said many who would accept a Safe Outdoor Space have already turned down traditional shelters. “This kind of option could make a huge difference on our streets.”
Community Creates Model for Success
Since opening in April, the New Creation site has served 11 people, said Harden. It has space for up to 10 residents, including couples who can share tents.
He said seven people currently live at the site. “That number kind of shifts back and forth,” Harden said. “There’s several people on the waiting list that are being interviewed, going through the process to take those empty spaces right now.”
Residents have built what Harden called “a beautiful community,” planting flower beds, sharing meals, and supporting each other’s progress toward stability.
Maldonado said the community at the Safe Outdoor Space is close-knit and supportive.
“We barbecue and stuff all the time,” he said. “We all go out and get food for each other, whatever is needed. It’s a pretty tight community and we help each other out.”
When asked if he feels safe, Maldonado said, “Yeah, actually, I do. It’s been a fun experience in a way. We’ve turned it into a positive thing.”
For Maldonado, the space provided stability after financial hardship.
“We fell victim to circumstance and financial bind and ended up not having enough money to stay in the hotels anymore,” he said. “Then we found Jesse and we applied, and we were able to get in, and it’s been a blessing.”
The next steps
The proposed zoning changes are headed to the City Council’s Land Use, Planning & Zoning Committee, which will meet at 5 p.m., Aug. 13 in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers in the basement level of City Hall.
If the committee approves the amendments, the full City Council will take them up later this fall.
Mayor Tim Keller said he is “working with Councilor Nicole Rogers to revisit that and just make some tweaks” to the ordinance.
Get involved
For Community Members:
- Attend the Aug. 13 committee meeting at City Hall
- Contact your City Councilor to share your views, (505) 768-3100
- Volunteer with local organizations that support people experiencing homelessness.
- Follow City Council agendas at cabq.gov for updates on the ordinance
- Join the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness for statewide advocacy
For faith groups and nonprofits:
- Email Maria Wolfe, the city’s deputy director for homeless solutions, at mwolfe@cabq.gov to learn about Safe Outdoor Space requirements
- Review the city’s planning process at cabq.gov/planning/safe-outdoor-spaces
- Connect with New Creation Church to hear about their experience running a site