A Bernalillo County program that has helped about three-quarters of homeless families find stable housing is expanding to serve 76 families at a time, more than tripling its previous capacity.
The county opened Ponderosa Place on Thursday at a former Comfort Inn at 411 McKnight Ave. NW near Fourth Street and Interstate 40. The site can serve up to 300 people and currently houses 74 families.
As reported in City Desk in June, the county bought the building in October for about $7 million using money from a $150 million state housing investment approved by the New Mexico Legislature and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Office of Housing is deploying the funds.
County Manager Cindy Chavez said the facility provides stability for families.
“This investment from the State of New Mexico means children have a safe place to do homework, people aren’t living in their cars, and families have a real opportunity to stabilize and move forward,” Chavez said.
The program previously served up to 24 families. Since becoming a year-round program in December 2022, it has served 281 families, including 378 adults and 498 children, according to county officials. Seventy-five percent of families completed the program with a “positive discharge,” meaning they found housing or moved into continued shelter. Nearly half secured housing or continued shelter while enrolled.
The expansion helps the county work toward a goal of getting 1,000 people off the streets by the end of June 2026.
County Commissioner Barbara Baca said the facility reflects the county’s commitment to addressing homelessness.
“Ponderosa Place reflects our belief that shelter is a basic human need and a basic right, and that the county must play a leadership role in getting people off the streets and into safe, stable settings,” Baca said.
NMDWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair said the state backed the expansion because of the program’s track record.
Ponderosa Place is part of the county’s BernCo Builds Communities strategy to expand housing options while lowering costs for working residents.
The program began in April 2020 as a COVID-19 shelter for families, later shifted to a cold weather shelter and became the year-round Family Wellness Program in December 2022. The county made it permanent in October 2023.
Families must lack stable housing and include at least one child under 18. The program requires background checks, and some applicants in recovery may need a treatment or detox plan before entering.
Services include case management, help with housing and benefits, support with jobs and education and free breakfast.
Can “continued shelter” be defined, and can info be supplied as to what percentage of families found their way into housing and what percentage into “continued shelter?”