Mayor Tim Keller outlined Friday the revival of a former outreach program that employs those experiencing homelessness with beautification-related jobs like cleaning streets and sidewalks and removing weeds. The “Better Way Forward” program will initially employ 10 people in the Duke City Community Ambassadors program, which is overseen by the Solid Waste Management Department. Ambassadors […]
Housing & Homelessness
Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness
Working AC and a roof that doesn’t leak: City takes steps to improve, rebrand ‘deplorable’ Westside shelter
Amid ongoing criticism of the facility’s conditions, Mayor Tim Keller and city officials showed off new renovations at the Westside Emergency Housing Center (WEHC) on Thursday and used the occasion to rebrand it — Gateway West. The upgrades are welcome news for the city, as the sprawling homeless shelter had been a target of substantial […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness
Are more taxes the answer to homelessness?
If you’ve watched a presidential debate or engaged in just about any topic on social media, this event won’t feel familiar — it’s designed to be highly-structured and civilized. The topic is Albuquerque’s unhoused, specifically: Are additional tax dollars needed to provide housing for those experiencing homelessness? The national nonprofit Braver Angels is hosting the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Courts, Justice & Safety, Housing & Homelessness, State Government #nmgov, Syndicated
Housing looms large in governor’s Albuquerque town hall
By Austin Fisher At the second of a series of town hall meetings on Monday night, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham heard from members of the public for six hours. In an auditorium at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, locals raised issues ranging from difficulty finding mental health treatment, unfair or unlawful […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness
Advisory board alleges city ‘violates the autonomy, dignity, and rights’ of those experiencing homelessness
As Albuquerque grapples with stubbornly high housing costs and an increase in people living on the streets, a city board says there’s more reason for concern. The city’s unhoused population also faces widespread discrimination, stigma and exclusion — often from city employees or city contractors. The Albuquerque Human Rights Board published its preliminary findings last […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Features, Housing & Homelessness
Combatting the ‘not in my backyard’ attitude
The priorities of the South San Pedro Neighborhood Association wouldn’t be strange to other neighborhoods across Albuquerque: Increased safety and cleanliness, small business support, increased engagement with residents and elected officials. But its recent focus on housing solutions and services for those experiencing homelessness is less common. Affordable housing and overnight shelter projects often face […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, National News, Syndicated
Newsom issues executive order for removal of homeless encampments in California
By TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday to direct state agencies on how to remove homeless encampments, a month after a Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces. Newsom’s order is aimed at the thousands of tents and makeshift […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, State Government #nmgov, Syndicated
No lawmaker has signed up to sponsor NM Gov’s panhandling bill
By PATRICK LOHMANN With less than a week until a special legislative session focused on public safety, no lawmaker has yet signed up to sponsor a bill pushed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham related to pedestrian safety and panhandling. Lawmakers will gather in Santa Fe on July 18 to address a handful of proposals related to […]
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Will my trash be picked up on July Fourth? Answers to your questions about city services over the holiday week
When a big summer holiday comes during the middle of the week, lots of local government services we take for granted change their hours or close. So will trash be picked up? Can I go to the library to beat the heat? Are city pools open? The answer, according to the City of Albuquerque, is […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness
Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless ups roving outreach
The city’s unhoused population — particularly near Downtown — often get health care and other services at the main campus of Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless (AHCH). But in recent years, the nonprofit’s street outreach has expanded and reached scores more. Of 1,212 people experiencing homelessness who were contacted through outreach between July 2021 […]