albuquerque homeless shelter proposal gets funding; site still under consideration

In a landslide result, voters in Albuquerque have given their approval to a bond designed to upgrade community and senior centers.

But the largest ticket item proposed by Bond Question 2 was a $14 million facility designed to provide shelter for the city’s homeless on a round-the-clock basis.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, who pushed for the new facility, said with the success of Bond Question 2, as well as two bonds to fund a variety of infrastructure projects, the voters “gave us another clear mandate to continue moving our city forward with investments to tackle our biggest challenges head on.”

Altogether, Bond Question 2 provides just over $21.7 million for the planning, design, and construction of family, youth, senior, and homeless centers across the city.

Where the new homeless shelter will be built remains an open question, with speculation that the facility could go up on the South Campus of the University of New Mexico, among other locations.

As proposed earlier this year, the homeless shelter will have enough space for up to 300 beds and will house both single adults as well as families with children.

Preliminary plans for the shelter have indicated at least four separate structures for the project site, with a dog park and two courtyards.

By Garry Boulard

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