Mayor Keller Signs off on Major Housing and Homelessness Investments
June 23, 2022
The City of Albuquerque is adding $48 million to the FY23 budget to address housing and homelessness issues in Albuquerque. The City is also working on policy changes to create more housing and make housing more accessible.
“The additional funding will help us continue to progress toward completion of several needed services at the Gibson Health Hub, allow us to continue to shelter families in our Wellness Hotel, and contribute to the development of a youth shelter,” said Elizabeth Holguin, deputy director of Family and Community Services.
Key investments passed by City Council included in the $48 million are:
· $1.5 million for improvements to the Westside Emergency Housing Center
· $4 million to expand the Wellness Hotel Program
· $7 million for a youth shelter
· $6.8 million for medical respite and sobering centers
· $7 million for Gateway Phases I and II, and improvements to the Gibson facility
· $20.7 million for affordable and supportive housing
· $555,000 for services including mental health and food insecurity prevention
Earlier this month, Mayor Keller signed the budget for Fiscal Year 2023 that included $45 million in funding to address homelessness, including medical respite, emergency shelter services, first responder drop-off, and operations at the Gateway Center. The budget also includes $18.8 million in housing vouchers.
“We have invested more money and implemented more programs to address the issues we are seeing across our city when it comes to housing and homelessness than ever before,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “This new funding allows us to keep that going, but the work is not done. We need our partners, neighborhoods, and Council to continue to find solutions with us and these additions are a step in the right direction.”
The City is also making policy updates to address the housing shortage and insecurity. Mayor Tim Keller signed the Source of Income legislation, making it illegal to discriminate against rental applicants who are using housing vouchers. A pending change to the IDO will also make it easier to convert old hotels into apartments, making more housing units available across the city.
“Everyone in Albuquerque deserves safe and stable housing. The City ending source of income discrimination will ensure no one is unfairly excluded from housing because their payment mechanism is a rental subsidy, or other city, state, or federal assistance,” said Rachel Biggs, Chief Strategy Officer at Albuquerque Healthcare for the Homeless. “Housing vouchers are valuable and essential tools to address homelessness and housing instability during and after the pandemic, and now, renters all throughout Albuquerque will be protected from this discrimination.”