Santa Fe County Commission says it will work with city to address homelessness

Claudia L. Silva, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·2 min read
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Aug. 31—The Santa Fe County Commission on Tuesday passed a resolution pledging to work with the city of Santa Fe to end homelessness.

The vote came as the city hosted a town hall on the topic that drew nearly 200 people to the Santa Fe Community Convention Center to discuss potential solutions.

The city also announced policy changes Tuesday that prohibit camping on city property starting Friday. Under the revised policy, homeless camps will be cleared, the city said in a news release, and anyone found camping in public parks and other areas will be directed to a shelter.

Previously, in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic, city staff were directed to avoid clearing encampments if the campers were not violating public health and environmental regulations.

The city said this week's changes were made in response to widespread vaccinations against COVID-19, the reduced risk of spreading the virus and added shelter capacity.

This partnership between the city and county was created in response to a growing problem of homelessness, which has been compounded by pandemic and the "most severe affordable housing crises in history," according to the resolution.

The New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness' Coordinated Entry System — a tracking system that has not yet identified all members of the local homeless community — has documented at least 363 individuals, 49 families, and 18 homeless youth in Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe City Council plans to vote Wednesday on its own version of the resolution, which promises to develop strategies to reduce the number of people in the city and county who struggle find shelter and stable housing.

Under the resolution, the city and the county agree to address homelessness through emergency shelters; more affordable housing units; increased housing voucher programs; and additional supportive services for those at risk of homelessness.

"This is something that's long overdue, as we all know," said District 3 County Commissioner Rudy Garcia. "We drive through the city streets and parts of the county; it's just kind of heartbreaking to see a lot of these individuals out there on the streets."

District 5 Commissioner Hank Hughes, who introduced the resolution along with District 1 Commissioner Henry Roybal, noted the city and county already have taken steps to address homelessness. The measures include their joint CONNECT program, which helps residents find housing aid and other resources, and the city's purchase of hotels, such as the Lamplighter Inn, to be converted into housing.

Under the city's plan, the Cerrillos Road motel will be converted to a 58-unit affordable housing complex with 15 units set aside for disabled tenants.

Garcia said the county might look into similar projects funded with bonds.