Government-sanctioned homeless encampments are a bad idea for both the homeless and Albuquerque, City Councilor Dan Lewis told the New Mexico Sun.

“Substandard living conditions in the form of encampments have emerged in city parks, along and within city streets and rights of ways, and in some instances on private property, and they have become normalized at many locations within the city,” Lewis said. “Both sanctioned and unsanctioned encampments are often ridden with unsanitary conditions, drug abuse, physical abuse, and victimization of the most vulnerable. These environments are not safe or compassionate and they subject their inhabitants to harm, disease, illness, and hopelessness, and subject their neighbors in the community to the same conditions.”

Proposals pending before the Albuquerque City Council would change zoning codes to allow government-sanctioned homeless encampments throughout the city, similar to those in Coronado Park. One plan, sponsored by Councilor Brook Bassan, proposes the most radical version of tent encampments with a new “living lot.” This means people living in light vehicles, recreational vehicles, or tents would be given a piece of property — in mixed-use zones and non-residential zones — to live on with little regulation. Another proposal suggests up to 45 so-called “safe outdoor spaces” throughout the city with at least five tent encampments in every council district.

Mayor Tim Keller (D) has spent more than $40 million to address the issue of homelessness since June 2021, OneClick Politics reported.

“With the investments that the city and county have already made in humane temporary shelters such as the Gateway Center and other private groups that provide temporary shelter and mental health and drug treatment, along with new private shelters, the city should have plenty of beds for those that want them and be able to legally support enforcement of our anti-encampment laws,” Lewis told the New Mexico Sun.    

Homelessness in Albuquerque has been consistently on the rise for the past five years, the New Mexico Sun previously reported.        

Along with the increasing rate of homelessness, the New Mexico Sun reported that businesses and locals have noticed an increase in crime.   

In a recent newsletter, Lewis expressed concern that council members sponsoring the proposals were gaming the system. Lewis said those members are entering amendments that would prohibit tent encampments from large portions of their own council districts, while pushing for more encampments in districts such as his northwest Albuquerque District 5.

Keller suggested raising residential trash pick-up fees to pay for tent encampments while discussing homelessness at a May 5 committee of the whole meeting, according to a news release from the city of Albuquerque.   

Some city officials have recently proposed city-sanctioned homeless encampments in every council district.