ABQ residents gather to oppose city planned expansion of "sanctioned encampments"

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Abqhomelessencampment provided

WTBON has announced a protest to be held on Tuesday June 21. The following press release was issued:

Women Taking Back Our Neighborhoods (WTBON) will be meeting on the corner of Academy and Eubank, Tuesday, June 21, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, to protest the City of Albuquerque’s Council vote to institutionalize “Safe Open Spaces” and Motel Conversions in the City’s Zoning Code. The public is invited to stand with us.

As proposed, the city could designate two “Open Space” lots for each district, for a total of 18 lots in the city, and an untold number of motel conversions for unvetted homeless individuals coming to Albuquerque for the social benefits provided by the Family and Community Services Dept. The concept has never been brought to citizens for a vote, and the city does not have a plan of action in place, nor a budget for its implementation, which will be a tremendous amount of money as yet undefined which tax-payers will be responsible for. Considering the failure of the Tiny Homes to attract drug-free, homeless individuals to the campus, a city plan of 18 “Safe Open Spaces” will be another disastrous idea by the City that forces taxpayers to foot the bill and live with the consequences of crime to businesses and neighborhoods, decreasing property values and new residents, and reducing tourism.

WTBON urges all City Councilors to vote NO for Safe Open Spaces and Motel Conversions.

Women Taking Back Our Neighborhoods (WTBON) is a citizen activist group founded in 2018 in the Albuquerque South East Heights to inform the public and demand greater accountability from elected and other civic leaders for preventing crime on Central Ave., in neighborhoods, and in public parks.

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