Last week, Greg Perez, the deputy county manager of Bernalillo County Public Safety, stated that their team is striving to transform the lives of individuals staying at their wellness hotel.
“We really value the work that is being done and the opportunity as a county to assist the City of Albuquerque with the homeless population, and try and change the lives of those that come through our doors at our wellness hotel," Perez said on April 3.
Bernalillo County commissioners approved two financial resolutions to help families experiencing homelessness after a unanimous vote. The county is working to provide more support as Albuquerque continues to address homelessness in the city. Two financial resolutions for those experiencing homelessness were approved by county commissioners, also, with one extending into the county’s winter wellness hotel for six months.
“Bernalillo County has taken on the initiative which started out as a way to get individuals in during the cold months of the street, and it kicked off during COVID as a gesture to aid the City of Albuquerque who was already running two wellness hotels," To keep the shelter open, the county will get more than $700,000. “We are looking to maintain 21 families in our hotel and once we get each of those out successfully into housing." With the county managing to secure this funding, the shelter can continue to provide a safe and secure environment for those in need of assistance. The county's efforts to secure this funding reflect its commitment to helping vulnerable populations in the community.
Benton Chavez, the program coordinator of Bernalillo County Public Safety, also provided his professional input on the matter. “It’s them getting a break from having to search for a place to stay. They have a stable place to stay, and now they can focus on getting their kids to school, getting their car fixed, or getting a document that they need to be able to get housing. It’s really beneficial that they have their own place while they are in this process," Benton added. The second set of money will be for small behavioral health facilities, which will be about $1 million, and agencies operating on a $500,000 budget will be able to apply for additional funding to expand services. While the money for both resolutions comes from the behavior health gross receipts tax, the county says they are always looking for different ways to help unhoused people.
