The City of Albuquerque took its first steps toward turning a vacant lot into a much-needed $9.2 million facility to address mental health crises and other behavioral issues.
The headquarters of the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Hub will be located at Kathryn and San Mateo in southeast Albuquerque as part of the rejuvenation of an area that has been habitually neglected. The long-awaited groundbreaking that took place on April 8 was good news to at least one resident of a neighborhood in need of an upgrade.
“It was kind of disheartening for quite a while,” Don Meaders recently told KOB 4. “I mean, you can tell by vacant lots around here.
“I think ACS is a wonderful, wonderful addition to the city’s fire department, the police department because the police were asked to do way too much,” Meaders said. “They were asked to respond to stuff that they aren’t really trained for, or not really equipped for, but the ACS takes a lot of burden off the police department.”
The fact that the facility will also focus on helping with the issue of homelessness is welcomed as well.
“Let’s let’s try to be good citizens to the rest of our citizens, those are all citizens too," Meaders said.
ACS officials said they chose Kathryn and San Mateo because the International District is traditionally underserved and severely lacking in resources for those in the community with deep-rooted personal issues, whether it be homelessness, substance abuse or struggles with mental health.
Walter Adams Jr., an ACS behavioral health supervisor, noted that connecting with the community is a crucial part of how ACS plans to make an impact.
“It’s good to be part of this community, especially here in the southeast,” he told KOB 4. “We’re very familiar with it because it does have the highest call volume. But it also offers an opportunity that I don’t think a lot of other people had to get to know these individuals.”
The funds to build the new headquarters will come from general obligation bonds, the KOB 4 report said. It will house training facilities and offices for staff and a community courtyard. Construction is expected to be completed during the spring of 2024.
Development of the International District Harvest Market next door will continue.
“We’re just really excited to have an opportunity and a space to bring local entrepreneurs that live in this area a space to start, stay, and grow their business for the community,” Alex Horton, executive director of the International District Community Development Corporation, told KOB 4.
