On Wednesday, August 18, Mayor Tim Keller held a press conference, along with city other city officials, in front of a vacant, clean up and fenced off Coronado Park and made the announcement that Coronado Park was officially closed to the public making good on a promise he made on June 27 to close the park by the end of August.

Mayor Keller said the closure of Coronado Park does not represent “any kind of a comprehensive strategy” to resolve homelessness crisis. Keller said this:

“The actions taken today by the City of Albuquerque are made necessary by the threats to public health, safety and the environment that this encampment has created. … Let no one think, however, that these actions represent a comprehensive strategy for resolving the problem of what we commonly call the homeless in Albuquerque or anywhere else in America.

I know that burden is on me as your mayor, I know that, but it’s also on everyone else in this community.  … That means the homeless themselves, that means every provider involved, that means everyone complaining about this on social media, we’ve all got a role to play. And it is not just to complain about the problem.  …

Mayor Keller added that the yearslong “status quo” and public safety risks at the park including drug and human trafficking to those who lived at the park and those who provided them services had become “no longer acceptable.”

Between 75 to 120 people would camp out nightly  at the park at Third Street and Interstate 40.  By Tuesday, August 17 when the park was officially closed and after weeks of what the city has called “intensive outreach” the number was down to 30 to 40 and 15 subsequently accepted transportation to a shelter.

It has now been reported that a very large percentage of the Coronado Park homeless suffer from mental illness and/ or drug addiction. Many homeless simply refuse “shelter housing” offered by the city, including the shelter housing in the west side 24-7 facility. Virtually none of the individuals who were displaced from Coronado Park will be placed at the Gibson Gateway Homeless Shelter in that it has yet to be made fully operational. Notwithstanding the Gateway Shelter use has been scaled down and will only house 50 woman who are victims of domestic violence.

CORONADO PARK HOMELESS OUTREACH SURVEY

On August 27, the Albuquerque Journal published on its front page, above the fold story with the headline “Most Coronado homeless remain on the streets” and the sub headline “Survey shows many have acute physical, mental disorders”. The link to read the full article is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/2527772/most-coronado-homeless-remain-on-streets.html

The Journal reported that as the city began the month-long process to close and clean up Coronado Park, the Family and Community Services Department dispatch “outreach workers” to conduct a survey of all the homeless living in the park to identify their needs and concerns and make plans to assist and place them.  The city released the survey to the Albuquerque Journal after an Inspection of Public Records (IPRA) request was made for the survey.

SURVEY CONDUCTED BY ABQ STREET CONNECT

Quoting the Albuquerque Journal article:

“The survey was conducted on behalf of the city by ABQ Street Connect, a program within Heading Home that provides individualized, housing-focused services and case management to individuals who suffer from severe mental illnesses and who are experiencing chronic homelessness.

The city had earlier reported that 110 people at the park had been surveyed, but when the final analysis was completed, it discovered that some of the individuals had been surveyed more than once, creating duplicate responses, requiring that the final number be revised.

StreetConnect identified 28 individuals with acute needs due to physical, mental, intellectual or “brain-related issues”.  The most common disabilities reported included PTSD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and orthopedic issues.

StreetConnect was able to get 27 of the park’s former residents started on the pathway for housing.”

The survey results as reported by the Journal are as follows:

More than 57% of the 94 homeless people who agreed to be surveyed said that upon Coronado’s closure, they would simply find another park or street location to sleep at night.

19% said they would go to another park.

38% said they would find someplace on the streets.

22%, or less than a quarter, said they would likely go to a sanctioned shelter.

65% of the homeless surveyed said they would be willing to stay at Coronado Park  even if rules and security measures were put in place.

More than 75% of the survey respondents identified housing as their No. 1 priority.  Mayor Keller said  when he announced the closure of the park, there were shelter beds, mostly at the city’s emergency shelter on the far West Side, available for park residents’ use.  Journal interviews with those staying at the park revealed little interest in going to a shelter.

Nearly 14% said they are getting benefits and having income was their top priority, particularly Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance.

18 of the survey respondents accepted vouchers that allow them to stay from days to weeks in motels that are working with StreetConnect.

At least one respondent wound up at Heading Home’s Albuquerque Opportunity Center, enrolled in a program that is intended to break the cycle of homelessness.

Another person was provided a one-way bus ticket to Las Vegas, Nevada, after case workers confirmed that the person had family there.

Some respondents identified more than one need.  In descending order of priority these included:

1. Housing
2. Health care
3. Food
4. Employment and
5. Transportation

MENTALLIY ILL AND DRUG ADDICTION

Jodie Jepson, the executive director of StreetConnect that did the survey, said the majority of the individuals who made Coronado Park home are individuals with severe mental illnesses and who are experiencing chronic homelessness.  Jepson also said a majority of the former Coronado Park residents also have alcohol or drug addictions, although that question was not part of the survey.

According to Jepson, the severe mental and physical issues among the chronically homeless “make them unable to enter the workforce.” Consequently, she said, getting them into permanent housing is the first step to dealing with their myriad problems. Jepson said this:

“They are not in housing right now, but we are currently working with them on triage and assessment [which is the first step toward securing housing]” .

Jodie Jepson did not take issue with Mayor Keller’s decision to close Coronado Park. She noted that it was the park had too many regular incidents of violence and abuse, particularly against women.  In addition, she said, the park had become a “biohazard safety concern” because of a large number of cases of shigella bacterial infection among the homeless residents there.

Shigella bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis. Most people with a shigella infection have diarrhea, sometimes bloody discharge, fever, and stomach cramps. People become infected with Shigella by eating food or drinking liquids contaminated by an infected person. Touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching their mouth or putting a contaminated object into their mouth.

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/shigellosis/shigella.html

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STUDY

Jodie Jepson’s disclosure that Coronado Park had become a biohazard safety concern because of a large number of cases of shigella bacterial infection among the homeless residents was the very first time anyone publicly disclosed to what extent the park had been contaminated.

Confidential sources within APD said two months ago that an environmental health study or ground testing was performed either by the APD crime lab or the city’s Environmental Health Department on the Coronado Park grounds. According to the APD source, the study revealed a highly toxic level of contaminates, including drugs, human waste and fluids and dangerous levels of molds to the extent that the park grounds were dangerous and where exposure can affect a person’s health.  According to the APD source, a final report was provided to the Mayor’s Office and APD Chief Harold Medina and once reviewed, orders were issued that the study was not to be released to the general public for fear that the City would have to permanently close the park.

The link to the full and unedited Albuquerque Journal article is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/2527772/most-coronado-homeless-remain-on-streets.html

THE CITY’S HOMELESS NUMBERS

The ABQ Street Connect survey results, although only involving 94 homeless, reflects a striking similarity with the statics revealed in the city’s 2021 Point In Time Survey of the homeless.

Each year the “Point in Time” (PIT) survey is conducted to determine how many people experience homelessness on a given night in Albuquerque, and to learn more about their specific needs. The PIT count is done in communities across the country. The PIT count is the official number of homeless reported by communities to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines sheltered homeless as “residing in an emergency shelter, motel paid through a provider or in a transitional housing program.” HUD defines “unsheltered homeless” as “those sleeping in places not meant for human habitation including streets, parks, alleys, underpasses, abandoned buildings, campgrounds and similar environments.”

According to the most current PIT annual report, there were 1,567 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people living in Albuquerque. The 2021 PIT count found that 73.6% of the homeless population were  staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing or using motel vouchers rather than sleeping in alleys, parks and other “unsheltered” locations.

Major highlights of the 2021 PIT report are as follows:

There were 1,567 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people living in Albuquerque, a slight increase over the 2019 count of 1,524 homeless. The 2020 homeless count is 2.8% higher than in 2019 and 18.9% more than in 2017, despite the pandemic limiting the 2021 counting efforts.

The 2021 PIT count found that 73.6% of the homeless population was staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing or using motel vouchers rather than sleeping in alleys, parks and other “unsheltered” locations. The 73.6% in the 2021 count is much a higher than the 2019 and 2017 PIT counts.

Albuquerque’s unsheltered homeless decreased from 567 people in 2019 to 413 in the 2021 count.

42% of Albuquerque’s unsheltered were defined as chronically homeless, meaning they had been continuously homeless for at least a year and had a disabling condition.

21% said they were homeless due to COVID.

37% were experiencing homelessness for the first time.

12% were homeless due to domestic violence.

30.19% of the homeless in Albuquerque self-reported as having a serious mental illness.

25.5% self-reported as substance abusers.

Note that a whopping 55.69% combined total of those surveyed self-reported as having a serious mental illness or were substance abusers.

Homeless providers consistently say the City has upwards of 5,000 homeless or near homeless. The city has upwards of 10 homeless service providers on contract and many of those 5,000 are already being provided with services. The real challenge is to convince that portion of the 5,000 who absolutely do not want any kind of services or help of any kind.

The link to quoted statistics is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/2402560/homeless-numbers-see-little-change.html

CITY’S FINANACIAL COMMITMENT 

 The Keller Administration has adopted a housing first policy when it comes to dealing with the homeless crisis which also includes funding provided to at least 10 service providers .

This past fiscal year 2021 ending June 10, 2021, the Family and Community Services Department and the Keller Administration have spent upwards of $40 Million to benefit the homeless or near homeless. The 2021 adopted city budget for Family and Community Services Department provides for mental health contracts totaling $4,329,452, and substance abuse contracts for counseling contracts totaling $2,586,302 and emergency shelter contracts totaling $5,688,094, affordable housing and community contracts totaling $22,531,752, homeless support services contracts.

The link to the 2021-2022 city approved budget is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy22-approved-budget-numbered-w-hyperlinks-final.pdf

Mayor Keller’s 2022-2023 approved budget significantly increases the Family and Community Services budget by $24,353,064 to assist the homeless or near homeless by going from $35,145,851 to $59,498,915. A breakdown of the amounts to help the homeless and those in need of housing assistance contained in the 2022-2023 budget is as follows:

$3,773,860 total for mental health contracts (Budget page105.)

$2,818,356 total substance abuse contracts for counseling (Budget page 106.), up by $288,680 from last year.

$42,598,361 total for affordable housing and community contracts with a major emphasis on permanent housing for chronically homeless.

$6,025,544 total for emergency shelter contracts (Budget page 102.).

$4,282,794 total homeless support services, up $658,581 from last year.

The link to the 2022-2023 budget it here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy23-proposed-final-web-version.pdf

The 2022-2023 adopted city contains $4 million in recurring funding and $2 million in one-time funding for supportive housing programs in the City’s Housing First model and $24 million in Emergency Rental Assistance from the federal government.

APD CRIMINAL LAW ENFORCMENT ACTIONS AGAINST HOMELESS

The City and the Albuquerque Police Department have adopted a “criminal citation” approach rather that and “arrest and confine” approach to deal with the homeless and the nonviolent felony crimes they commit. The main cause of this approach is the settlement of the federal case McClendon v. City of Albuquerque.

The McClendon case was a class-action lawsuit filed on January 10, 1995 in the United States Federal District Court by detainees at the Bernalillo County Detention Center (BCDC) in Albuquerque. The class-action lawsuit alleged that gross overcrowding and racial discrimination at the jail violated the constitutional rights of inmates.

In 2017 the city entered into a Stipulated Settlement Agreement in the McClendon federal case where the city agreed that people accused of nonviolent misdemeanors will not be arrested where there is no circumstances requiring an arrest. The primary reason for the settlement was to prevent jail overcrowding and it had absolutely nothing to do with or how the homeless are treated.

When it comes to “homeless crimes”, meaning illegal camping, criminal trespassing and loitering, those offenders are not to be arrested as the “primary intervention”. Under the settlement terms, police still have the option to issue citations and still have the discretionary authority to make felony and misdemeanor arrests as they deemed appropriate and where the circumstances warrant.

During the June 22, 2021 meeting of the Albuquerque City Council, a city attorney explained the federal pressures the city is operating under. The city attorney cited federal cases arguing that they place limitations on the city and he said this:

“[When it comes to] ‘quote, unquote’ homeless crimes, those offenders are not allowed to be arrested as a primary intervention”.

The APD adopted policy is Standard Operating Procedure 2-80-1 which states in part:

“Police Department policy is to arrest a felony violator of laws which its officers are empowered to enforce. Officers shall issue citations when appropriate in lieu of arrest on non-violent misdemeanor offenses (not to include DWIs) when there are no circumstances necessitating an arrest. In all cases, officers shall follow correct legal procedures required in arresting, booking, and filing charges against such violators.”

“HOMELESS” MISDEAMENOR CRIME CASES ARE OFFICER PROSECUTED CASES

The criminal misdemeanor citations issued by APD police can only be given when a police officer actually witnesses the offense. All such misdemeanor criminal citations are strictly officer prosecuted cases except DWI cases. What this means is that when it comes to the “homeless crimes” of illegal camping, criminal trespassing and loitering, those cases are prosecuted by police officers in Metro Court and do not involve prosecutors from the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office nor the Albuquerque City Attorney’s office.

KOB 4 contacted APD and asked them to quantify how they are enforcing the law when it comes to the low-level, nonviolent offenses committed by the homeless. An APD spokesman told KOB that since the beginning of 2022 there have been issued 2,308 citations to the homeless and it has issued 614 trespassing notices with 3 trespassing stops revealing outstanding warrants.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/unm-law-professor-weighs-in-on-mayors-claims-about-homelessness/

When the homeless fail to show up for arraignments on the citations, bench warrants are issued by the Metro Court or a very large number of criminal citations wind up being dismissed because APD officers does not show to prosecute the cases.

Since the beginning of 2022 there have been issued 2,308 citations to the homeless and it has issued 614 trespassing notices with 3 trespassing stops revealing outstanding warrants. APD and the Albuquerque Community Safety Division that relies on social workers with outreach to the homeless can assume the responsibility to identify those homeless and drug addicted who are criminal offense repeat offenders.

3 SPECIALTY COURTS

There are two Bernalillo County Metropolitan “specialty courts” already in existence known as “Outreach Court”, formerly named Drug Court, and the “Veterans Court” that deal in one form or another with the mentally ill and/ or the seriously drug addicted who are homeless providing support services. The courts place an emphasis on diversion programs, counseling programs, providing medical and mental health assistance and to some extent housing. Both courts involve to some extent the disposal of pending criminal charges without incarceration and instead probation.

The “Metro Outreach Court” is the formerly known “Drug Court”  specialty court that deals with those charged with misdemeanors and who suffered from drug addiction. The Outreach Court program is a collaborative effort between the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, the Office of the District Attorney, the Law Offices of the Public Defender, the Private Defense Bar, the Bernalillo County Attorney’s Office and community providers. The court follows the American Bar Association’s (ABA) seven guiding principles for Homeless Courts and is modeled after the Sa he is following description of the court and how it operates

https://metro.nmcourts.gov/bernalillo-county-metropolitan-court/specialty-courts/outreach-court/

In May  2016, the “Metropolitan Veterans Court” was created.   The Veterans Court leads a multidisciplinary team consisting of two probation officers, an assistant district attorney, a public defender, and the Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator from the New Mexico Veterans Administration Health Care System. To be eligible, defendants must be veterans of military service from any era regardless of discharge status, in the National Guard, or in the Reserves. Additionally, they must have been charged with a misdemeanor in Bernalillo County and volunteer to join the Court. Treatment services for any substance use disorder or mental illness, such as PTSD, are obtained primarily from the Veterans Administration Hospital or local Veterans Clinic.  Participants meet with the judge for status hearings one or more times per month, undergo frequent and random drug and alcohol testing, meet with an assigned probation officer, engage satisfactorily in treatment, and satisfy other conditions of the Court. Each participant is paired with a mentor, who is also a veteran. The unique camaraderie of the veteran’s group is a vital component in each participant’s recovery.

https://metro.nmcourts.gov/bernalillo-county-metropolitan-court/specialty-courts/community-veterans-court-c-v-c/

In 2006, the Metropolitan Traffic Court Arraignment Program was created by an agreement between the City Attorney, the Bernalillo County District Attorney and the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court. Assistant City Attorneys are cross deputized or appointed “special prosecutors” by the Bernalillo County District Attorney with the sole authority to negotiate plea and disposition agreements in traffic cases at the time of arraignments and approved by a Metro Judge, thereby negating the need for sworn APD personnel to appear at arraignments.  When a person is stopped and issued traffic citation, the citing sworn officer determines if the driver will contest the citations. If the driver wants to contest the citations issued, an arraignment date and time is immediately scheduled by the citing officer utilizing a Metro Court scheduling program developed by the court.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

An analysis of the “Outreach Survey” of the displace homeless at Coronado Coronado Park and the 2021 Point In Time Survey reveal one unmistakable, tragic reality:  the chronic homeless who are suffering from serious mental illness and/or substance abuse are simply not getting the basic mental health care, counseling and drug treatment and rehabilitation services needed to deal with their crisis.  Many times, they simply are not in the system.

Being homeless is not a crime nor should anyone be jailed because they are homeless.  But that does not mean the homeless should be allowed to violate the law. APD must not ignore enforcing the city’s anti-camping ordinances, vagrancy laws, misdemeanor drug laws, civil nuisance abatement laws and criminal laws.  The city and law enforcement must not pretend the laws do not exist to accommodate the homeless and allow the homeless to camp wherever they want, when they want   and for as long as they can get away with it.

APD AND ACS DEPARTMENTS MUST PLAY A CRITCAL ROLE

APD is doing its job the best it can with resources it has when it comes to the homeless. As noted since the beginning of 2022 there have been issued 2,308 citations to the homeless and it has issued 614 trespassing notices with 3 trespassing stops revealing outstanding warrants.

The Albuquerque Community Safety Department (ACS) was created in part to deal with the homeless and the mentally ill by using social workers and mental health experts to reach out and to deal with the homeless as a substitute for dispatching APD.  It is ACS that is actually dispatched to deal with homeless encampments.

Much more can be done with the coordination of resources and placing an emphasis on dealing with the mentally ill and the drug addicted in the form of civil commitments through the courts.

APD and the ACS departments need to and should assume the responsivity to investigate and identify those homeless and drug addicted who are criminal offense repeat offenders and who pose an immediate danger to themselves and others. Under such circumstances, constitutional policing practices would have to be adhered to avoid violations of civil rights.  The goal would be to get the homeless identified into the civil judicial system for mental health commitment hearings.

CIVIL COMMITMENT HEARINGS

The are laws on that books that deal with when and under what circumstances formal civil commitment hearings can be initiated for 3-day, 7-day and even 30-day observation and diagnostic evaluations for the mentally ill and the drug addicted.  Such process and procedures can be utilized to deal with the homeless and to ensure that they get the medical treatment and counselling services they need. Both the City Attorney and the Bernalillo County District Attorney can and should dedicate resources in the form of attorneys that will assume the filing of civil mental health commitment pleadings for such hearings as prescribed by law. The New Mexico Public Defender should also be called upon by the Courts to provide a defense where and when it is needed.

The link to review the applicable New Mexico state statutes NM Statute §43-1-1 (2019), NM Stat § 43-1-1 (2019), NM Stat § 43-1-11 (2020) on civil mental health commitments is here:

https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2020/chapter-43/article-1/section-43-1-11/#:~:text=An%20interested%20person%20who%20reasonably,grounds%20exist%20to%20commit%2

CREATE “OUTREACH, VETERANS AND HOMELESS COURT”

A greater emphasis must be made to get those homeless who are not in the criminal justice system the medical care and assistance they need without criminal prosecution and warehousing in the county jail.  A civil mental health commitment court for the homeless   to deal with the mentally ill and the drug addicted who pose a threat to themselves, their family and the general public should be established.

One single specialty court designated as the “Outreach, Veterans and Homeless Court” or “OVH Court” should be created.  A program of cross deputization of City Attorney’s by the Bernalillo County District Attorney to allow them to file civil mental health commitment petitions in State District Court in misdemeanor and felony cases can be created.

The Criminal Division of the State District Court should assign a District Court Judge do deal exclusively with mental health commitment hearings with the help of Metro Judges and the consolidation and the assistance of “Metro Court Outreach Court” and the “Metro Community Veterans” court under one court that is established in both Metro Court and State District Court using both court’s resources including courtrooms.

APD is doing its job with resources it has when it comes to the homeless. As noted since the beginning of 2022 there have been issued 2,308 citations to the homeless and it has issued 614 trespassing notices with 3 trespassing stops revealing outstanding warrants. However, much more can be done with the coordination of resources and placing an emphasis on dealing with the mentally ill and the drug addicted. The Metro Court should establish an identical court procedure that it has with the Metro Traffic Arraignment Program that when the officer issues a citation to the homeless person, a Notice and date and time of hearing is also provided in the citation itself.

Both the City Attorney and the Bernalillo County District Attorney could dedicate resources in the form of attorneys that will assume the filing of civil mental health commitment hearings as allowed by law. A program of cross deputization of City Attorney’s by the Bernalillo County District Attorney to allow them to file civil mental health commitment petitions in State District Court in misdemeanor and felony cases needs to be created. The New Mexico Public Defender must be called upon by the Courts to provide a defense where and when needed.

EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE CARE AT GIBSON GATEWAY HOMELESS SHELTER

The existing county mental health facilities and programs as well as the new Gibson Gateway Homeless Shelter would be relied upon by the OVH Specialty Court to provide the necessary referral facilities and house programs for the homeless who suffer from mental illness and drug addiction programs in lieu of jail.

The Gibson Medical Center which is being converted into the Gateway Homeless shelter, already houses at least 4 programs that deal with mental illness treatment and drug rehabilitations.  Those programs are

The Haven Behavioral Hospital, which is an inpatient and out-patient treatments for individuals struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues and

the Turquoise Lodge Hospital, a NM Department of Health hospital that provides substance abuse treatment services to New Mexico residents.

The Albuquerque Community Safety Department which is part of the City’s public safety response system, and responds to 911 calls for mental health, substance use, and homelessness issues.

AMG Specialty Hospital is a 25 Bed Long Term Acute Care hospital that specializes in the management of complex medical needs. Some of the medical conditions treated include: ventilator weaning, respiratory failure, chronic non-healing wounds, nutritional management, closed-head injury, rehabilitation with complications, and other medically complex patients.

Fresenius Medical Care provides care to people living with chronic kidney disease and related conditions,

Zia Healthcare coordinates care of patients with their providers

New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Encampment Outreach Team, which secures the ¼ mi radius around the facility and connects individuals in encampments to service.

https://www.cabq.gov/family/services/homeless-services/gateway-center

The Keller Administration significantly reduced plans for the Gibson Gateway Homeless Shelter, the former Lovelace Medical Hospital and Gibson medical center, from an unlimited number of overnight beds to a homeless shelter for upwards of 50 women and those needing medical care.  The Gibson Gateway Shelter has 201 patient rooms, and the facility could provide the necessary facilities for the medical care and treatment of the mentally ill.

CONCLUSION

Not until the chronically mentally ill and drug addicted homeless get the medical care and attention they so desperately need and perhaps even shun can we expect real progress in reducing the number of homeless on the streets.  An “Outreach, Veterans and Homeless Court” with a civil mental evaluation component is a viable option.

On July 30, Dawn Legacy Point filed the first application ever for a ‘Safe Outdoor Space’ homeless encampment. “Safe outdoor spaces” are city sanctioned, homeless tent encampments with 40 designated spaces for tents.  They allow upwards of 50 people to occupy the open space, require hand washing stations, toilets and showers, require a management plan, 6 foot fencing and social services offered.

The homeless encampment is intended to provide accommodations for upwards of 50 women who are homeless and who are “sex-trafficking victims” and other vulnerable populations.  The homeless encampment is to be located on vacant land at 1250 Menaul Blvd, NE which consists of two large parcels of property owned by the city with an assess value of $4, 333,55.

Less than a half mile from the vacant land and within walking distance from the property is Menaul School, a private boarding school for 6th to 12th graders. Directly across the street from the property is the T-Mobile Call Center and a Quality Inn & Suites. The vacant land borders Sunset Memorial Park to the West where it has been reported he homeless are known to use the various fountains throughout the park to wash themselves or use the fountains as a toilet.  Going West on Menaul and one block from the property is Carrington College and two apartment complexes. Immediately East of the Freeway is the massive TA Travel Truck Stop on University that can accommodate parking of upwards of 150 semitrucks. Within law enforcement circles, the truck stop is known for prostitution and illicit drug activity. Immediate south of the truck stop on University Blvd is the Crown Plaza Hotel.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2523606/cemeteries-lament-bathing-camps-on-grounds.htm

On August 8, the City Planning Department approved the Dawn Legacy Point application for a Safe Outdoor Space homeless campsite at 1250 Menaul, NE.   The City Planning Department unilaterally reviewed the application behind closed doors with no notice to surrounding businesses or neighborhood associations, no public hearing and no public input. The application was “fast tracked” by the Planning Department to approve the application just 8 days before the City Council was scheduled to repeal the Safe Outdoor Spaces.

8 APPEALS FILED

The following parties are appealing the Dawn Legacy Point Safe Outdoor Spaces homeless tent encampment, asking the City Planning Department to reverse its decision and deny the Safe Outdoor Space application of Dawn Legacy for 1250 Menaul:

1. Martineztown Santa Barbara Neighborhood Association
2. Menaul Middle School
3. Life Roots
4. Reuele Sun Corporation, a participant in the Menaul Redevelopment Area
5. Crown Plaza Hotel, a participant in the Menaul Redevelopment Area
6. T-Mobil Cell Phone Call Center
7. Sunset Memorial Cemetery
8. Greater Albuquerque Hotel and Lodging Association

NEW MEXICO SUN ARTICLES

 On August 26, the on-line news agency New Mexico Sun published two revealing articles.  One is entitled “Sex-trafficking survivor says women need more than Albuquerque’s ‘safe outdoor space’ to be safe: ‘Anything less is woefully inadequate’   written by its staff reporter Andy Nghiem. The second is entitled “Former outreach coordinator on new ‘safe’ outdoor space in Albuquerque: ‘This is the opposite of effective care’ written by staff reporter David Beasley.  Taken together the articles reveal exactly why a homeless tent encampment for victims who are “sex-trafficking victims” is “just plain crazy.”

Following are the unedited articles with the New Mexico Sun links:

HEADLINE: “FORMER OUTREACH COORDINATOR ON NEW ‘SAFE’ OUTDOOR SPACE IN ALBUQUERQUE: ‘THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF EFFECTIVE CARE’

 “The safe outdoor space at Menaul and I-25 will not protect women and the homeless and the idea that it will is “just plain crazy talk,” said Caroline Ofe, former outreach coordinator for Refuge City, a recovery agency for child sex trafficking survivors.

 “The idea that this ‘safe space’ will be helpful to care for or protect women is just plain crazy talk,” Ofe told the New Mexico Sun. “This is the opposite of effective care and standard practices for trafficking survivors and people experiencing homelessness. Encampments like this are ineffective, actually encouraging destructive behavior and homelessness. No matter what way you slice it, they are bad for the women that they are allegedly meant to protect, and they are harmful to the homeless population, as evidenced by what happened in the previous park and similar arrangements in other parts of the country.”

 Albuquerque’s first safe outdoor space, established by the newly formed organization Dawn Legacy Point at an empty lot at Menaul and I-25, will house mostly women and those affected by sex trafficking and exploitation but will provide no security for them.                  

“There just needs to be someplace for people to go, especially when they reach the point that they are going through sex trafficking or exploitation,” Kylea Goode, chairperson of Dawn Legacy Pointe, told KOB 4 on Aug. 8 

However, housing dozens of women on one site with very little security could put them in a highly vulnerable state. “They are bad for the women that they are allegedly meant to protect, and they are harmful to the homeless population, as evidenced by what happened in the previous park and similar arrangements in other parts of the country,” Ofe said. As of now, the women who live in the encampment will be in charge of their security.

 Ofe’s reference to “what happened in the previous park” is referring to the unofficial homeless encampment at Coronado Park, which closed due to violent crime and drug trafficking, KOAT reported.              

Goode said she understands neighborhood concern but contends that arguments against safe outdoor spaces are often based on generalizations that all homeless people would introduce sex trafficking, The Albuquerque Journal reported. 

But studies show how homeless systems like this do in fact benefit human trafficking operations and expose people to trafficking at a high level. 

Dawn Legacy Pointe’s website includes a list of operational rules that were not included with their application and are in conflict with the submitted documents. For instance, its website states they will not accept sex offenders, or anyone convicted of human trafficking, but in the application for the encampment accepted by the city, the rules allow sex offenders to live in the encampment, so long as they are registered.

In addition to her time as outreach coordinator for Refuge City, Ofe is a former board member for the North Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking, the Homeless Coalition of Dallas and the Collin County Homeless Coalition.” 

The link to the NM Sun column is here

 https://newmexicosun.com/stories/630814220-former-outreach-coordinator-on-new-safe-outdoor-space-in-albuquerque-this-is-the-opposite-of-effective-care

HEADLINE:  SEX-TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR SAYS WOMEN NEED MORE THAN ALBUQUERQUE’S ‘SAFE OUTDOOR SPACE’ TO BE SAFE: ‘ANYTHING LESS IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE’   

“The newly formed nonprofit Dawn Legacy Point will establish Albuquerque’s first Safe Outdoor Space site at an empty lot on Menaul, just west of I-25.

After the city of Albuquerque fast-tracked and approved an application from Dawn Legacy Pointe to establish a tent camp for the homeless, concerns are being raised about the safety of its residents, and that the site might do more harm than good, especially for victims of sex trafficking.

The newly formed nonprofit Dawn Legacy Pointe will establish Albuquerque’s first Safe Outdoor Space site at an empty lot on Menaul, just west of I-25. The Dawn Legacy Pointe guidelines state that the encampment will house mostly women and those affected by sex trafficking and exploitation.

Lisa Bownds, CEO of Reflection Ministries and a survivor of sex trafficking, is a leading advocate for restorative care of trafficking victims and has established world-class facilities and programs assisting survivors. She raised concerns about the encampment as a means to support and protect women vulnerable to sex trafficking. 

When asked if the creation of the safe outdoor space tent encampment would be a good way to help protect the population of women who are victims or vulnerable to sex trafficking, Bownds said, “Sex trafficking victims are the most vulnerable group to serve given the exceedingly high level of trauma they have endured at the hands of traffickers and buyers.”

“First and foremost, they need safety, security and the services to meet their basic needs [things that are often withheld by their traffickers as a method of coercion].

Secondly, they require trauma-informed care to address the mental and physical issues developed as a result of rape, beatings and other forms of abuse. Many victims need immediate medical and therapeutic care in conjunction with extensive counseling services.

Lastly, sex trafficking victims need access to education and economic empowerment opportunities in order to join the workforce and support a new life of freedom and restoration.

All these efforts require the commitment of a proven restorative care team to transition victims to independence and self-sufficiency. Anything less is woefully inadequate.”

Agni Kudra, secretary of Dawn Legacy Pointe, mentioned the site will serve people that have been trafficked or exploited in the sex trade, but people who live nearby say they fear the sanctioned encampment will only cause harm to their neighborhoods, according to KRQE News.

“There’s not going to be a criminal element allowed here, we want to keep our residents safe so if there is any trouble, we will be calling the police,” Kudra said, according to KRQE.

Chairperson of Dawn Legacy Pointe Kylea Goode said she understands neighborhood apprehension but contends that arguments against safe outdoor spaces are often based on generalizations that all homeless people would introduce sex trafficking, according to Albuquerque Journal. Dawn Legacy Pointe seeks to serve sex trafficking victims, however, housing dozens of women on one site with very little security puts them in a highly vulnerable state. As of now, the resident women in the encampment will be in charge of their security.

“There just needs to be someplace for people to go, especially when they reach the point that they are going through sex trafficking or exploitation,” Goode told KOB4. However, since the encampment will house mostly women as well as victims of sex trafficking, the lack of security at the site is a major concern.

The Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association, which represents the residents of the directly affected area of the encampment, filed an appeal against the City Planning Department’s approval of the Safe Outdoor Space permit. The appeal raises several issues and highlights the lack of transparency in the application and due process extended to the public and the impacted communities.

To add to the concerns, Dawn Legacy Pointe’s website includes a list of operational rules that were not included with its application and are in conflict with the documents it did include. The website states that it will not accept sex offenders, or anyone convicted of human trafficking. However, in the application for the encampment accepted by the city, the rules allow sex offenders to live in the encampment, so long as they are registered.

The link to the New Mexico Sun article is here:

https://newmexicosun.com/stories/630789366-sex-trafficking-survivor-says-women-need-more-than-albuquerque-s-safe-outdoor-space-to-be-safe-anything-less-is-woefully-inadequate

CITY’S HOUSING FIRST POLICY

 The Keller Administration has adopted a housing first policy when it comes to dealing with the homeless crisis. The city has made a huge financial commitment to help homeless or near homeless.

This past fiscal year 2021 ending June 10, 2021, the Family and Community Services Department and the Keller Administration have spent upwards of $40 Million to benefit the homeless or near homeless. The 2021 adopted city budget for Family and Community Services Department provides for emergency shelter contracts totaling $5,688,094, affordable housing and community contracts totaling $22,531,752, homeless support services contracts totaling $3,384,212, mental health contracts totaling $4,329,452, and substance abuse contracts for counseling contracts totaling $2,586,302.

The link to the 2021-2022 city approved budget is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy22-approved-budget-numbered-w-hyperlinks-final.pdf

Mayor Keller’s 2022-2023 approved budget significantly increases the Family and Community Services budget by $24,353,064 to assist the homeless or near homeless by going from $35,145,851 to $59,498,915.

A breakdown of the amounts to help the homeless and those in need of housing assistance contained in the 2022-2023 budget is as follows:

$42,598,361 total for affordable housing and community contracts with a major emphasis on permanent housing for chronically homeless. It is $24,353,064 more than last year.

$6,025,544 total for emergency shelter contracts (Budget page 102.), down $396,354 from last year.

$3,773,860 total for mental health contracts (Budget page105.), down $604,244 from last year.

$4,282,794 total homeless support services, up $658,581 from last year.

$2,818,356 total substance abuse contracts for counseling (Budget page 106.), up by $288,680 from last year.

The link to the 2022-2023 budget it here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy23-proposed-final-web-version.pdf

The 2022-2023 adopted city contains $4 million in recurring funding and $2 million in one-time funding for supportive housing programs in the City’s Housing First model and $24 million in Emergency Rental Assistance from the federal government.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Mayor Tim Keller should be ashamed of himself.  He should know that woman who are victims of sex trafficking need permanent housing that is a safe place to live and be provided with far more stable housing than a tent in an open area.  Forcing victims of sex trafficking to live in tents is nothing more than victimizing them again.

The millions being spent each year by the city to deal with the homeless with the “housing first” policy should be more than sufficient to deal with housing the homeless, yet Mayor Keller demands and wants more from the public.  Safe Outdoor Space encampments violates the city’s “housing first” policy by not providing a form of permanent housing and with reliance on temporary housing.

What is being created at 1205 Menaul, NE is a location for victims to become victims once again. There is no common sense to it and it is indeed just plain crazy. Mayor Tim Keller holds himself out as a progressive and has made housing of the homeless a top priority, yet ostensibly he has no problem with a Safe Outdoor Space to be use for victims of sex-trafficking. 

The actual location is troubling and has the potential of becoming a magnet for crime, prostitution or illicit drug trade. It’s located in close proximity to a truck stop known amongst law enforcement for prostitution and illicit drug activity.  It’s directly across the street from a major call center, a motel suite and is walking distance of Menaul Boarding School and apartments. Occupants of the ‘Safe Outdoor Space’ will not confined and would be free to go and come as they pleased and could easily wind up uninvited wherever they want to go. This includes the truck stop and disrupting the peaceful use and enjoyment at nearby locations or engaging in illicit activity.

Safe Outdoor Spaces are not the answer to the homeless crisis. “Safe Outdoor Spaces” will be a disaster for the city as a whole. They will destroy neighborhoods, make the city a magnet for the homeless and destroy the city’s efforts to manage the homeless through housing. The homeless crisis will not be solved by the city, but it can and must be managed. Safe Outdoor Spaces represent a very temporary place to pitch a tent, relieve oneself, bathe and sleep at night with rules that will not likely be followed.

The answer is to the homeless crisis is to provide the homeless the support services, including food and permanent lodging, and mental health care needed to allow the homeless to turn their lives around and perhaps become productive self-sufficient citizens. Ten encampments are nothing short of inhumane treatment of the homeless.

 

On Sunday, August 28 and Monday August 29, the Albuquerque Journal released its poll in the statewide races for Governor,  Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Public Lands.

The poll was conducted by Research and Polling which for many decades has done all political polling for the Journal.  The polling firm is considered the gold standard in New Mexico political polling because of its consistent accuracy.

“The Journal Poll was based on a scientific, statewide sample of 518 voters who cast ballots in the 2018 and/or 2020 general election and who said they are likely to vote in the upcoming election. The poll was conducted from Aug. 19 through Aug. 25. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.”

The links to the full quoted Albuquerque Journal articles are here;

https://www.abqjournal.com/2527965/lujan-grisham-has-7point-lead-over-ronchetti.html

https://www.abqjournal.com/2528104/democrats-lead-big-in-races-for-4-state-offices.html

GOVERNORS RACE

On Sunday, August 28, the Albuquerque Journal released it first poll in the statewide race for Governor between Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Mark Ronchetti.

The poll question was “If the election for Governor   was held today, who would you vote for?”

The poll results are as follows:

Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham: 47%

Republican Mark Ronchetti: 40%

Libertarian Karen Bedoni: 5%

Undecided: 8%

ATTORNEY GENERAL, SECRETARY OF STATE, STATE TREASURER AND LAND COMMISSIONER

On Monday, August 29, the Albuquerque Journal published it poll on the state wide races for Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Commissioner of Public Lands. Following are the poll questions an results:

SECRETARY OF STATE

POLL QUESTION: “If the election for Secretary of State was held today, who would you vote for?”

The poll results are as follows:

Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver: 45%

Republican Audrey Trujillo: 33%

Libertarian Mayna Erika Myers: 4%

[Declined to Say]: 3%

Undecided: 16%

ATTORNEY GENERAL

POLL QUESTION: If the election for Attorney General  was held today, who would you vote for?

The poll results are as follows:

Democrat Raul Torrez: 49%

Republican Jeremy Gay: 33%

[Declined to Say]: 3%

Undecided: 15%

STATE TREASURER

POLL QUESTION: If the election for State Treasurer were held today, who would you vote for?

The poll results are as follows:

Democrat Laura Montoya: 44%

Republican Harry Montoya: 33%

[Declined to Say]: 4%

Undecided:  19%

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC LANDS

POLL QUESTION: If the election for Commissioner of Public Lands was held today, who would you for?

The poll results are as follows:

Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard: 46%

Republican Jefferson Byrd: 35%

[Declined to State]: 3%

Undecided: 17%

VOTER REGISTATION

According to New Mexico Voter Registration Statistics from the New Mexico Secretary of State, as of January 31, 2022, there are a total of 1,342,690 registered voters in the state.  The breakdown of the registration numbers is as follows:

Registered Democrats: 599,242, or 44.6 %,

Registered Republicans: 414,067 or  30.8 %,

No Party or Independents:  301,598 or 22.5 %

Registered Libertarian:  13,644  or 1.0 %

Other Registrations:  14,139 or 1.1 %

https://api.realfile.rtsclients.com/PublicFiles/ee3072ab0d43456cb15a51f7d82c77a2/f7ecf5cb-2653-4b16-b2a5-6fd42cdcb6f0/Statewide_01-31-2022.pdf

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

When it comes to New Mexico politics and statewide races, the old saying is so very true that “Republicans win when Democrats stay home”.  Republicans tend to have higher voter participation percentages out of sure survival instinct. The significance of the independent voters also cannot be overstated in that they represent 22.5% of all registered voters in the state.

It should not come as any surprise that the New Mexico Governor’s race is the closest of all the top statewide races with a single 7% digit lead by the incumbent.  Historically, that has always been the case in New Mexico.  However, when it comes to the other statewide races, Democrats are leading Republicans by at least 10% in all the races.

Governor Lujan has yet to achieve the magic number of 50% plus one that will ensure her reelection. Notwithstanding, with two full months left in the race, she is very much in striking distance and will only have to close a 3% gap.  Ronchetti on the other hand has a staggering 10% gap to close when there is only 8% undecided.  Ronchetti will have to convince the 8% undecided to vote for him as well as convince at least 2% of the Governor’s support to change their support for her.

Lujan Grisham also has the advantage of incumbency. The last time a sitting New Mexico governor was defeated was in 1994, when incumbent Democrat Bruce King was ousted by Republican Gary Johnson. Since then, Johnson, Democrat Bill Richardson and Republican Susana Martinez have all easily won reelection to second terms.

If the poll numbers hold true over the next two months as is expected, the 2022 elections for Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer and Land Commissioner are likely over.   Voter turnout in those races will likely benefit Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s reelection prospects, of course only if Democrats get out to vote.

The forecast for Republican Marck Ronchetti is “very cloudy” and there is a likelihood of a heavy monsoon rain on his parade come November 8.

At this point, the biggest danger Democrats face is a low voter turnout and apathy.

A link to a related blog article is here:

Albuquerque Journal Poll Released In Governor’s Race: Governor Lujan Grisham 47%, Mark Ronchetti 40%, Undecided 5%, Libertarian 5%; Two Months Is An Eternity In Politics; Expect McCleskey Hit Pieces Against Lujan Grisham

 

 

On Sunday, August 28, the Albuquerque Journal released it first poll in the 2022 Governor’s race between Democrat Incumbent Michell Lujan Grisham and Republican TV weatherman Mark Ronchetti.  The poll was conducted by Research and Polling which for decades has done all political polling for the Journal and with polling firm considered the gold standard in New Mexico political polling because of its consistent accuracy.

“The Journal Poll was based on a scientific, statewide sample of 518 voters who cast ballots in the 2018 and/or 2020 general election and who said they are likely to vote in the upcoming election. The poll was conducted from Aug. 19 through Aug. 25. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.”

The link to the full quoted Albuquerque Journal article is here;

https://www.abqjournal.com/2527965/lujan-grisham-has-7point-lead-over-ronchetti.html

RESULTS OF JOURNAL POLL

The poll asked the question “If the election for Governor were held today, who would you vote for? “ The results reported are:

Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham: 47%

Republican Mark Ronchetti: 40%

Libertarian Karen Bedoni: 5%

UNDECIDED: 8%

The demographics of the poll for each candidate were broken down as follows:

GENDER DEMOGRAPHICS

MALE:

44% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

43% for Republican Ronchetti

3% for Libertarian Bedonie

FEMALE:    

50% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

36% for Republican Ronchetti

3% for Libertarian Bedonie

ETHNICITY DEMOGRAPHICS

HISPANIC:

56% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

32% for Republican Ronchetti

4% for Libertarian Bedonie

ANGLO:

42% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

46% for Republican Ronchetti

6% for Libertarian Bedonie

EDUCATION DEMOGRAPHICS

High school graduate:

47% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

44% for Republican Ronchetti

5% for Libertarian Bedonie

Some College or Associate Degree

40% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

44% for Republican Ronchetti

5% for Libertarian Bedonie

College Graduate

51% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

33% for Republican Ronchetti

6% for Libertarian Bedonie

Graduate Degree

58% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

32% for Republican Ronchetti

4% for Libertarian Bedonie

POLTICAL PARTY BREAKDOWN

DEMOCRAT

82% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

9% for Republican Ronchetti

2% for Libertarian Bedonie

REPUBLICAN

7% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

84% for Republican Ronchetti

3% for Libertarian Bedonie

OTHER PARTY AFFILIATION

35% for Democrat Lujan Grisham

30% for Republican Ronchetti

14% for Libertarian Bedonie

FOLLOW THE MONEY

According to the campaign financial reports filed with the New Mexico secretary of State, Lujan Grisham and Ronchetti have both raised and are spending significant amounts of money for their campaigns. As of last month, Lujan Grisham had more than $2.7 million in her reelection account, compared to about $1.4 million in Ronchetti’s account.  However, Ronchetti outraised Lujan Grisham during monthlong period that started before the June primary.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

There are six major take ways that can be gleaned from the Alburquerque Journal Poll:

FIRST AND FOREMOST TAKEAWAY

Governor Lujan Grisham was elected to her first term as governor in 2018.  She defeated former Republican Congressman Steve Pearce decisively when she received 57% of the vote compared to 43% for Pearce.  The election had an all-time voter turnout of upwards of nearly 700,000 votes cast.  Things have changed for Lujan Grisham and she is faced with a more difficult election.

Governor Lujan has yet to achieve the magic number of 51% that will ensure her reelection. Notwithstanding, with two full months left in the race, she is very much in striking distance and will only have to close a 3% gap.  Ronchetti on the other hand has a staggering 10% gap to close when there is only 8% undecided. Ronchetti will have to convince the 8% undecided to vote for him as well as convince at least 2% of the Governor’s support to change their support for her.

SECOND MAJOR TAKEAWAY

Both candidates have the overwhelming support from their individual parties.   Lujan Grisham has 82% support from the Democrats while Ronchetti has 84% support of Republicans.  The problem for Ronchetti and the advantage for Lujan Grisham is the desperate number of Democrats to Republicans in New Mexico. With 20% of independent voters surveyed saying they are still undecided, both candidates will now likely concentrate on the independent voters to secure a win.

The significance of the Independent voters cannot be overstated in that they represent 22.5% of all registered voters in the state. According to New Mexico Voter Registration Statistics from the New Mexico Secretary of State, as of January 31, 2022, there are a total of 1,342,690 registered voters in the state.  The breakdown is as follow

Registered Democrats: 599,242, or 44.6 %,

Registered Republicans: 414,067 or  30.8 %,

No Party or Independents:  301,598 or 22.5 %

Registered Libertarian:  13,644  or 1.0 %

Other Registrations:  14,139 or 1.1 %

The link to the Secretary of State spreadsheet on voter registration is here:

https://api.realfile.rtsclients.com/PublicFiles/ee3072ab0d43456cb15a51f7d82c77a2/f7ecf5cb-2653-4b16-b2a5-6fd42cdcb6f0/Statewide_01-31-2022.pdf

THIRD MAJOR TAKEAWAY

Republican Mark Ronchetti has a very serious gender gap problem that will be difficult to overcome. Both Lujan Grisham and Ronchetti enjoy essentially equal support among men, with Lujan Grisham having 44% support among men and Ronchetti having 43% among men. However, Lujan Grisham enjoys 50% support among woman and Republican Ronchetti has only 36% among women.  Abortion and woman’s reproductive rights have become the defining issue in the race for Governor.  Ronchetti’s anemic support among woman is attributed to his support to abolish all reproductive rights for woman and to start with banning late term abortions and eventually ban all abortions in New Mexico.

FOURTH MAJOR TAKEAWAY

Not at all surprising is that Democrat Lujan Grisham has a more than comfortable lead over Ronchetti with Hispanic voters with a 25% advantage at 56% support to Republican Ronchetti’s 32%.   Amongst Anglo voters, Republican Roncheti has a 4% advantage amongst Anglos with 46% compared to 42% for Democrat Lujan Grisham. New Mexico as a whole is classified as a “minority majority” state meaning that the majority of its entire population is classified as a minority with Hispanic being the most prominent ethnicity.

FIFTH MAJOR TAKEAWAY

When it comes to education levels, Democrat Lujan Grisham has a significant advantage over Ronchetti.  Amongst the college and graduate degree educated, Lujan Grisham has 51% and 58% support advantage respectively compared to Ronchetti’s  32% and 33% respectively.  Amongst the high school educated Lujan Grisham has a 3% advantage with 47% to 44% respectively.  Amongst the “some college or associate degree educated”, Ronchetti has a 4% support advantage with 44% to 40%.

SIXTH MAJOR TAKEAWAY

On May 12, KOB 4 reported that a SurveyUSA poll found that Governor Lujan Grisham held a slim 4% lead over Ronchetti with at 47% to 43%.  The Lujan Grisham campaign was so alarmed that it used the poll results for fundraising.

The link to the SurveyUSA poll is here:

https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=4a522d37-094b-4138-b451-2a497f1da2bf

In addition to the New Mexico Governor’s race, the SurveyUsa poll also asked voters what issues were at the  top of their mind as they considered voting. The economy and inflation was the easy winner, with 41%of voters saying it was their most important issue. At 16%, crime led a three-issue group in second place. Climate change and water supply concerns were at 13% as fires raged across the state.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/santa-fe-northern-new-mexico/ronchetti-pulls-close-to-mlg-in-head-to-head-poll/

Over the las 3 months, the national and state political winds have changed dramatically and so has the voter mood benefiting democrats and Governor Lujan Grisham.  During the last 3 months, the following has occurred:

1. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark case of Roe v. Wade abolishing a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion and setting aside woman’s reproductive rights. Ronchetti praised the Supreme Court’s ruling when it first came out and he was exposed by Albuquerque Legacy Church Pastor Steve Smothermon as holding extreme views on abortion and wanting to criminalize all abortions.
2. Democrats have secured major approval of legislation in congress including billions for infrastructure and approval of a federal climate change law with federal monies allocated to the State.
3. The Congressional Investigation of Donald Trump and his orchestrating the January 6 capitol riot to set aside the election has taken its toll as has the recent federal search warrant confirming he is being investigated for mishandling of highly classified documents that may have endangered or compromised the country’s national security or espionage.
4. New Mexico is experiencing historical windfalls in the billions of surplus revenue which is now being invested by the state with the Governor announcing almost daily new infrastructure projects and how the money is being spent.
5. There has been major decline in the state’s unemployment rate to 4.5% that the Governor can and is taking credit for.
6. The effects of the pandemic are finally receding with Governor Lujan Grisham being given high marks for her handling of not only the pandemic crisis but also the handling of natural disasters such as the fires and flooding.
7. Gas prices have gone down dramatically by as much as $1 per gallon.

FINAL COMMENTARY

Two months in any statewide race is an eternity in politics with the election scheduled for November 8.  Voters can expect an extreme ramping up of negative campaign ads that are even worse than what has been going on, especially from Republican Mark Ronchetti.

Least anyone forgets, Jay McCleskey is Republican Mark Ronchetti’s campaign manager and political consultant. Simply put, Jay McCleskey is the go-to guy for anyone who is Republican running for office willing to spend and do whatever it takes to win an election at any and all costs.  McClesky managed the successful campaigns of Mayor Richard Berry and Governor Suzanna Martinez as well as numerous campaigns for local and state offices

Former Republican Governor Susana Martinez was vicious in going after members of her own party who disagreed with her and she did that with Jay Mc Clesky carrying out her orders. It was reported that Southern New Mexico rancher Scott Chandler, a Republican, settled a defamation lawsuit he filed claiming political consultant Jay McCleskey and the former Republican Governor’s political action committee circulated untruthful mailers about him during the 2016 campaign. On December 15, 2021, the case was settled with McClesky’s insurance company agreeing to pay $375,000 to settle the defamation claims against McClesky.

One thing is for certain is that when you hire Jay Mc Clesky to manage your campaign, and if you do win, you can expect him to exert great influence over you until the day you leave office, as was the case with Republican Governor Suzana Martinez.  Jay McCleskey, who was not a state employee, had an office on the 4th floor of the state capitol next to the Governor Martinez.   McCleskey, who was living rent free in the Governor’s mind, thrust himself right in the middle of political appointments and government decisions.

During her first year in office, Governor Susanna Martinez was alleged to have been involved with a “play to play” controversy involving the award of a $1 Billion-dollar, 25-year, Albuquerque Downs Racetrack contract, dubbed by politicos as “The Dirty Downs Deal”. At the very center of the “Dirty Downs Deal” was Jay Mc Clesky who carried out the Governor’s orders. Allegations of nefarious conduct around the Downs lease involved political insiders, significant campaign contributions to Martinez and attempts to hide political donations and contributions to Governor Martinez or her political action committee from donors connected to the Downs.

Jay McCleskey is New Mexico’s version of Lee Atwater or Karl Rove, two of the most despicable right wing Republican bottom feeders and political consultants and strategists for the Republican Party.  McClesky has even received praises for his work from Karl Rove.  McClesky is known for his negative slash-and-burn tactics to disparage and viciously malign Democrats at all levels and he has been very successful at it in New Mexico for the last 20 years making a very lucrative living.

A “political hit piece” is the lowest form of negative campaigning used by all successful bottom feeder political consultants to smear the reputation of an opponent. It’s difficult to respond to a political hit piece, especially at the end of a contentious campaign or if an opponent does not have the financial resources to respond to the lies and the liars who tell them. In New Mexico, McCleskey has elevated the “political hit piece” to an art form. His tactics are often condemned by the public and those who are the target. The problem is that negative campaigning and smear tactics work and has worked for Jay McClesky over the years.

Brace yourself New Mexico, the race for Governor of New Mexico in 2022 will likely be the most negative in the state’s history.  Should Republican Mark Ronchetti win, you can fully expect the return of shadow Governor Jay McClusky hiding behind the “green screen” of Mark Ronchetti as he pretends to know what he is talking about.

 

On Friday, August 26, in a late afternoon and what amounts to a “sneaky announcement” to ensure little media attention, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced he vetoed the Albuquerque City Council legislation that placed a moratorium on “Safe Outdoor Spaces.”  

Keller argued in his veto message that the city cannot afford to limit its options for addressing homelessness and said he understood how new policies sometimes take time to refine after testing.  Keller wrote in part in his veto message:

“We need every tool at our disposal to confront the unhoused crisis and we need to be willing to act courageously. … However, reasonable time, testing and piloting has not been allowed”.

The link to the quoted news source article is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/2527750/new-keller-veto-aims-to-save-safe-outdoor-spaces.html

“Safe Outdoor Spaces” are defined in the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) as an organized, managed homeless encampments with 40 designated spaces for tents that allows for upwards of 50 people, require hand washing stations, toilets and showers, requires a management plan, 6 foot fencing and social services offered. According to the IDO, there are no prohibitions for charitable organization and churches to place Safe Outdoor Space tent encampments on their properties.

According to the Family, Community Services web site a “Safe Outdoor Space” is a lot, or a portion of a lot, developed to provide designated spaces for occupancy by tents, recreational vehicles, and/or light vehicles. Designated spaces are provided to occupants at no charge. A safe outdoor space offers social services and support facilities.

https://www.cabq.gov/family/services/homeless-services/about-homeless-services#encampments

OVERIDE OF VETO

It was on Monday, August 15, the City Council passed the moratorium on a 6 to 3 vote that bars the City Planning Department from accepting or approving any pending applications for “Safe Outdoor Spaces”. Before passing the moratorium, the City Council amended the bill to ensure that the moratorium stopped the City Planning Department from approving any “pending” applications and to add language stopping the city from authorizing any “Safe Outdoor Space” on city property.  Under the legislation, a complete moratorium was to be in effect until August 1, 2023, unless the City Council enacts a separate bill removing them totally from the zoning code.

The vote was bipartisan. Voting YES for the moratorium where Republicans Brook Bassam Renee Grout, Trudy Jones, and Dan Lewis who were joined by Democrats Klarissa Peña and Louie Sanchez. Voting “NO” on the moratorium were Democrats Isaac Benton, Pat Davis and Tammy Fiebelcorn.

The vetoed legislation can be overridden by the City Council. The earliest meeting the council can act to override the veto is at its September 7 meeting.  The city council needs 6 votes to override the veto.   If the 6 councilors who originally passed the moratorium (Bassan, Renee Grout, Trudy Jones, Dan Lewis, Klarissa Peña and Louie Sanchez) remain in support, they will override Keller’s veto.

EIGHT APPEALS FILED ON THE ONE APPLICATION APPROVED

On August 8, before the council’s August 15 moratorium vote, the City Planning Department approved the Dawn Legacy Point application for a Safe Outdoor Space homeless campsite at 1250 Menaul, NE which will be used by  woman who have been “victims of sex trafficking”.   The City Planning Department unilaterally reviewed the application behind closed doors with no notice to surrounding businesses or neighborhood associations, no public hearing and no public input. The application was “fast tracked” by the Planning Department to approve the application just 8 days before the City Council was scheduled to repeal the Safe Outdoor Spaces zoning use on August 16.

Less than a half mile from the vacant land and within walking distance from the property is Menaul School, a private boarding school for 6th to 12th graders. Directly across the street from the property is the T-Mobile Call Center and a Quality Inn & Suites. Going West on Menaul and one block from the property is Carrington College and two apartment complexes. Immediately East of the Freeway is the massive TA Travel Truck Stop on University that can accommodate parking of upwards of 150 semitrucks. Within law enforcement circles, the truck stop is known for prostitution and illicit drug activity. Immediate south of the truck stop on University Blvd is the Crown Plaza Hotel.

The vacant land borders   Sunset Memorial Park to the West.  It has been reported that workers daily patrol the cemetery grounds, monitoring the activity of homeless people who have taken to lounging in the various meditative shelters provided for grieving families. The homeless are known to use the various fountains throughout the park to wash themselves or use the fountains as a toilet, despite there being an easy-to-find portable toilets located at the northeast end of the park.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2523606/cemeteries-lament-bathing-camps-on-grounds.htm

As of August 26, eight separate appeals of the Dawn Legacy Point Safe Outdoor Spaces homeless tent encampment have been filed asking the City Planning Department to reverse its decision and deny the Safe Outdoor Space application of Dawn Legacy for 1250 Menaul. Appeals have been filed by the following parties:

1. Martineztown Santa Barbara Neighborhood Association
2. Menaul Middle School
3. Life Roots
4. Reuele Sun Corporation, a participant in the Menaul Redevelopment Area
5. Crown Plaza Hotel, a participant in the Menaul Redevelopment Area
6. T-Mobil Cell Phone Call Center
7. Sunset Memorial Cemetery
8. Greater Albuquerque Hotel and Lodging Association

OTHER APPLICATIONS PENDING

According to the Planning Department’s website, there are other organizations that have safe outdoor space applications pending with the city. As of Friday. August 26,  proposals for 512 Wheeler SE and 715 Candelaria NE were marked as “under review. ”

Three more applications are classified as “awaiting review” by the Planning Department and those locations listed are:

5915 Bluewater NW

2626 Arizona, NE

2401 University SE

Four of the 5 pending locations are church properties, with 715 Candelaria site being private property according to county property records.

The link to the city web site listing the applications is here:

https://cabq.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/768cc1b5e4404fa1a28db56c2019ee71

CITY’S HOUSING FIRST POLICY

The Keller Administration has adopted a housing first policy when it comes to dealing with the homeless crisis. The city has made a huge financial commitment to help homeless or near homeless.

This past fiscal year 2021 ending June 10, 2021, the Family and Community Services Department and the Keller Administration have spent upwards of $40 Million to benefit the homeless or near homeless. The 2021 adopted city budget for Family and Community Services Department provides for emergency shelter contracts totaling $5,688,094, affordable housing and community contracts totaling $22,531,752, homeless support services contracts totaling $3,384,212, mental health contracts totaling $4,329,452, and substance abuse contracts for counseling contracts totaling $2,586,302.

The link to the 2021-2022 city approved budget is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy22-approved-budget-numbered-w-hyperlinks-final.pdf

Mayor Keller’s 2022-2023 approved budget significantly increases the Family and Community Services budget by $24,353,064 to assist the homeless or near homeless by going from $35,145,851 to $59,498,915.

The 2022-2023 proposed budget for the Department of Community Services is $72.4 million and it will have 335 full time employees, or an increase of 22 full time employees.

A breakdown of the amounts to help the homeless and those in need of housing assistance is as follows:

$42,598,361 total for affordable housing and community contracts with a major emphasis on permanent housing for chronically homeless. It is $24,353,064 more than last year.

$6,025,544 total for emergency shelter contracts (Budget page 102.), down $396,354 from last year.

$3,773,860 total for mental health contracts (Budget page105.), down $604,244 from last year.

$4,282,794 total homeless support services, up $658,581 from last year.

$2,818,356 total substance abuse contracts for counseling (Budget page 106.), up by $288,680 from last year.

The link to the 2022-2023 budget it here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy23-proposed-final-web-version.pdf

The 2022-2023 adopted city contains $4 million in recurring funding and $2 million in one-time funding for supportive housing programs in the City’s Housing First model and $24 million in Emergency Rental Assistance from the federal government.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

With his veto and veto message, Mayor Tim Keller is essentially saying “Let the public be damned, I know what I want and what’s best for my city”. Keller no doubt thinks he is acting courageously, but what he is doing is ignoring the wishes of city residents as he tries to unilaterally enact city council policy and infringe on the preview of the city council all the while as he spends upwards of $60 million a year to deal with the homeless.   With his veto, Keller ignores that the moratorium, as well as pending repeal legislation, is a direct result of severe public backlash and outcry by city residents and neighborhood associations that refuse to support Safe Outdoor Spaces.

It was Mayor Tim Keller who in his Apri 1 proposed city buget, which was approved by the city council, that initially came up with the “Safe Outdoor Spaces” concept when he included and received city council approval of $950,000 in his 2022-2023 budget for establishment and development of the city sanction tent encampments. For Keller to say now that “reasonable time, testing and piloting has not been allowed” is ludicrous and just false seeing as his Family and Community Services Department has been working behind the scenes and behind closed for over a year to get them up and running.

Albuquerque City Counselor Brook Bassan, who initially supported Safe Outdoor Spaces but the reversed herself because of constituent backlash, said it best when she cited public outcry as a major factor in her own backtracking and said this:

“Working to allow these safe outdoor spaces to happen is saying that we do not pay attention to the majority of Albuquerque residents who are saying they don’t want these and they don’t need them because we need to come up with a different solution, whatever that may look like.”

The millions being spent each year by the city to deal with the homeless with the “housing first” policy should be more than sufficient to deal with housing the homeless, yet Keller demands and want more from the public.  Safe Outdoor spaces encampments violates the city’s “housing first” policy by not providing a form of permanent housing and with reliance on temporary housing.

Safe Outdoor Spaces are not the answer to the homeless crisis. “Safe Outdoor Spaces” will be a disaster for the city as a whole. They will destroy neighborhoods, make the city a magnet for the homeless and destroy the city’s efforts to manage the homeless through housing.

The homeless crisis will not be solved by the city, but it can and must be managed. Safe Outdoor Spaces represent a very temporary place to pitch a tent, relieve oneself, bathe and sleep at night with rules that will not likely be followed. The answer is to provide the support services, including food and permanent lodging, and mental health care needed to allow the homeless to turn their lives around, become productive self-sufficient citizens and no longer dependent on relatives or others.

With his veto of the Safe Outdoor Space moratorium, Mayor Keller has lost credibility and public trust because of his stubbornness.  What Mayor Tim Keller has done is to try and cram Safe Outdoor Spaces down the throats of the City Council who are the policy makers as well as the community as a whole to promote his own political agenda.

Mayor Tim Keller has mishandled the homeless crisis, including the closing of Coronado Park. Safe Outdoor Spaces and Coronado Park are Mayor Keller’s symbols and legacy of failure as the city deals the most the city’s most vulnerable population, the homeless.

The public needs to make their opinions known and tell the city council to override Mayor Keller’s Veto on September 7.

The email addresses and phone numbers to contact each City Councilor and the Director of Counsel services are as follows:

CITY COUNCIL PHONE: (505) 768-3100

EMAIL ADDRESSES

lesanchez@cabq.gov
louiesanchez@allstate.com
ibenton@cabq.gov
kpena@cabq.gov
bbassan@cabq.gov
danlewis@cabq.gov
LEWISABQ@GMAIL.COM
patdavis@cabq.gov
tfiebelkorn@cabq.gov
trudyjones@cabq.gov
rgrout@cabq.gov
cmelendrez@cabq.gov

 

On July 30, Dawn Legacy Point filed the first application ever for a ‘Safe Outdoor Space’ homeless encampment. The homeless encampment is intended to provide accommodations for upwards of 50 women who are homeless and who are “sex-trafficking victims” and other vulnerable populations.  The homeless encampment is  to be located on vacant land at 1250 Menaul Blvd, NE which consists of two large parcels of property owned by the city with an assess value of $4, 333,55.

On August 8, the City Planning Department approved the Dawn Legacy Point application for a Safe Outdoor Space homeless campsite at 1250 Menaul, NE for.   The City Planning Department unilaterally reviewed the application behind closed doors with no notice to surrounding businesses or neighborhood associations, no public hearing and no public input. The application was “fast tracked” by the Planning Department to approve the application just 8 days before the City Council was scheduled to repeal the Safe Outdoor Spaces zoning use on August 16.

Less than a half mile from the vacant land and within walking distance from the property is Menaul School, a private boarding school for 6th to 12th graders. Directly across the street from the property is the T-Mobile Call Center and a Quality Inn & Suites. Going West on Menaul and one block from the property is Carrington College and two apartment complexes. Immediately East of the Freeway is the massive TA Travel Truck Stop on University that can accommodate parking of upwards of 150 semitrucks. Within law enforcement circles, the truck stop is known for prostitution and illicit drug activity. Immediate south of the truck stop on University Blvd is the Crown Plaza Hotel.

The vacant land borders   Sunset Memorial Park to the West.  It has been reported that workers daily patrol the cemetery grounds, monitoring the activity of homeless people who have taken to lounging in the various meditative shelters provided for grieving families. The homeless are known to use the various fountains throughout the park to wash themselves or use the fountains as a toilet, despite there being an easy-to-find portable toilets located at the northeast end of the park.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2523606/cemeteries-lament-bathing-camps-on-grounds.htm

8 APPEALS FILED

The following parties have been identified as filing, or in the process of filing, appeals of the Dawn Legacy Point Safe Outdoor Spaces homeless tent encampment, asking the City Planning Department to reverse its decision and deny the Safe Outdoor Space application of Dawn Legacy for 1250 Menaul:

1. Martineztown Santa Barbara Neighborhood Association
2. Menaul Middle School
3. Life Roots
4. Reuele Sun Corporation, a participant in the Menaul Redevelopment Area
5. Crown Plaza Hotel, a participant in the Menaul Redevelopment Area
6. T-Mobil Cell Phone Call Center
7. Sunset Memorial Cemetery
8. Greater Albuquerque Hotel and Lodging Association

DAWN LEGACY SAFE OUTDOOR SPACE APPLICATION SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE

During the June 6, 2022 City Council meeting that approved the Safe Outdoor Space amendment to the Independent Development Ordinance (IDO), and amendment was offered and approved that prohibits sex offenders from being allowed to be tenants and the use of any Safe Outdoor Space.  The amendment also requires a 24 hour, 7 day a week on site security/administration at Safe Outdoor Space encampments.

The adopted amendment to the Integrated Development ordinance provides as follows:

“4-3(C)(9)(g) Each Safe Outdoor Space shall include a management plan or security agreement to ensure the safety of individuals occupying the designated spaces. Proof of the plan or agreement shall be required with the application for a Safe Outdoor Space. The plan or agreement shall indicate on-site support on a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week basis.  The management plan shall, at a minimum, include the following: i. No person who is a registered sex offender shall be allowed to stay in a Safe Outdoor.”  

The City of Las Cruces operates a Safe Outdoor Space encampment known as Camp Hope. Camp Hope has adopted and implemented registration forms, intake forms and promulgated extensive rules and regulations for tenants, including a security plan for its use. The Las Cruces Camp Hope rules and regulations allow sex offenders to use Safe Outdoor Space encampment so long as they registered with the Sherriff and notify schools within a mile of the encampment.

It was on August 8 that Dawn Legacy application was approved for the Safe Outdoor space.  The Dawn Legacy application attaches to it as its own adopted rules and regulations those used by the City of Las Cruces Camp Hope to operate the Dawn Legacy Safe Outdoor Spaces at 1250 Menaul, NE, thereby allowing it for use by registered sex offender.   The Dawn Legacy applications is rendered defective given that it has failed to provide rules and regulations and has failed to provide a 24/7 management plan or security agreement that is specifically tailored to the 1250 Menaul, NE encampment.

LOOPHOLE APPLICATION PERIOD AND MORITORIUM ENACTED

It was on June 6, the Albuquerque City Council enacted upwards of 100 amendments updating the Integrated Development Ordinance. The legislation passed on a 5 to 4. One of the amendments was for city sanctioned homeless encampments called “Safe Outdoor “Spaces”.

“Safe outdoor spaces” will permit 2 homeless encampments in all 9 city council disitricts with 40 designated spaces for tents, they will allow upwards of 50 people, require hand washing stations, toilets and showers, require a management plan, 6-foot fencing and social services offered. Although the Integrated Development Ordinance amendment sets a limit of two in each of the city’s 9 council districts, the cap would not apply to those hosted by religious institutions.

On June 22, just a few weeks after the Safe Outdoor Space amendment was passed, two bills were introduce, one to stop the city from accepting or approving safe outdoor space applications and the other will eliminate “safe outdoor spaces” from the zoning code altogether.

During the June 22 meeting the council did not act on the 2 bills and failed to enact the legislation that was to provide for rules and regulations promulgated by the Keller Administration for “Safe Outdoor Spaces”. June 22 was the last meeting of the City Council before it went on “summer break” until August 1.

The city council’s failure on June 22 to take any action on either the bills stopping the application process or repealing the land use resolution resulted in “Safe Outdoor Spaces” becoming a permissible land use on July 28. This allowed a very short time period of 3 weeks to allow individuals and organizations to apply for Safe Outdoor Spaces.

Any Safe Outdoor Space application the city approved could move forward because the land use locks in at the time of a completed application. Complicating matters and making things even worse for the city council is that Mayor Tim Keller out maneuvered the city council and refused to issue a suspension or moratorium on the applications to give the City Council time to reconsider and repeal the Safe Outdoor Space IDO Amendment.

CITY COUNCIL ENACTS MORITORIUM

On Monday, August 15, the Albuquerque City Council passed on a 6 to 3 vote a moratorium that bars the City Planning Department from accepting or approving any pending applications for Safe Outdoor Spaces. Under the legislation, a complete moratorium is in effect until August 1, 2023, unless the City Council enacts a separate bill removing them totally from the zoning code.

Before passing the moratorium legislation, the City Council amended the bill to ensure that the moratorium stopped the City Planning Department from approving any “pending” applications and to add language stopping the city from authorizing any “Safe Outdoor Space” on city property.  The prohibition to stop the city from authorizing “Safe Outdoor Spaces” on city own property was likely in reaction in part to the City Planning Department approving a Safe Outdoor Space Homeless campsite application made by Dawn Legacy Point to be located at 1250 Menaul Blvd, NE.

The tent encampment is to be located on two parcels of city own open space lots at 1250 Menaul, NE. The city sanctioned encampment is intended to provide accommodations for “sex-trafficking victims” and other vulnerable populations.

Still pending before the city council is another resolution that will totally eliminate and prohibit “Safe Outdoor Spaces” from the Integrated Development Ordinance altogether. The City Council will likely vote on the legislation eliminating or prohibiting Safe Outdoor Spaces from the IDO within a month to 6 weeks.

Under the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO), appeals of zoning application approvals must be filed within 15 days from when an application is approved and the dealine for filing an appeal was  within 30 days of filing of the appeal, the city must hold on the appeal.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

This entire sordid mess involving the Dawn Legacy application approval amounts to nothing more than “LET THE PUBLIC BE DAMNED” by the Keller Administration.   It is a very sad commentary when at least 8 appeals have been generated for appellants to jump through loopholes to appeal a decision by the City Planning Department.  Sources have also confirmed that the Planning Department resisted taking the appeal filings and went so far as telling applicants they did not have the proper forms or did not have standing to appeal.

There is no getting around it. What the Planning Department did does not pass the smell test. The Dawn Legacy application approval was as sneaky and underhanded as it gets. The planning Department decided it had the authority to simply grant the application before the City Council votes to repeal Safe Outdoor Spaces on August 15.

With acquiescence from Mayor Tim Keller, the Planning Department approved the Safe Outdoor Space on city owned property valued at $4,333,500 to be operated by Dawn Legacy Point and subsidized by the City to house women in tents who are victims of “sex trafficking and exploitation”. It is something that progressive Democrat Keller should be absolutely ashamed of with “sex trafficking and exploitation” victims being housed in tents as a housing solution thereby being exploited again by denying them proper housing.

What is being created at 1205 Menaul, NE is a location for victims to become victims once again. The actual location is troubling and has the potential of becoming a magnet for crime, prostitution or illicit drug trade. It’s located in close proximity to a truck stop known amongst law enforcement for prostitution and illicit drug activity.

It’s directly across the street from a major call center, a motel suite and is walking distance of Menaul Boarding School and apartments. Occupants of the ‘Safe Outdoor Space’ are obviously not confined and would be free to go and come as they pleased and could easily wind up uninvited wherever they want to go. This includes the truck stop and disrupting the peaceful use and enjoyment at nearby locations or engaging in illicit activity.

Safe Outdoor Spaces are not the answer to the homeless crisis. “Safe Outdoor Spaces” will be a disaster for the city as a whole. They will destroy neighborhoods, make the city a magnet for the homeless and destroy the city’s efforts to manage the homeless through housing.

The homeless crisis will not be solved by the city, but it can and must be managed. Safe Outdoor Spaces represent a very temporary place to pitch a tent, relieve oneself, bathe and sleep at night with rules that will not likely be followed. The answer is to provide the support services, including food and permanent lodging, and mental health care needed to allow the homeless to turn their lives around, become productive self-sufficient citizens and no longer dependent on relatives or others.

Mayor Keller has lost credibility and public trust.  What Mayor Tim Keller has done is to cram Safe Outdoor Spaces down the throats of surrounding property owners. Mayor Tim Keller has mishandled the homeless crisis, including the closing of Coronado Park. Safe Outdoor Spaces and Coronado Park are Mayor Keller’s symbols and legacy of failure as the city deals the most vulnerable homeless population, female victims of “sex-trafficking”.