Bernalillo County commissioners Tuesday reaffirmed support for an effort to combat the local homelessness problem, despite voting to move money they had designated for it elsewhere.
At their regular meeting, commissioners decided to redistribute $600,000 that had been earmarked for a pallet-home campus planned by the City of Albuquerque. City leaders envision the pallet homes as a transitional recovery site for those seeking treatment for substance abuse issues.
Denise Benavidez, principal financial analyst with the county’s finance division, said the county initially planned to use American Rescue Plan Act money for the program but it must be budgeted by Dec. 31, and spent by the end of 2026, under the terms of the federal law authorizing the grant.
The motion approved by commissioners will move that money to an as-yet undetermined project.
Benavidez told commissioners that Interim County Manager Shirley Ragin plans to tap the general fund for the pallet-home program instead.
Commission Vice Chair Eric Olivas noted his support for the homes.
“I think [it’s] a really important project,” Olivas said. “As I’ve seen this project evolve and mature, this is a fairly cost-effective way to get a door that locks and a roof over people’s heads.”
The county already operates the Tiny Home Village transitional housing community near Central Avenue and Texas Street in Southeast Albuquerque.
The Albuquerque City Council in April voted to create a 50-unit community of the small portable homes on a former state Motor Vehicle Division site on Pan American Freeway NE just north of Candelaria Road. The $5 million allocated by the City comes from the opioid settlement funds.
Read more about that project here.
The county allocated $800,000 for the city’s project, initially including the ARPA money that is now headed elsewhere.