A nationally recognized initiative that provides day labor jobs for those experiencing homelessness has made a comeback in Albuquerque.
The idea is based on former Mayor Richard Berry’s “There’s a Better Way” program, which first launched in 2014. Officials said it fills an urgent need in the face of record levels of homelessness across the city.
The Albuquerque City Council voted 8 to 1 at its June 3 meeting to authorize its return. City Councilor Klarissa Peña, without comment, was the sole dissenting vote. The city’s Health, Housing & Homelessness Department now has 60 days to coordinate a pilot program and submit a budget — including how much workers will be paid — to the city council.
Reinstatement of the program, which ended in 2020, is also supported by Mayor Tim Keller’s administration. Spokesperson Staci Drangmeister said the reason it ended under his watch was due to complications from the pandemic and operational issues with a contractor.
Under both the Berry and Keller administrations, the program was considered a success. The city reports that between 2015 and 2018 it provided nearly 7,000 jobs to those who were unsheltered, living on the street and often panhandling.
City Councilors Renée Grout and Dan Champine sponsored the bill to bring the program back. They expect the city to identify appropriate day labor jobs through collaboration with nonprofits and businesses that need extra help. Grout said there are also city departments like Solid Waste and Parks & Recreation in need of extra hands.
“There will always be a need for workers who are willing and able to beautify our city, and this is a way for people to improve our community and feel a sense of pride in a job well done,” Grout said just before the vote.
The positions are meant to be fit for those who aren’t yet in the right conditions for a steady 9 to 5 job, but need some encouragement and motivation.
“Some people aren’t ready for a full-time job, but might be ready for a day or two [of work]. It might be just what they need to get to that next step of a part-time job that can lead to a full-time job,” Grout said. “It gives them a hand up.”
The program is also intended to serve as a step toward breaking the cycle of homelessness, providing more stable finances and offering access to support services like case management.
“Gainful and stable employment can improve an individual’s outlook on life,” Champine said in a statement. “This program can help them rebuild their lives and improve their self-esteem and become self-sufficient.”
The idea was first set in motion after Berry drove around the city to talk to panhandlers about their circumstances. He reported that the majority of those he talked to didn’t wish to be on city sidewalks and at intersections begging for money, but weren’t sure what to do. Berry eventually directed a city van to pick up and transport the panhandlers to litter pickup and weed removal jobs.
The jobs paid $9 an hour at the time and included lunch. After their shifts, the workers were transported to the city’s overnight shelters, where they were offered wraparound services.
To read the full City Council bill, click here.
Yay!