Unhoused to be offered jobs with Duke City Ambassadors

Mayor Tim Keller outlined Friday the revival of a former outreach program that employs those experiencing homelessness with beautification-related jobs like cleaning streets and sidewalks and removing weeds.

The “Better Way Forward” program will initially employ 10 people in the Duke City Community Ambassadors program, which is overseen by the Solid Waste Management Department. Ambassadors are often spotted in the city’s Downtown and Uptown areas wearing bright yellow shirts while walking streets and sidewalks with brooms and trash bins.

Potential employees will be identified from clients at the Gateway Center at Gibson Health Hub and Gateway West, formerly the Westside Emergency Housing Center.

The program is expected to begin within the next 90 days. Keller is set to present a finalized program budget to the City Council later this month.

The program is partly a response to chronic panhandling. City officials and homeless advocates say the vast majority of those experiencing homelessness want to work — a crucial step for building self-esteem and achieving stable housing.

“It’s important that people work — panhandling is work — but it doesn’t contribute to society,” City Councilor Renée Grout said. “I think that when we all work, we’d like to feel good about the jobs we’re doing.”

Grout was the force on the City Council to bring the program back. She was joined by Keller and other officials at a morning news conference Downtown.

After a probationary period with the Duke City Ambassadors, participants will be vetted for regular positions.

“That team is hiring and expanding all over the city, and they already work with folks who are dealing with unhoused challenges and situations — so they’re the right entity to connect people with an actual job if it works out,” Keller said.

Berry version 2.0

“Better Way Forward” is based on former Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry’s nationally recognized “There’s a Better Way” initiative that started in 2015, but ended in 2020.

Read more about the former program here. 

“It’s sort of a rejuvenation of an oldie but goodie that we’re bringing back better,” Keller said. “Today is a ray of hope for individuals experiencing unhoused situations, but also for our city.” 

Keller said while Berry’s program was innovative and a success, there were some improvements that were needed — like connecting participants with services and offering the potential of a full-time job. 

Officials said those employed will be paid minimum wage ($12 an hour) and offered banking, financial literacy, health care, housing vouchers and other case management services.

Keller said the services provided at the Gateway Center and Gateway West have become more critical in recent years with the explosion of fentanyl use and other drug addiction.

“That is much, much higher than it was, so there are some additional safety concerns that we had to work through,” Keller said. “We had situations where folks were working for a day or two or a week, but they weren’t connected to other services.”