ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been almost a decade since Albuquerque got national acclaim for a program paying the homeless to work for the city. While that effort faded away, now the city is bringing it back hoping to help more people looking for work and a way off the streets. “There’s always a continuum of need of support for those that are unhoused,” said City of Albuquerque Health, Housing and Homelessness Director, Gilbert Ramirez.
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The latest effort from the city now has them bringing back a program giving the unhoused a day job. “We’re excited about the opportunity to look at a pilot and look at a budget, what would that cost and hopefully get the support we need not only for the funding implementation but something sustainable for the long term,” said Ramirez.
Albuquerque City Council just approved a resolution to restart a day labor program that would link the homeless with steady work.
The concept may sound familiar. Back in 2015, Mayor Richard Berry started it with the program There’s a Better Way. That lasted for a few years before another small program also came and went. “Pivoting off of the two previous programs we have I think there’s a lot of lessons learned,” said Ramirez.
Ramirez says past programs had trouble getting people to and from jobs and, the jobs the city was offering were limited.
“The previous program we had worked a lot with Solid Waste without a doubt. we want them to be a partner and they actually already have a few vans in place that we could utilize,” said Ramirez.
This time around, they want to bring in jobs with more city departments like Parks and Recreation and public libraries. “There’s always a need for additional support in some of our department areas so maybe this is a bridge to allow folks to do that work and also introduce them into some other type of job experience,” said Ramirez.
He says they aren’t closing the door on outside opportunities. “What we can control is our own internal avenues and then we can build upon, so nothing is off the table,” said Ramirez.
The city is still in the early planning stages for the new pilot but Ramirez says their goal is clear. “It’s addressing a gap area. Sometimes individuals have strikes against them that don’t allow them into quick employment right, whether that’s a criminal history, perhaps an addiction or substance use issue and it shouldn’t be a barrier for you to be able to find some money, put some money away and then start saving for a better solution,” said Ramirez.
The city has 60 days to come up with an outline that city council will eventually approve.
