City Meeting the Need Through Gateway Network During Cold Snap
Albuquerque—Freezing temperatures have arrived in the metro, and the City of Albuquerque is responding to the needs of our unhoused community. The City will continue to offer a bed and shelter to anyone who needs it and is ready to expand capacity as temperatures drop.
Our Cold Weather Sheltering Plan is a collaborative approach that leverages City resources in the Gateway Network. On Sunday and Monday night, Gateway West served 700 people, reaching capacity and triggering overflow sheltering at Gateway Center. During that time, Gateway Center served 60 people in the First Responder Receiving Area and additional space in the facility to get folks out of the cold.
The Department of Senior Affairs is providing warm meals at the Gateway Center. Coats and other clothing are also available to those who need them.
If additional beds are needed, warming centers would then be opened at other city facilities to ensure anyone who wants to get out of the cold has a warm place to go. The Shelter Connect Dashboard is updated every evening with the latest numbers at all City shelters.
“Just a few years ago, our unsheltered neighbors didn’t have a safe space to go on cold winter nights,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “Now, through our Gateway network, and the ACS, there’s a warm place for people to go and transportation to get them there.”
“Life-threatening freezing conditions are settling into the metro, and we are committed to minimizing risk to our unsheltered community by providing necessary shelter and resources,” said Health Housing and Homelessness Director Gilbert Ramirez. “Through a renovated Gateway West and additional resources, we are confident in our ability to meet the needs of our unsheltered community.”
Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) continues to operate its after-hours transportation service. Between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., the public can call (505) 418-6178 to request transportation. ACS will give people a ride to a shelter and a warm bed. Since November 1, more than 1,689 individuals have been transported to shelter.
"As the temperatures begin to plummet, our transportation service becomes more vital," said Walter Adams, ACS Deputy Director of Field Operations. "As the cold intensifies, we remain committed to providing a lifeline for those in need, making sure no one has to endure the elements alone."
This year, the Health, Housing and Homelessness staff is collecting donations of warm clothing items for first responders to hand out to individuals. To donate, fill out the form on our website, which also has a list of needed items.
When winter sheltering is in effect, each of these efforts will be reflected on an alert banner on the City of Albuquerque website.
Find more information at cabq.gov/hhh