Sept. 16, 2021 Community Hall Newsletter
Hello Albuquerque,
As we approach the end of summer, there is much to be grateful for. I’m thankful for our kids being back in school, in person, and our wonderful educators who guide them everyday. I’m thankful for the opportunities we have to come together as a community, like the New Mexico State Fair, Lobos wins, and Balloon Fiesta around the corner. And I’m thankful for everyone who continues to make smart decisions to keep one another safe and healthy, like getting the vaccine, staying home when they are sick, and getting tested.
As we near fall, we continue to tackle priority issues in our City, and I am incredibly hopeful about the progress we are making to create a safer, more inclusive Albuquerque. Last week, we wrapped our Metro Crime Initiative (MCI) meetings in which we brought leaders and experts from across the criminal justice system together to lay out the tangible ways we can fight crime, together and from all sides. In the coming days, we will present the agenda developed through MCI—action items that we will pursue now to make real fixes to a broken criminal justice system in the short term.
I know that homelessness and lack of affordable housing is a challenge many are thinking about, and like crime, we’re tackling the problem from different angles. It’s why our administration has committed more to housing than ever in Albuquerque’s history. In addition to the Gateway Center moving closer to operation, this week, I overviewed ABQ at Home, our $550 million 4-pronged approach to housing access and affordability. From building hundreds of new affordable and market-rate housing units, to increasing our investment in supportive housing vouchers by 73%, and providing grants to help Burqueño’s with home repairs and renovations; we’re helping families find and keep their homes.
Thank you Albuquerque, for all you do to make our City a great place to live. If you’re able to get involved, I invite you to visit ChooseOne.us to find a way you can give back. Whether you’re looking for a new job and would like to serve, or can volunteer your time, I encourage you to choose one thing you can do to make a positive impact.
-Mayor Tim Keller
This week, Mayor Tim Mayor Keller announced:
- Mayor Keller Rolls Out “ABQ at Home” Initiative
- Mayor’s Metro Crime Initiative Concludes Final Session, “Calling in backup: Career Pipelines” as Communities Grapple with Staffing and Morale Issues
- Over $4 Million Available to Communities Overlooked by Federal Stimulus
- Small Business and Entrepreneurial Recovery Grants
- Sign up for the Fall Cleanup, Company’s Comin’!
- Work for the City You Love