Kai Porter
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Normally you'd think a neighborhood association would be against opening up a homeless shelter right next to people's homes, but not in southeast Albuquerque.
Joanne Landry, president of the Trumbull Village Neighborhood Association and pastor of the Interfaith Bible Center, wants to turn a foreclosed, abandoned, and run-down home into a homeless day shelter.
"Our vision is to put showers in here, to put washers and dryers, to have an additional sack lunch type of program, recovery programs to allow people to understand there are other options," Landry said.
Twice a week, Landry feeds the homeless inside her church across the street from the property. For the past five years, the church has also been running a diversion program to help people get back on their feet.
Landry said by opening up a day shelter, she'll be able to help even more people.
"We have seen women who are not prostituting anymore, who are not on heroin anymore, they're wanting again to become mothers and are fighting for their kids again that have maybe been taken away," she said. "So we're seeing all these amazing things happening."
Landry and the neighborhood association are working with the city on ways to purchase and renovate the property as soon as possible.
KOB asked Landry if any neighbors have raised concerns that a day shelter could attract even more homeless people to the area.
"No, nothing yet," said Landry. "It might happen. But they're already here. I think it's very evident that they're already here. What can we do to help them? Maybe connect them with more programs. Maybe help them get off the streets."
At an annual meeting with other neighborhood associations Thursday night, Landry said the plan received overwhelming support.
