The Santa Fe Governing Body has approved a pilot agreement with Christ Lutheran Church and The Life Link to provide housing for the homeless.
The Safe Outdoor Space, or SOS project features 10 dwellings known as “pallet shelters” that are eight feet by eight feet and will be placed at Christ Lutheran Church.
One built and installed the shelters will include space for two people, insulated walls, electricity, heating and cooling, and a locking door.
Santa Fe Director of Community Health and Safety Kyra Ochoa says the SOS project is an important option for people struggling with homelessness.
“It’s a complex issue and we appreciate so much the (City) Council’s support on getting these many projects off the ground,” she said. “It’s a bold vision. A lot of people would have just said, ‘no, this is too hard or this is too innovative or this pushes the boundaries too much,’ and you all have not done that. I really thank (the Governing Body) from the bottom of my heart for being the compassionate representatives of our community.”
The name "pallet" refers to the modular design of the dwellings and the ability for the units to be deconstructed onto pallets for easier transportation.
The Life Link will provide supportive services and navigation to housing.
The housing site aims to provide unhoused individuals with a place to safely reside, have their basic human needs met, and connect them with community resources that will help them achieve long-term stability and a pathway toward permanent housing.
Additional housing initiative partner organizations include the Santa Fe Community Foundation, Thornburg Foundation, Santa Fe County, and the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness.
