On Wednesday night, Santa Fe City Council approved consideration of five city-owned properties for new micro-communities which provide transitional housing for Santa Fe's homeless.
In January of this year, City Council approved $2 million to purchase new pallet shelters for use at sites approved by the city.
But securing the funds and purchasing pallet shelters may be the easy part.
Of the five sites being considered, the city anticipates selecting 2-3 sites to become Santa Fe's newest micro-communities.
Public engagement will play a key role in site selection.
Henri Hammond-Paul, the city's director of community health and safety, says Santa Fe is committeed to meaningful public engagement with neighbors who live near the sites under consideration.
"A big part of this work is working with communities to engage with them, to hear their concerns, and to allow the communities themselves to own the process of hosting a site and embracing this opportunity to be supportive of their neighbors," Hammond-Paul says.
The city's process will focus on greater public awareness and education about micro-communities; district-level discussions with elected officials and community leaders; and direct conversations with nearby neighbors.
Importantly, the city will also need to find ways to address identified issues and potential concerns in order to successsfully site Santa Fe's newest micro-communities.
