Governor’s Albuquerque town hall focuses on housing issues • Source New Mexico

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham participated in a six-hour town hall meeting where she heard concerns from the public about various issues in Albuquerque. Local residents raised concerns about mental health treatment, unfair evictions, lack of communication from government offices, and visible poverty in their neighborhoods. The governor was joined by a panel of elected and appointed officials to address these concerns.
During the meeting, audience members suggested putting people with substance use disorders or mental illnesses in the Metropolitan Detention Center for rehabilitation and job training. However, some attendees expressed concerns about stigmatizing and criminalizing poverty and mental illness. Lujan Grisham insisted that her legislative agenda is not meant to stigmatize these issues but to address the intersection of poverty, homelessness, and mental health.
Despite differing opinions from the audience, Lujan Grisham emphasized the need for resources to build facilities that go beyond traditional shelters and jails to provide long-term assistance to those in need. The governor acknowledged challenges in getting individuals to engage with these programs but stressed the importance of finding solutions to lift people up from these intersecting issues. The town hall meeting highlighted the complex challenges facing the community and the ongoing efforts to address them.

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