ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – For years now, residents and business owners alike have been raising concerns about safety and homelessness in downtown Albuquerque.

There is a monthly meeting for downtown residents and business owners, but it was a little different on Monday night.

Mayor Tim Keller came down to the Main Library to answer any questions people may have. A lot of those centered around safety and how the city can help revitalize downtown to bring more people out.

While Keller addressed these questions and talked about current and future projects, some residents just felt like it was lip service.

“I’ve kind of heard it before, and I think that they need to step it up a little bit,” said Susan Herbert, who lives downtown.

Herbert has lived downtown for almost a decade.

“I’ve seen no movement,” said Herbert. 

One of her biggest concerns is the overpass near the Alvarado Transportation Center.

“They’re not working on the overpass. Everybody has to use the underpass,” Herbert said. “If you get the guts and walk through it, they’re openly doing drugs. They’re shooting up. They’re either in huffing, they’re doing all of those things. They’re urinating, defecating. I’ve seen it all, and I live here, so I’m pretty hardened to it, but imagine a tourist coming.”

“We want to give downtown its power back,” said Keller.

It’s called Heartbeat of the City: Departments Dive Into Downtown. Keller explained what projects are underway, including getting rid of the underpass pedestrian walkway.

“We just have to get a gazillion approvals, and those approvals have to go through their own approval process. And so it is pushing forward, but it is slow-going, no doubt about that. But that project is essentially on track,” said Keller.

Neighbors came to bring their concerns, including Herbert, who asked about the overpass and underpass.

“It needs to be cleaned twice a day and patrolled constantly,” Herbert said. 

APD Lt. Ashley Stephenson addressed that concern and explained APD has units that specifically work downtown and check the bridge.

“They are doing the same locations over and over and over again, and then they relocate them, and they a short time later, return,” said Stephenson. “If they’re blocking the sidewalk, then they get cited for that. So we are citing folks a lot.”

After hearing what they had to say, Herbert said she was glad they came out but wants to see more.

“He did address that and say, ‘Oh, it’s going to take until next year,’ which means we have a tunnel that needs to be addressed for one year,” Herbert said.

Herbert explained she knows many of the people facing homelessness downtown, and knows there needs to be a multifaceted approach.

“We need to get something to get them into rehab. I don’t feel like just giving housing will help. They need help,” said Herbert said. 

One of the projects that the mayor says is wrapping up soon is the Arrive Hotel. It’s taking over the historic 1965 Downtowner Motor Inn on 8th and Central.

It’s expected to bring in 75 jobs. Keller says it should wrap up in about a month or so.