ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The housing crisis is a major issue in Albuquerque, but so is the drug epidemic. Now, there’s a project in the works that aims to tackle both. 

Pallet homes are coming to our city. It’s something we’ve seen before in Santa Fe. 10 homes opened up there back in March for the city’s first safe outdoor space.

KOB 4 found out how Albuquerque is taking the concept and expanding it.

The city plans on having even more homes than Santa Fe. Come next year, the city will have 46 pallet homes, which will be able to house 50 people.

Another major aspect will be a focus on substance abuse recovery. The Health, Housing and Homelessness Department saw the need for housing and recovery is higher in Albuquerque than Santa Fe.

While 50 doesn’t seem like much, it’ll go a long way.

“It won’t be able to serve every single person in the community, but it’ll be able to be a very big help to what is currently there aren’t enough supportive services,” said Charlie Verploegh, deputy director of the city’s Health Housing & Homelessness Department of Social Services & Connections. 

50 people will soon be on the path to sobriety and permanent housing through the city’s latest project: Recovery Gateway.

“It’s a micro community that provides services and housing for individuals that are experiencing homelessness and also are recovering from a substance use disorder,” said Verploegh. 

City leaders recently broke ground at the site on Pan American freeway.

Verploegh explained it’s being funded by $5 million from the federal opioid settlement and $800,000 from Bernalillo County.

“The opioid settlement agreement is going to be used over a period of two years for this particular project, and what it’s going to cover is the construction of the facility itself,” said Verploegh. 

An empty lot will be turned into 46 pallet homes, four of which will be used for couples. Verploegh says that can make all the difference.

“Sometimes we see that people face accessible barriers to the program because they don’t want to leave their loved ones. They don’t want to leave their pets. Those are the things that are most helpful for helping them stay sober,” Verploegh said. 

Residents will also be able to stay up to two years in the homes, which Verploegh explained could give them a better chance at long-term sobriety.

“We find when people stay sober for 18 to 24 months, they’re much more likely to maintain that sobriety long term,” said Verploegh.

A two-year program for 50 people will certainly be helpful, but Verploegh says the city knows it’s not enough.

“We want to give them that long term capacity and stability. That said, if they can transition out in a shorter period of time, we want to be able to do that so that we can serve the larger need in our community,” said Verploegh. 

Construction is underway to get the site ready for the homes to be delivered.

The city expects Gateway Recovery to be up and running early next year. Once it’s ready, they’ll start accepting clients.