SANTA FE, N.M. – The idea for safe outdoor spaces was shot down multiple times in Albuquerque, but up in Santa Fe they are well on the way to opening up their version of a safe outdoor space.

Once construction is finished, they could house up to 20 people at Christ Lutheran Church. The 10 pallet shelters have all been set up in the church’s north parking lot.

“What is different about the safe outdoor space is that individuals do have the space to themselves, the pallet shelters to themselves,” said Paris Rubio, a safe outdoor space site coordinator.  

So far, they have clients lined up to move into each pallet shelter. Some will be by themselves, and others will share the space with their significant other — something that wouldn’t be possible at a traditional shelter.

“We are low barrier. We are looking at clients who can’t be successful at a regular shelter because of their substance use. A lot of the shelters here don’t accept couples they separate them, or they don’t accept pets, we are accepting all of that,” said Rubio. 

But low barrier doesn’t mean rule free.

“We do have specific rules clients need to follow from keeping the camp clean, picking up after yourself,” Rubio said. 

Clients will still be required to participate in shelter activities like therapy and going through the process of getting their IDs. Eventually, giving them the tools they need to find permanent housing.

“We are really excited for the clients to move in, get them out of survival mode, get them off the street and into a community,” said Rubio. 

Rubio expects to move in clients in the next two weeks.