Latest news with #CharlieVerploegh
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Three homeless people have been killed in Albuquerque since May
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Three homeless people have been murdered in three months here in the metro, and people who work with the homeless in Albuquerque are concerned. Being homeless in Albuquerque can be hard; it can also be dangerous. 'Unfortunately, this community is extremely vulnerable. They're outside, they have a lot less resources, and it can just be a really challenging environment to navigate,' said Charlie Verploegh, Deputy Director, Social Services and Connections with Health, Housing, and Homelessness. Story continues below Film: These 2010s movies and shows were filmed in Albuquerque. Have you seen them? New Mexico News Insiders: Addressing Education With New Mexico's Lt. Governor New Mexico Crime Files: Mother high on fentanyl nearly kills crossing guard sees no jail time News: Study gives recommendations on how ABQ Ride can improve safety on buses People who work with the homeless said they've noticed a rash of crimes against people on the streets. In May, two teenagers are accused of killing a homeless man who was found dead inside of tent behind an apartment on Carlisle Blvd. Surveillance video shows the teens walking by the man's tents shortly before shots were fired. A month later, in June, a different group of five teens went to a gas station where police said they tried to rob homeless people for gas money. It turned into a shoot-out with a bystander, and a homeless woman was shot and killed. In July, a 16-year-old is facing charges for chasing, shooting, and killing homeless man near Menual Blvd. and Eubank Blvd. Police believe this teen was also tied to a crime in Santa Fe, where a group attacked a pregnant woman and her family the same day. 'It's heartbreaking to hear about violent crime being committed against unhoused individuals,' said Verploegh. The City of Albuquerque's Department of Health, Housing, and Homelessness said they work in collaboration with Albuquerque police and Albuquerque Community Safety to address issues like this. They said their Gateway Shelter has been serving up to 660 people a night, more than they've seen in past years, crediting some of that to improvements at the facility. 'We've just done all kinds of things to create safety, so places where people can lock their belongings, we have cameras in the facility, we have security in the facility, we have lots of staff,' said Verploegh. The city is also pushing for more Safe Outdoor Spaces for those not wanting to stay at a shelter. 'I think sometimes violence can surround people that are unsheltered, sometimes it's something that's directed towards them, not created because of them,' said Verploegh. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
New dashboard will show where Albuquerque housing voucher money is being spent
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The goal? A more transparent way to see how the city is spending money to house the homeless. That's what a group is working toward as Albuquerque overhauls the system behind millions of dollars in housing vouchers. Story continues below Education: ABQ high school teacher introduces students to Mexican folk healing Crime: Suspect in custody after fleeing from police in a U-Haul with people in the back Don't Miss: APD arrests mother for shooting death of 2-year-old son 'Being able to streamline and create a voucher system that helps people,, is something that we need right now, today,' said Charlie Verploegh, Deputy Director of Homeless Services Connections. It's been three months since the city started its work revamping the system funding housing for those living on the streets. It comes after Albuquerque city councilor Renee Grout called for more transparency from the city, which spends roughly $8 million on housing vouchers, which is managed by a handful of non-profit groups. 'Last year, we found that there were a lot of vouchers that have gone unused, and that's not a good thing either, so they weren't getting to the people that needed them,' said Grout. A new report delivered to Albuquerque City Council this week outlined the city's plan for a newer voucher task force, which over the next year will create a new public-facing dashboard to show people where and how housing voucher funding is being used. 'Everybody can get on that dashboard, be able to understand how are vouchers being distributed, what does that look like, how many people are being served? So, for example, right now, 803 people are being served on vouchers. We don't have that information readily available to our public,' said Verploegh. The city said other states like Colorado have similar dashboards that they're looking for inspiration from. The city also hopes other non-profits will use the revamped system to figure out how they can better serve those who need help. 'Being able to work on strategies to addressing needs for unsheltered people, giving them vouchers is one of those key components of addressing that need and that longer-term goal of getting people off the streets into housing and to their next step to be part of our community,' said Verploegh. The working group is expected to take the next year to implement the housing voucher overhaul. The hope is to get the public dashboard up by January. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
