City of Española taking down homeless camp it set up in February
ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Española says it is working to close an encampment for unhoused individuals that was set up on city property. The city itself set up the camp in February to help the unhoused deal with winter temperatures.
“The people were being displaced in winter. We knew we needed to help because of the dangers of the cold weather in northern New Mexico,” Española Mayor John Ramon Vigil said in a press release. “We told the people we would set up something right away where they would be able to stay temporarily to get through winter.”
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The decision to close the city-sanctioned camp came after input from residents. “We held a townhall meeting and the overwhelming consensus was that the location is no longer working. Residents in the area are overwhelmed, we’re starting to experience the spread of trash and debris beyond the area we’re maintaining, and now we’re facing the spring runoff effect on the river volume. This was a temporary solution that is no longer sustainable at that site,” City Manager Eric Lujan said in a press release.
Now, the city says it’s been in contact with about 30 individuals as they work to disband the camp. The camp is set to be removed by June 1, the city says.
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