City of Albuquerque prepares for cold front moving into New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Temperatures are cold across New Mexico and are expected to drop even lower. For many, that means layering up and putting the heat on in your house. But for thousands of New Mexicans, they don’t have that luxury. So leaders with the City of Albuquerque are trying to help out. 

Right now, the city’s cold weather sheltering plan is in place. Meaning, more beds and shelters are available to anyone who needs it. But according to the city’s shelter bed tracker, Gateway Center, Gateway West and Family Gateway are all full. 

Gateway West is even over capacity, with the site saying -83 beds are available. But some Gateway services are being converted to make more beds available, like the first responder receiving area.  

City leaders also explained they work with partners to make sure they can fulfill their promise of providing a warm place and bed for every person who needs it. 

“Anyone that asks for a bed, either we’re asking them, or if they’re calling us, we’ll make a warm bed available,” CABQ Director of Communications Staci Drangmeister said. 

As temperatures drop, city workers are trying to make sure everyone has a warm place to go or at least some warm clothes.

“First responders are out handing out coats, socks, warm clothing to people that need them. Anyone that would like to donate, we would love your support,” Drangmeister said. 

Drangmeister explained some of the top priorities right now are things like coats, sweatpants, gloves, beanies and more. But as first responders hand items out, they’re also trying to encourage people to go to shelters as temperatures become life-threatening. 

“It’s important for everyone to know that the cold, and when it’s wet especially, can be really dangerous. Look out for your community, both housed and unhoused,” Drangmeister said. 

Under the cold weather sheltering plan, the city works to free up even more beds than it currently has. 

“The Gateway Center is one of the places within our emergency sheltering plan that we can add additional capacity so we can add temporary beds as the need might expand,” she explained. 

As the city’s shelters fill up, Drangmeister said they’ll tap into their network of partners to add beds. 

“Gateway West is closing in on capacity, but there are partner organizations, and then the city has plans in place and is committed,” Drangmeister said. 

The shelters and beds are also open to anyone who is cold, not only people facing homelessness. 

“By law, your landlord has to give you adequate heating. So, if you’re a renter and that’s not the case. [We] encourage you to call 311, and report it, because everyone should absolutely have access to a heater that’s going to work and keep you warm,” she said. 

According to the city’s website, 1,199 beds are in use and 85 available. But if those run out. Drangmeister says they’ll continue to find more beds or set up cots in the shelters.  

If you need a place to warm up during the day or if you lose power, you can go to any of the city’s facilities like a community center. Drangmeister says they’ll open up warming centers as needed. 

You can call ACS at (505) 768-4227. For transportation to a shelter between 8:00p.m. and 7:00a.m., call the ACS emergency after-hours transportation service at (505) 418-6178. You can also call 311 for help. 

To donate clothes, click here.