U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury and Gabriel “Gabe” Vasquezannounced $16 million in federal grants earmarked for 28 nonprofit organizations across New Mexico that offer services to homeless individuals and families. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will administer the grants. Vasquez, who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, told reporters during a press conference […]
U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury and Gabriel “Gabe” Vasquezannounced $16 million in federal grants earmarked for 28 nonprofit organizations across New Mexico that offer services to homeless individuals and families.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will administer the grants. Vasquez, who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, told reporters during a press conference in Albuquerque that the grant opportunity will enable the nonprofit recipients to budget accordingly but that there is no current timeline for when the funds will be distributed.
Both are Democrats.
“We’ll have to follow up with HUD,” he said.
Stansbury, who represents the state’s 1st Congressional District, spoke of some of the problems of housing and why there are critical affordable housing shortages. She said one issue occurring nationwide is the ability of private corporations to buy up low-income housing to turn the homes into investment properties or for use as rentals through platforms such as AirBnB.
“Housing is a human right and should be available for everyone. They should not have the ability to buy up affordable housing and use it for profit,” Stansbury said.
Stansbury said the Biden administration and Democratic members of Congress are trying to address the issue. She said that a problem occurring in Albuquerque is an increased number of unit owners who are unwilling to allow families who have housing vouchers to use them and move in.
Stansbury said that Democratic state Reps. Andrea Romero, of Santa Fe, and Angelica Rubio, of Las Cruces have sponsored bills in the New Mexico Legislature that would prohibit discrimination on housing vouchers. Stansbury previously served in the state House.
Stansbury said that the federal grants are a part of a larger effort to address homelessness. She said that the state has appropriated what she called “historic amounts of state funding” to support building new housing while these federal grants will go to nonprofits in New Mexico that work with people experiencing homelessness to serve their more immediate needs.
“Far too many New Mexicans have been denied equal access to affordable housing, which hurts every community across the state. That’s why I am thrilled that New Mexico will receive $16 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help end homelessness. This investment will grant 28 organizations in New Mexico the ability to help even more people find permanent housing and grant them crucial access to programs they need to survive,” Stansbury said through a news release.
Vasquez said through the release that the federal grant funding will “get us one step closer to ending the homelessness crisis that has affected our communities for far too long.”
“And let me be clear – I have heard loud and clear from New Mexicans across my district about the gravity of this situation and the urgent need for short-term solutions and relief,” Vasquez said through the news release.
The 28 organizations receiving funds are:
New Mexico police issued an Amber Alert Sunday for missing a 10-month-old baby. The incident was part of a deadly shooting and suspects remain at large. Photo courtesy of Clovis Police Department.
May 5 (UPI) — Police in rural New Mexico continued to search for a missing 10-month-old girl Sunday after officials said the infant was abducted amid a mass shooting on Friday in the town of Clovis.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert for the missing child Eleia Maria Torres, on Friday, and it was still active as of Sunday morning.
Police in Clovis said the baby went missing when two women were found dead with apparent gunshot wounds. The dead women included the child’s mother. The relationship of the other woman was not immediately known.
The mother’s 5-year-old child was also shot and suffered a head injury. She was treated locally and then transported to a regional hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where officials said she is recovering.
“It is with a heavy heart that I stand before you today to address the tragic incident that unfolded at Ned Houk Park on Friday,” Deputy Chief of Clovis Police Trevor Thron said during an update Sunday, providing as many details as he could about on the missing infant and the suspect, or suspects, who remain at large.
The missing baby has brown eyes and brown hair, measures 28 inches tall and weighs 23 pounds, according to officials.
“Our hearts are with the victim and her family during this incredibly difficult time,” Thron said. “And we fervently hope for swift and complete recovery.”
Thron reported the suspect’s identity remains unknown as do the motives for the shootings. Thron said the suspect may have been in a maroon Honda. He said Sunday that investigators found a small piece of maroon debris at the scene but that “we cannot be certain if it was part of the incident.
A 10-month-old girl was reported missing in New Mexico after her mother and another woman were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
An Amber Alert was issued for Eleia Maria Torres, according to New Mexico State Police. She is 28 inches tall, weighs 23 pounds and has brown eyes and brown hair.
The Clovis Police Department responded on Friday at about 4:30 p.m. to Ned Houk Park at 700 County Road 17 near Clovis. When officers arrived, they located two deceased women, identified as 23-year-old Samantha Cisneros and 23-year-old Taryn Allen, lying on the ground near a silver minivan, according to KCBD.
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An Amber Alert was issued for 10-month-old Eleia Maria Torres. (New Mexico State Police)
A five-year-old girl, who police said is Cisneros’ daughter, was also found nearby with a head injury. She was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Officers found an infant car seat, stroller and a small baby bottle at the scene and, suspecting that a baby may have been present during the crime, began to search for the child.
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A 10-month-old girl was reported in New Mexico after her mother and another woman were found dead in an apartment from apparent gunshot wounds. (New Mexico State Police)
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After speaking with family, officers learned Cisneros was the mother of the injured five-year-old girl and 10-month-old Eleia. Police believe the killer was the one who abducted Eleia.
Police said there is no suspect, but that they believed the person responsible may have left in a maroon Honda.
The incident remains under investigation.
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