New Day Youth & Family Services has opened a first-of-its-kind supportive housing apartment building with on-site staff to accommodate up to 30 homeless young people with disabilities and who have recently left incarceration or other institutional settings.
The Young Adult Supportive Housing program teaches essential life skills, negotiating roommate situations and learning about how to be a responsible tenant, said Brooke Tafoya, New Day Youth & Family Services chief executive officer.
In the process, the residents of the apartment building, located in the International District, also develop long-term relationships with their neighbors.
“This program is special, because it is not time limited. Most youth housing programs end in 18-24 months,” Tafoya said. “This new program will give us enough time and resources to provide long-lasting change for our young people.”
The city of Albuquerque contributed $600,000 toward programming costs, which came from Albuquerque’s newest supportive housing funds approved by the City Council last year, said city spokeswoman Katie Simon.
“This is the exact kind of project that we are excited to fund,” said Carol Pierce, director of Albuquerque’s Department of Family & Community Services. “We need more housing in our community for every population, and this model will set young people up for long-term success. The city and New Day have been working together for many years to support the needs of the community.”
“Young people experiencing homelessness often fall through the cracks,” Tafoya added. “We are incredibly grateful to the city for their willingness to partner with us on this important program.”
New Day Youth & Family Services was founded in 1976 as Albuquerque’s first shelter for runaway youth.
