'Great addition to this community': Rep. Stansbury visits nonprofit's new West Side housing campus

There was a point in her life when U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury says she was ashamed to admit that she was unhoused as a child.

“My mom became a single parent and it was hard to make ends meet sometimes,” she said. “In that period, she lost her job because she broke her leg really badly.”

This had a domino effect on her family, who ended up unhoused and couch surfing with family friends. At one point, they were living in a tent in the backyard of a family friend. Eventually, her family was able to move into a trailer on Albuquerque’s West Side.

“Growing up, I always had a lot of shame around (being unhoused),” Stansbury said.

But over time, Stansbury realized how important it is to provide funding and services to support organizations that help those currently homeless.

Since taking office in 2021, the Democrat has made housing and homelessness support and funding a cornerstone of her office’s efforts. That commitment was front and center during the passage of the fiscal year 2024 omnibus spending bill in March, which provided federal funding for 15 community projects.

One of the those projects supported by Stansbury was Saranam’s new family housing campus, located near Montaño and Taylor Ranch NW on Albuquerque’s West Side. Saranam, a nonprofit which has a mission to empower families to end their homelessness and poverty through housing, education and supportive community, received $994,950 in federal funding.

The dollars gave a much-needed boost to the project, Saranam Executive Director Tracy Weaver said.

“The (federal funding) was very important, with the cost of construction increasing over the last few years, the funds (Stansbury) is allocating here will help finish this project out.”

Spread across 3.5-acres, the new West Side campus will be able to house 20 to 25 families when it opens next year. Built entirely out of old Albuquerque Public Schools portable buildings bought at auction by Saranam, the new housing complexes use the frames of the portables and build entirely new living spaces inside.

Comprised of several bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and its own washing and dryer, each housing complex will be able to accommodate a family. Each family will be enrolled in Saranam’s transitional housing program.

Developed over the course of the nonprofit’s 20-year history, the transitional housing program offers families a two-generational approach to solve the problems that create the cycle of homelessness. The issues include education on poverty, lack of support and isolation.

Those enrolled in the program receive free housing, education and intensive case management for up to two years. Parents also do not work while in the program, giving them free time to pursue higher education, develop life skills and improve their parenting skills through courses provided by Saranam.

Since 2005, Saranam has operated a 24-unit housing campus on the east side of the city. But with the overflow of program applicants it receives each year, Weaver knew the nonprofit would need to expand at some point, which led to the creation of the new West Side campus with the goal of helping more parents and children, like Jessica Morga.

Morga, 40, was addicted to methamphetamine for over a decade. During that time, she said her mother was taking care of her children until they were taken by Children, Youth and Families Department.

“When CYFD got involved, I got my butt in gear and found out about Saranam,” Morga said.

She enrolled in the program and eventually regained custody of her children. Sober for the nearly two years, Morga credits Saranam and the community at the east side campus for providing her with the support and education she needed to change her life.

Stansbury is hopeful that with the addition of the West Side campus, more families will receive the support they need.

“This is going to be such a great addition to this community,” she said. “Providing life-transforming services for families for generations really represents the best of Albuquerque.”

Photos: Rep. Melanie Stansbury visits Westside transitional housing campus