Renovations made to city-run West Side shelter ahead of winter

Volunteers and city workers built beds for the newly renovated dormitories at the Gateway West shelter Thursday morning.

The effort was carried out by 48 volunteers, half of them city staffers, and an additional 11 members of the city facilities team.

“What we’re hearing from the residents now, most honestly, they’re super appreciative for not only the volunteers helping to come build it, but the new spaces,” said Gilbert Ramirez, director of the Department of Health, Housing and Homelessness.

Ramirez also said that based on feedback from residents, the image of the shelter is changing.

“The rumors on the streets were that (the shelter) was dilapidated and that it hadn’t had the investment of resources,” Ramirez said. “And I’m proud to say we came in, we fought for it, the money was appropriated, and we are now turning that around so that individuals have a different image of this place.”

The crew built 60 beds and 80 secure under-bed storage units, according to a Health, Housing and Homelessness spokesperson.

The new beds and renovations are the latest to the site that used to be a jail.

Maria Wolfe, homeless innovations officer with Health, Housing and Homelessness, said the renovations include new LED lights, fly captures — because of the composting facility next door — increased privacy in the bathroom and shower areas, new high-traffic vinyl flooring and lockable under-bed storage.

By the end of October, the city expects to have seven of the 11 dormitories renovated and ready to go.

Gateway West is a low-barrier shelter with dorms separated for men, women and couples. The shelter does not require sobriety — though using substances on campus is prohibited — and allows pets.

Couples will be the final group of residents to move into the renovated dorms.

Wolfe said more than 600 people a night were staying at the shelter last winter.

A recent study by the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness counted nearly 2,400 people experiencing homelessness over the course of one day in Albuquerque.