New Mexico governor stops at ABQ homeless encampment, calls out special session pushback

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Monday morning, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham took to the streets of Albuquerque to show why she believes in this upcoming special session by visiting a problem area Downtown that is overrun with homeless people.

After Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham claimed some legislators canceled critical meetings, lunches, and hearings ahead of the upcoming special session.

“Which tells me they were never serious about supporting any of these issues in the first place,” said Governor Lujan Grisham. “My message for them on behalf of the business owners and the people living here is, ‘Shame on you.'”

While pushback continues from Democratic leaders, the governor said, ‘Enough is enough.’

“I’ve got legislative policy markers, lawmakers who have a sense that the mayor and I, and others, aren’t really considering this issue from an affordability and a place of compassion,” said Governor Lujan Grisham.

Monday, she said she is aiming to prove them wrong, stopping at 1st Street and Prospect Avenue, an area of downtown Albuquerque plagued by homeless encampments.

“We had 3,000 calls for service for encampments, and as I mentioned, we clean about 200 encampments a month,” said City of Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.

Governor Lujan Grisham and Mayor Keller believe the bills on the table could help.

“You can’t walk on the sidewalk. You can’t enter these businesses. These business owners can barely keep their doors open. They spend more time on their own public safety and the environment around their business,” said Governor Lujan Grisham.

Specifically, pointing out a bill that would change how courts handle offenders who are found incompetent to stand trial.

“If these individuals will not seek care and break the law and come right back to the streets, there is nothing we can do to interrupt this chaos,” said Governor Lujan Grisham.

Businesses in the area are tired of it too.

“We’re scared to be out there sometimes because they are throwing needles over the fence while we are back there working. Same thing, they are out there smoking whatever,” said ABQ’s Best Equipment Service Owner William Johnson.

“The climate is so harsh that you are not safe anywhere I would say to those legislators, ‘I don’t believe New Mexicans think you can wait, and I don’t frankly understand why you think you can,'” said Governor Lujan Grisham.

The governor is urging New Mexicans to call lawmakers in support of the session and state they are the ones responsible for fixing these problems or letting everyone ‘continue to live in chaos.’

The special session is slated to start on Thursday.

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