Alamosa council votes to keep Saint Benedict campsite open, tightens rules and requires waste disposal language

The Alamosa City Council voted unanimously to keep the Saint Benedict temporary campsite open and to continue enforcing the revised site rules while adding a requirement that human waste be disposed of only in designated sanitation facilities.

The decision, reached after a public hearing that drew more than a dozen speakers and a staff presentation, follows six months of increased enforcement and new rules the city and the homeless coalition implemented after higher levels of nuisance, vandalism and safety incidents in 2023–24. City staff reported a marked drop in campsite population and in calls for service since enforcement increased: from roughly 100 residents at its peak to about 10–14 residents as of an April 29 count, and average police calls tied to the site falling from about 17.25 per month to about 4.14 per month.

City staff summarized the changes made since last summer, including clearer written rules, monthly cleanups (now expected participation by residents), tighter pet rules, prohibitions on tampering with city property and measures to reduce on‑site fires. The homeless coalition and police department provided data the council used in its review.

Heather Sanchez, city staff, told the council the site was created in 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic and earlier Ninth Circuit precedent (Martin v. Boyse) and that a later U.S. Supreme Court decision (City of Grants Pass v. Johnson) altered the legal requirements that had motivated the site. Sanchez said the city has tracked outcomes since enforcement increased in October 2024 and the rules were tightened in December 2024.

Sanchez reported specific operational and outcome figures the council considered: the city’s ongoing annual expense estimate includes about $14,000 for porta‑john service (listed as an ongoing annual expense in staff materials), minimal electricity operating costs if left for lighting/cameras (previously reduced to roughly $264 annually), and a one‑time cleanup this year after a reduction in residents cleared an accumulation of abandoned campsites. She said restoring full electrical service would cost roughly $5,000, and staff recommended against restoring electricity because of prior tampering and damage.

The council also heard quantitative results staff and La Puente provided: since October 2024, eight people (five unique households) moved from Saint Benedict into housing (including long‑term alternatives) and 13 individuals (11 unique households) moved into shelter; La Puente surveys of nine current residents found eight said they felt safe and had no rule suggestions. Trespass enforcement records for the site were shared: 5 trespasses for drug‑related crimes, 5 for cleanliness violations, 3 for harboring persons already trespassed, 2 for failure to register dogs and 1 for a weapons violation. Staff noted zero recorded overdoses at the site since the enforcement changes but cautioned that the figure should not be overinterpreted because of changes in reporting and enforcement practices.

Public testimony was largely supportive of keeping the site open. Speakers representing outreach providers and residents described Saint Benedict as a centralized location that provides potable water, sanitation, trash service and an access point for outreach organizations including La Puente, street outreach teams, Hope in the Valley, AHEC and SLV Health. Those speakers said the location makes it easier to provide case management, health screenings and overdose intervention and that, as currently managed, it reduces camping in other city areas and allows faster ambulance access when needed.

Other commenters, including representatives of nearby businesses and property owners, urged stricter enforcement and noted continuing problems on adjacent private property and river corridor camps. Alamosa County Sheriff Robert Jackson told the council the campsite’s closure would likely push people to private property and riverbanks, creating public‑health issues and added cleanup and enforcement burdens.

After discussion the council voted to keep the campsite in place with the following explicit directions: retain the existing site footprint and rules, keep municipal electricity disconnected (no restoration of full electrical service), add explicit language to the site rules requiring proper disposal of human waste (no dumping into dumpsters), and require staff to procure an ADA‑compliant porta‑john if the site is retained (estimated one‑time cost $2,500–$3,000). The homeless coalition had unanimously recommended keeping Saint Benedict open provided enforcement continued.

Council members said the data and enforcement outcomes supported keeping the site open but emphasized continuing oversight and partnership with service providers and the county. Several councilors and staff asked police and the homeless coalition to continue tracking rule compliance, participation in monthly cleanups and service engagement as enforcement metrics going forward.

The council’s motion carried unanimously. Staff said it will continue regular reporting to council and the homeless coalition on enforcement results, service engagement and any incidents.

The vote preserves Saint Benedict as the legally recognized city location where camping is tolerated subject to the city’s rules and enforcement program; city staff stressed that the site is not a solution for homelessness but a tool to centralize outreach and enforce no‑camping rules elsewhere in the city.

Looking ahead, staff and coalition members said they will continue to monitor requests for readmission from former residents, follow existing trespass‑appeal processes the police department has developed and coordinate with county partners over camps appearing along the river and on private property outside city limits.