The Albuquerque City Council approved two funding increases to city social service agreements to support permanent supportive housing and took steps to improve the city’s housing-voucher administration.

Funding for supportive housing: The council approved EC-280, a funding increase to Good Shepherd Center Inc., and EC-281, an increase to Heading Home, to provide additional case management and supportive services tied to housing vouchers. Both items passed unanimously. Administration staff said the action transfers case management responsibilities and supportive services to existing providers so that households with vouchers continue to be served while the city phases out a previous coalition arrangement.

Voucher program review and working group: Separately the council adopted resolution R-109 directing the Department of Health, Housing and Homelessness (HHH) to submit an implementation plan to make voucher administration more efficient and transparent. The resolution also directs the administration to convene a working group of city departments and nonprofit partners to advise on acquisition of technology, procurement, and voucher distribution methodology. Council members highlighted chronic delays in converting vouchers into tenancies and called for a single, accessible point of information for voucher status.

Why it matters: Supporters said the actions keep people housed and address administrative bottlenecks that prevent vouchers from translating into leased units. Critics and nonprofit speakers urged caution that changes respect existing case management and landlord-engagement work and that timelines match capacity. James Freeman, who has personal experience with the voucher system, warned that shortening timeframes or cutting provider roles could undermine placements: “The process is made up of two phases… it took me 85 days to sign a lease” after receiving a voucher.

Votes and next steps: EC-280 and EC-281 passed unanimously. R-109 passed with amendments requiring HHH to report on current practices, disaggregate voucher types, and form a working group to develop recommendations for technology and process improvements. Council directed staff to return with implementation details and timelines.