Bernalillo County opens Ponderosa Place transitional housing with state, city support
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Summary
Bernalillo County on Friday opened Ponderosa Place, a converted motel providing transitional housing; county and state officials said the site can shelter more than 300 people nightly, is part of a plan to move 1,000 families into supportive housing, and a former resident credited the program with rapid rehousing and employment.
County Manager Cindy Chavez opened the dedication of Ponderosa Place, calling the converted property “a transition for families experiencing homelessness” and thanking county, city and state partners for accelerating the project.
Chavez said the facility was built in partnership with the city of Albuquerque and the state, and she credited state sign-off and coordination with saving time during the conversion. “We probably took a year off of the building behind us,” she said, and added that the space has “the capacity to help over 300 people on any given night.” She also recognized neighborhood partners, naming the Wells Park Neighborhood Association and its president, Doreen McKnight, for their support.
At the ceremony, Secretary Serena Nairam of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions said the project fits into a broader effort to build a coordinated system of care. “We believe that the future is gonna be brighter,” she said, framing the facility as part of investments that link housing stability to workforce development and longer-term resilience.
Speaker of the House Javier Martinez credited collaborative planning and legislative funding, saying the county and city presented spreadsheets showing properties, costs and family counts. Martinez said the plan includes a goal to move 1,000 families into supportive and transitional housing within the calendar year and noted that the property being dedicated will serve about 70 families. He thanked House appropriators and said additional budget tranches are expected to continue the work.
County officials introduced Katrina Weaver, a former participant who described her experience with the program. Weaver said she was homeless for four months before entering the program and that staff moved her through intake and referrals quickly; “Within that 4 months, I obtained housing, employment, and also got the motivation to start my own nonprofit, Ripple Effect Foundation,” she said, thanking staff for the assistance that helped her and her children secure stability.
Commissioner Barbara Baca highlighted the county’s approach of repurposing existing properties and said the county asked the legislature for statewide funding to address homelessness; she described turning a former Comfort Inn into transitional housing and reiterated the county’s commitment to move 1,000 people into supportive housing by the end of the fiscal year, due by this summer. The county also promoted the tagline “Burnco Builds Communities” to signal partnerships with neighborhoods and other governments.
Ellen Braden, who leads the City of Albuquerque’s health, housing and homelessness department, said the project shows how aligning city, county and state investments can bridge the gap between crisis and long-term stability while emphasizing dignity and confidentiality for residents.
Chavez closed by thanking staff and volunteers, inviting attendees to facility tours, and saying county and partner commitments will continue into the next budget cycle. No formal votes or ordinance actions were taken at the opening.
