Town hall meeting to address crime, homelessness and mental health


Update: The Town Hall meeting is currently being held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight. City, county and state leaders hosted a town hall meeting at Manzano High School in northeast Albuquerque on Monday, Oct. 23. State Reps. Pamelya Herndon and Debbie Sariñana, city councilor Renée Grout, and Bernalillo County Commissioner Eric Olivas will be in attendance to address pressing challenges the community is facing in regard to public safety, housing and mental health. People from the community raised concerns about crime, street racing and where funds are going to make the community better. “This is a bipartisan town hall meeting. We have Republicans and Democrats coming together at every level of government to talk about how we are resolving issues. We can have differences and maybe in their approaches,” Rep. Herndon said. “But we do know that it’s important we resolve issues of homelessness and issues involving public safety and gun violence in our counties, in our cities and throughout the state, particularly looking at homelessness and how as state leaders, we provide money to city and county governments to make sure that they can engage in housing, which is a local issue, to make sure that people are not without a comfortable place to live.””We are coming to show how these groups are working together, how we as bipartisan leaders are working to address these issues,” Herndon said. According to Herndon, community members are encouraged to attend and witness how representatives from the state, county, and city are working together to address the ongoing issues, particularly with the 2024 legislative session underway. “We want to know, is there anything else that we should be addressing during the upcoming 2024 budget session, so that if we need to put things in the budget to address specific issues, we want to hear from people in our communities,” Herndon said. “If we are on the pathway for making these items happen and making sure they always connect to our leaders at every level of government, we are going to start now with this town hall and make sure that it’s carried out in the future.””Most people are not aware of all of the legislation that passed at the state or even the city and county level,” Herndon added.”The four of us represent a diverse group of people who are united by our love for our community,” District 9 City Councilor Renée Grout stated in a press release. “This town hall will be an opportunity to hear other perspectives and listen to ideas about ways we can come together to address the most pressing challenges our city is facing right now.Bernalillo County Commissioner Eric Olivas, District 5, added, “The City, County, and State are working collaboratively to solve the big challenges our community faces. This town hall is just one example among many of us are coming together to increase efficiency and pool our resources to have a bigger effect on problems like crime and homelessness. I encourage the community to come and learn about our efforts and join the conversation about how to move forward together.” State Rep. Pamelya Herndon, District 28, stated, “I am excited about having state, city and county leaders come together to align our resources and ideas to lift the well-being of our communities in ways never before tried. We recognize that we’ll do better when we all work together.”State Rep. Debbie Sariñana, District 21, said, “This will be an excellent opportunity to engage in a two-way dialogue with our neighbors and share information on the initiatives we’re working on in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.”

Update: The Town Hall meeting is currently being held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight.

City, county and state leaders hosted a town hall meeting at Manzano High School in northeast Albuquerque on Monday, Oct. 23.

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Town Hall to discuss crime, homelessness and mental health

Julian Moya

Town Hall Meeting, Manzano High School

State Reps. Pamelya Herndon and Debbie Sariñana, city councilor Renée Grout, and Bernalillo County Commissioner Eric Olivas will be in attendance to address pressing challenges the community is facing in regard to public safety, housing and mental health.

People from the community raised concerns about crime, street racing and where funds are going to make the community better.

“This is a bipartisan town hall meeting. We have Republicans and Democrats coming together at every level of government to talk about how we are resolving issues. We can have differences and maybe in their approaches,” Rep. Herndon said. “But we do know that it’s important we resolve issues of homelessness and issues involving public safety and gun violence in our counties, in our cities and throughout the state, particularly looking at homelessness and how as state leaders, we provide money to city and county governments to make sure that they can engage in housing, which is a local issue, to make sure that people are not without a comfortable place to live.”

“We are coming to show how these groups are working together, how we as bipartisan leaders are working to address these issues,” Herndon said.

According to Herndon, community members are encouraged to attend and witness how representatives from the state, county, and city are working together to address the ongoing issues, particularly with the 2024 legislative session underway.

“We want to know, is there anything else that we should be addressing during the upcoming 2024 budget session, so that if we need to put things in the budget to address specific issues, we want to hear from people in our communities,” Herndon said. “If we are on the pathway for making these items happen and making sure they always connect to our leaders at every level of government, we are going to start now with this town hall and make sure that it’s carried out in the future.”

“Most people are not aware of all of the legislation that passed at the state or even the city and county level,” Herndon added.

“The four of us represent a diverse group of people who are united by our love for our community,” District 9 City Councilor Renée Grout stated in a press release. “This town hall will be an opportunity to hear other perspectives and listen to ideas about ways we can come together to address the most pressing challenges our city is facing right now.

Bernalillo County Commissioner Eric Olivas, District 5, added, “The City, County, and State are working collaboratively to solve the big challenges our community faces. This town hall is just one example among many of us are coming together to increase efficiency and pool our resources to have a bigger effect on problems like crime and homelessness. I encourage the community to come and learn about our efforts and join the conversation about how to move forward together.”

State Rep. Pamelya Herndon, District 28, stated, “I am excited about having state, city and county leaders come together to align our resources and ideas to lift the well-being of our communities in ways never before tried. We recognize that we’ll do better when we all work together.”

State Rep. Debbie Sariñana, District 21, said, “This will be an excellent opportunity to engage in a two-way dialogue with our neighbors and share information on the initiatives we’re working on in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.”


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