Proponents of a homeless shelter in the Valley have moved their proposed location further east after public opposition from Española residents forced them to seek other properties.
Española City Councilor Eddie Maestas has helped spearhead the project. He said if too many community members complain about the Chimayó location, he will seek another.
Residents will have a chance to give their input on the proposed homeless shelter in Chimayó Thursday (11/13). Interfaith Leap will be hosting the meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. at the John Hyson Center on WHICH County Road 94 in Chimayó.
Director Ray Chavez said he wants to hear residents’ concerns before moving forward with the shelter, which is still in its preliminary stages.
Josh Martinez lives at 569 State Road 76, near the road’s intersection with County Road 87, next door to the proposed shelter. He said he is concerned about his property value, and he has talked to neighbors who are worried about their safety if the homeless shelter does open near them.
“I feel like a schmuck for fighting some kind of charity,” Martinez said. “I don’t know if we can stop it or not.”
He said his neighbor, Richard Martinez, who plans to lease the three-acre property for the shelter, and Interfaith Leap had failed to communicate with the community. He said the lack of notification is his main concern.
“They didn’t let anybody know,” he said. “From what I’ve been hearing, overwhelmingly people do not want this proposed shelter to happen.”
Maestas said Habitat for Humanity would build a shelter and expand it later if necessary; he hopes the initial building could be up by Christmas. He said he expects the shelter to house about 10 people at the start.