Albuquerque's 311 Gets a Failing Grade For Helping the Homeless

Albuquerque's 311 Gets a Failing Grade For Helping the Homeless

Callers mostly referred to agencies not equipped to meet their needs

By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS-August 28, 2016) -- You’ve probably all seen those prolific blue anti-panhandling signs that sprouted up like mushrooms across Albuquerque about 15 months ago.

They tell people needing help with food or shelter to call the city’s 311 infoline. While not mentioning that 311 only operates from 6 a.m. through 9 p.m. six days a week, what help is actually offered if you do call?

In an attempt to find out, I had a number of Joy Junction staff call the service posing as homeless people in need of help, and see what they were told.

What I learned was that if you need food or shelter, don’t call 311.

Macros called 311, and asked if they could refer him to a shelter that would take in a family of five comprised of two adults and three children.

He was referred to Catholic Charities and St. Martin’s Hospitality Center, a day shelter. These are good programs, but far from being the answer to what Marcos needed.

While a great resource for its core missions, Catholic Charities does not provide emergency shelter.

As the group states on its website, “Catholic Charities partners with Barrett House in this collaborative effort to end the cycle of homelessness.”

And while another great agency providing an array of services for the homeless, St. Martin’s does not provide emergency shelter.

Carl called 311, saying that his family of two adults and two children needed shelter. He was referred to the Barrett Foundation, Catholic Charities and Safe House.

While an excellent resource, the Barrett Foundation does not provide emergency shelter and neither does it assist men.

The agency says on its website, “Call us at 505-243-4887 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to speak with a staff member, or leave a detailed voicemail with your contact information. We log every call to the shelter and will call you back when we have a vacancy.”

Safe House is for victims of domestic violence. It is hard to fathom while Carl was told to call there.

The shelter’s mission statement says, “To shelter and empower survivors of intimate partner domestic violence, while working to break the cycle of domestic violence.”

Sophie’s call to 311 was met with an equal amount of wrong (and what would have been very frustrating) information had the situation been real.

Representing her family as being made up of two adults and two children, Sophie was referred to Catholic Charities, St. Martin’s and the Albuquerque Rescue Mission. At the time of writing, the Mission is closed to new residents while working on expansion and renovation.

Josh’s call asking for shelter for himself and his two children resulted in a referral to the Barrett Foundation, Catholic Charities and St. Martin’s.

When Bruce called 311 asking for a referral for shelter for two adults and a child, he was given similarly poor information. He was directed to call the Barrett Foundation, Catholic Charities,

Health Care for the Homeless, or St. Martin’s.

Glenda said she has an addiction, and was looking for shelter for her family of two adults and three kids.

She was referred to A New Awakening Counseling Services,  Albuquerque Metro Central Intake, (providing access to free treatment for alcohol and substance abuse problems) and Alcoholics Anonymous.

Angenique asked 311, asking for a referral to a family shelter for herself and two children. She was directed to call the Barrett House, Family Promise or (finally) Joy Junction.

Family Promise of Albuquerque “can provide shelter for up to four families at a time in the Interfaith Hospitality Network. We provide the shelter by partnering with 19 congregations around Albuquerque.”

It doesn’t appear to provide emergency shelter.

Next to call 311 was John, who told the operator he was broken down in Albuquerque with his teenage sons, and needed assistance until he could get his vehicle fixed.

The operator told him she didn’t have any resources for vehicle repairs, but could provide numbers for several shelters

Her first suggestion was the Albuquerque Rescue Mission, which she said was open year round and has check ins between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The operator’s next referral was to the Albuquerque Opportunity Center, which she told John is listed as “men only.”

The agency website says, “The AOC Emergency Shelter has 54 beds that provide men a safe environment for overnight sleeping and daytime storage of belongings for up to 30 nights.”

John asked her if they would take his 16 and 19-year-old sons.

John said he called the number given to ask about availability of space for his 16-year-old, and got a recorded message basically saying there were no current openings and to try again tomorrow.

Next on the list of helpful suggestions from 311 was the Good Shepherd Center, which the operator admitted was only for men 18 years old and up.

Also offered were The Rock at Noonday and St. Martins.

Joy Junction was offered as a shelter to call.

While Joy Junction was only listed as a resource twice by my staff who called, my heart hurt-not for us as we have plenty of clients-but for the new homeless in town who will see these signs and think they’ll get help. They might, but not much-and definitely not between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. or on a Sunday.

As people who have homes, but every now and again have to call large companies for a service request, we all know the frustration of wading through numerous voice mail options, getting referred from one employee to another or even getting disconnected.

We usually make such calls from the comfort of our own home while perhaps enjoying a cup of coffee or a cool beverage. Can you imagine the frustration, and additional feelings of hopelessness and despair felt by needy individuals who call 311 (possibly exhausted after trudging the streets of Albuquerque) trusting that they will get access to the help they so desperately need?

311 for the homeless is a disgrace. This aspect of the service either needs to be dramatically improved, or eliminated. Albuquerque, we can do better!

Photo captions: 1) How to get help. 2) Jeremy and Elma Reynalds.

About the writer: Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter (www.joyjunction.org). He has a master’s degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. One of his newest books is “From Destitute to Ph.D.” Additional details on the book are available at www.myhomelessjourney.com . His latest book is “Two Hearts One Vision.” It is available at www.twoheartsonevisionthebook.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Elma. For more information, please contact Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@gmail.com.  

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