Albuquerque park that’s been a homeless encampment to close

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Monday that the city’s most visible unsanctioned homeless encampment will close next month.

Keller said the exact date for Coronado Park’s closing hasn’t been decided yet.

City officials said an estimated 120 people camp nightly at the park and occupants will be told about other housing options.

They said increasingly dangerous conditions such as narcotics trafficking and usage combined with prolonged damage to the park’s irrigation and vegetation created safety concerns and were the leading factors in the decision to close the park.

“The status quo will not stand,” Keller said in a statement. “This remains a complex issue and while we work to determine what’s next for Coronado, we’ll keep stepping up to get folks connected to the right services and resources.”

Lawrence Rael, chief administrative officer for the city, said “homelessness at Coronado has been a challenge for nearly a decade, but we have to draw a line and simply stop a situation that is obviously unacceptable, regardless of what we do next.”