By Riley Masse, Economic Equity Attorney

As published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on Oct 26, 2025

Approximately 420,000 New Mexicans live below the federal poverty line, meaning that almost one in five of us are one crisis away from homelessness at any given time. Imagine losing your job, getting evicted, and having nowhere to go. Imagine sleeping outside in freezing temperatures because your city has no overnight shelter. This is the reality for many unhoused people in Española. No one should have to endure a night without shelter, safety, or warmth

Pathways Shelter is the only emergency shelter in Española–the last line of defense against life on the streets. It is an essential safety net that helps people get back into stable housing. A recent New Mexico Department of Health study found more than 30,000 people experienced homelessness in the state between 2019-2024. Española Pathways Shelter alone served more than 400 people last year, people who otherwise would have been forced to sleep outside, in cars, or on the streets.Without it, hundreds of Northern New Mexicans would be left unsheltered.

During the colder months, the Pathways Shelter offers overnight beds. Throughout the year, it provides essential services to Española’s unhoused population—including showers, bathrooms, hygiene kits, meals, water, charging stations, and case management connecting them to food aid, Medicaid, housing, and drug treatment. These services are a critical lifeline, helping many neighbors experiencing homelessness gain the stability they need to secure long-term housing. 

However, the City asserts that to continue operating its overnight shelter during the colder months, Española Pathways Shelter needs to renew its special use permit. In August, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to deny the special use permit despite overwhelming support from the community and public safety officials. The City Council is hearing an appeal of that decision on October 28 at 6:00 p.m. City Council must overturn the denial and grant a permit to allow Española Pathways Shelter to continue its overnight services this winter. Without these overnight services, the crisis of homelessness in our communities and for our families will only worsen, leaving our unhoused neighbors outside during the coming winter, living and exposed to the cold—or worse.