City looks to fill empty space at Gateway Center with tenants as majority of services are running

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s been four years since the City of Albuquerque moved forward with creating the Gateway Center to help with our homeless crisis. There’s been a lot of construction and delays, but city officials say the majority of the services at the center are now open. 

But with that said, there is still a lot of empty space in the massive 572,000 square foot facility on Gibson. City leaders say they’re trying to fill it up with tenants who can help people specifically in Albuquerque’s International District. 

Here’s what’s currently open:

• The Women’s Housing, Navigation and Treatment Center
  • Open for more than a year
  • Has 50 beds
  • Goal is to connect women with permanent housing
• First Responder Receiving Area
  • Opened June 2025
  • Serves 15 to 20 people a night
  • First responders can drop off those who need emergency shelter in the middle of the night
• Medical Respite Center
  • Opened February 2025
  • 20 of the 50 beds are operational right now with most filled
  • For people discharged from UNM Hospital who have nowhere else to recover

What’s set to open:

• Medical Sobering Center
  • Monday, the city announced it’s almost ready to open but there’s no set date just yet
  • First responders can bring people there to be medically supervised as they get sober and staff will provide long-term tools to stay sober 
• Men’s Housing, Navigation and Treatment Center
  • Will have 42 beds 
  • Similar to Women’s Center, it will help men find long-term housing

But even with those five services, there’s still a lot of free space at the facility. That’s where private tenants come in.

“Our goal is not just city services. So I think that’s where the misunderstanding is of what Gateway Center is,” Gateway Operations Officer Jennifer McDonald said.

Three out of five services in the Gateway Center are currently operating. But to fill all the extra space in the facility, may require private tenants. Right now, Gateway has 8 tenants.

“We’ve been in the Gateway Center about three months now. It’s been amazing,” Ideal Options Outreach Peer Specialist Katrina Fuller said.

Katrina Fuller with Ideal Options says the nonprofit has two other locations in Albuquerque and other parts of the state, but they wanted to expand specifically to the Gateway Center.

“We knew it was an innovative and great opportunity to reach some of the people that need it the most in our communities,” Fuller said.

Fuller said the organization has helped dozens get sober through their Gateway space.

“We’ve seen 58 brand-new patients since we opened three months ago in this clinic, and we’ve had over 200 appointments,” she said.

Those results are exactly what Gateway’s Operations Officer, Jennifer McDonald, wants to see.

“We’re a service desert in the International District, and we’re trying to change that,” McDonald continued. “We’re looking for those who will help us with social behavioral health needs, more mental health services here as well even physical health needs.”

McDonald would also like a pharmacy to set up in the Center because she says there aren’t a lot of them in the area. She also wants potential tenants to know Gateway has 24/7 security. Employees at Ideal Options say they feel safe in their Gateway space but, if necessary, security can escort them to their vehicles. 

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