Santa Fe businesses say homelessness is out of hand
Along Cerrillos Road are multiple businesses, and a homeless shelter. Unfortunately, business owners and residents say action needs to happen.
Along Cerrillos Road are multiple businesses, and a homeless shelter. Unfortunately, business owners and residents say action needs to happen.
Along Cerrillos Road are multiple businesses, and a homeless shelter. Unfortunately, business owners and residents say action needs to happen.
Residents along Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe are frustrated due to the problems they observe
near Pete's Place homeless shelter. Nearby Businesses say they are experiencing the same troubles.
"We have broken glass all the time and property crime all the time," Yvette Roybal said.
She runs the GMC dealership right next to Pete's Place. Roybal has been dealing with more than just broken windows but also damage to property, litter, and drug paraphernalia.
General Manager of Z Pet Hotel and Spa Julia Albright said "The level of business is hanging on, and we just refuse to give up."
The City of Santa Fe says the Santa Fe Police Department patrols this area regularly with a total calls for service surging to more than 2,200 last year. These are the numbers the city shared with KOAT:
From 01/01/2024 to 09/30/2024:
- Total PD Calls for the City: 63,054
- Total Calls for Service in this Area: 2232 (3.5% of all PD calls for service)
- Close Patrols: 364
- Traffic Stops: 179
- Total Proactive calls: 543 (24.3% of all calls in this area)
Businesses still say they see no improvements and Now they are taking matters into their own hands.
"We're trying to make changes for our business, for our customers, for our own safety, our employees," Amanda Tucker said.
The Santa Fe Citizens' Council is holding a clean-up event to make this area safer and bring attention to why it should be looked after more thoroughly.
The Event is taking place on April 8 from 3-6 p.m. Those interested in supporting can meet up at the Dutch Bros Coffee at 2841 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe.
"We're trying to make this what Santa Fe used to be and should be," Tucker said. And we shouldn't have to be doing this work. But we are."
The City launched its Emergency Homelessness Action Plan in late 2024, with how we are addressing the issues - including Pete's Place. The building Pete's Place is in is owned by the city- we notified Pete's Place in the Fall the lease is not being renewed. Pete's Place management is looking to purchase a new location to move the services to the long term. In the meantime, they are on a month-to-month lease.