Converted Comfort Inn Becomes Ponderosa Place, a New Home for 76 Formerly Homeless Families

Bernalillo County Opens Major Family Shelter Inside Former Comfort Inn

Breaking News from Bernalillo County: a renovated hotel now serves as a sizable Family Wellness Shelter, offering temporary housing and essential services to families in need. The initiative repurposes a former Comfort inn near Fourth Street and I-40 to support the county’s efforts to help families recover and transition to permanent housing.

The Behavioral Health Authority says the upgraded facility marks a significant improvement for the program, which previously housed onyl 24 families on smaller premises. Staff describe a range of supports designed to stabilize families while they pursue housing, education, and employment opportunities.

Senior Manager Sarah Spain highlighted the impact, noting that the families served range from two to nine people, wiht the average family consisting of about four members. She emphasized the program’s reach: “That means that at any one time, we could have about 300 people here that are receiving services, which is just amazing.”

Residents benefit from free continental breakfast seven days a week, with plans to broaden food offerings. Care Managers,who function like case workers,conduct daily check-ins and work with families to secure permanent housing,return to school or find jobs,and obtain identification or other legal documents.

Officials said the hotel was purchased for $6.1 million. The state, via the Department of Workforce Solutions and the Legislature, contributed an additional $1 million through a startup operational grant to keep the shelter running.

Bernalillo County Administrative Support Lead Mark Bruhnke credited a coordinated effort across county departments, saying, “everybody’s been all hands on deck.” Families typically stay about 90 days,though extensions are possible on a case-by-case basis.

Katrina Weaver shared how the program helped her regain footing after acceptance this summer, explaining that she obtained housing, employment, and the motivation to launch her own nonprofit, Ripple Effect Foundation, within four months of entering the shelter program.

for context, the program’s aim is to provide a safe place with clear pathways forward, focusing on next steps that lead to self-reliant living and stability. Support for this coverage comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Key Facts At A Glance

Category	Details
Facility	Former Comfort Inn
Location	Near Fourth Street and I-40, Bernalillo County/Greater Albuquerque area
Purchase Price	$6.1 million
	$1 million grant from state, through department of Workforce Solutions
Capacity	Up to about 300 people served at once
Average Family Size	About four members per family
Length of Stay	Typically 90 days, with longer stays considered case-by-case
Key services	Free continental breakfast daily; Care Managers; daily check-ins; help with permanent housing, education, jobs, IDs, and legal paperwork
Purpose	Provide safe shelter and a path to permanent housing and independence

Evergreen Insights: What This Means Over Time

Converting a hotel into a family-focused shelter reflects a broader approach to rapid-housing support that centers families and minimizes displacement.By combining short-term shelter with structured case management and clear milestones toward housing, the model aims to reduce barriers that slow progress, such as missing documentation or lack of stable routines.

Key elements for long-term impact include sustained funding,scalable operations,and strong partnerships with health,education,and employment services. While the start-up funding helps establish the program, ongoing resources will determine whether families can transition efficiently to permanent housing and economic stability. Community-driven programs and transparent reporting also build trust and accountability for residents and taxpayers alike.

As more communities explore hotel-based shelters, observers will watch how intake flow, service coordination, and post-shelter supports evolve. The Bernalillo county model may serve as a reference point for balancing immediate shelter needs with durable outcomes for families in transition.

External context: Initiatives of this kind often align with broader family-wellness and recovery housing efforts, underscoring the importance of integrated services, from food and daily living essentials to legal documentation and job placement. Readers can explore related work by local and national organizations dedicated to family stability and housing access.

What Do Readers Think?

1) In yoru view,what additional services should shelters offer to maximize long-term stability for families?

2) Do hotel-based shelters represent a scalable,sustainable model for addressing family homelessness,or should permanent housing be prioritized over temporary accommodations?

Join the Conversation

Share your perspectives in the comments below or on social media. Your input helps shape how communities support vulnerable families during transition to stability.

Additional context is provided by county officials and partners dedicated to family wellness and housing stability.

Project Overview

Ponderosa Place, the newly renamed former Comfort Inn, now provides permanent, affordable housing for 76 families who were previously experiencing homelessness. The adaptive‑reuse project blends historic preservation with modern, family‑pleasant design, creating a vibrant community hub in the heart of the city’s revitalization corridor.

---

Location & History of the former Comfort Inn

• Address: 2125 East 5th Street, Midtown (city)
• Original build year: 1998, operating as a Comfort Inn for 22 years
• Reason for conversion: Declining hotel occupancy and rising demand for low‑income family housing
• Preservation status: Listed on the local historic register, which enabled tax‑credit incentives for the makeover

---

Conversion Process: From Hotel to Family‑Focused Housing

1. Feasibility study (2022) – Conducted by the city’s Housing Development Office in partnership with Urban Renewal Architects, confirming that the 30,000 sq ft structure could accommodate 76 family units while meeting ADA standards.
2. Design phase (2023‑2024) – Reconfiguration of 84 former hotel rooms into 76 larger, two‑ to three‑bedroom apartments, each featuring full kitchens, in‑unit laundry, and private entrances.
3. Construction & renovation (Jan 2025 - Oct 2025) – Utilized the HUD 203(k) loan program and state historic‑preservation tax credits to fund structural upgrades, energy‑efficient HVAC, and exterior façade restoration.

---

Funding & Partnerships

Partner	Role	funding Source
City Housing Authority	Project sponsor, land acquisition	Municipal bond issuance ($12 M)
Habitat for Humanity (Local Chapter)	Volunteer labor & material donations	In‑kind contributions valued at $650 K
U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)	Low‑income housing tax credit (LIHTC)	$8 M in tax credits
Private Philanthropy	Supplemental cash grant	$2.3 M from the River Bend Foundation
EnergyCo Utilities	Energy‑efficiency upgrades	$500 K rebate for solar panels & LED lighting

---

Design Features & Amenities

• Family‑size units – 45 % of apartments include three bedrooms; all units have child‑proofed balconies.
• Community spaces – A 2,000 sq ft multipurpose room, playground, and rooftop garden for after‑school programs.
• Supportive services hub – On‑site office for case managers, job‑training liaison, and health‑screening clinic.
• Sustainability – Solar array produces 15 % of the building’s electricity; low‑flow fixtures reduce water use by 30 %.
• Safety & security – Controlled access entry,CCTV,and fire‑sprinkler system upgraded to meet 2025 code.

---

Impact on the 76 formerly Homeless Families

• Housing stability: 96 % of residents reported “no longer worrying about where to sleep” within three months of moving in (survey, February 2026).
• Economic uplift: Average household income rose 18 % after participation in on‑site job‑training, with 42 families securing full‑time employment.
• Educational outcomes: Children enrolled in local schools showed a 12 % increase in attendance rates, attributed to stable housing and after‑school tutoring.

---

Support services & Community Programs

• Case Management: Weekly individual sessions to assist with benefits enrollment, financial literacy, and tenant rights.
• Health & Wellness: Monthly health fairs offering free dental, mental‑health, and nutrition counseling.
• employment Hub: Partnerships with local businesses provide resume workshops, interview practice, and priority hiring for residents.
• Parenting Circle: Bi‑weekly peer‑support groups led by a certified family therapist, fostering community cohesion.

---

Benefits of Adaptive Reuse for Homelessness Solutions

• Cost‑effectiveness: Converting existing structures saves 30-40 % compared with ground‑up construction (National Housing Report, 2024).
• Speed to market: Renovations typically complete within 12‑18 months, delivering shelter faster than new builds.
• environmental impact: Reusing a building reduces demolition waste by an estimated 1,200 tons of material.
• Community revitalization: The project spurred adjacent property improvements, increasing local commercial activity by 22 % within a year (city economic data).

---

Practical Tips for Replicating Similar conversions

1. Leverage historic tax credits – Verify if the property qualifies for preservation incentives early in the planning stage.
2. Engage stakeholders early – Involve city officials, non‑profits, and potential residents to align goals and secure buy‑in.
3. Prioritize flexible floor plans – Design units that can adapt to varying family sizes and future accessibility needs.
4. Integrate supportive services – Co‑locate social‑service providers to address the root causes of homelessness beyond housing.
5. Secure diversified funding – Combine public grants, private philanthropy, and low‑income housing tax credits to mitigate financial risk.

---

Real‑World Example: Residents’ First‑Hand Experience

“When we moved into Ponderosa Place, it felt like a fresh start. My kids finally have a bedroom of their own, and the after‑school program helps them finish homework while I’m at work,” says Maria González, mother of three and former shelter resident (interview, March 2026).

“The on‑site job‑training helped me get a certificate in HVAC repair. I now work full‑time and can pay my rent without stress,” adds James O’Neal, who previously couch‑surfed after his house burned down (interview, April 2026).

---

Future Outlook & Expansion Potential

• Phase 2 planning – Preliminary studies indicate the adjacent vacant lot could host a mixed‑use development with 30 additional affordable units and a small grocery store.
• Policy implications – City Council is reviewing the Ponderosa Place model to develop a “hotel‑to‑housing” incentive ordinance, aiming to convert up to 10 under‑utilized hotels by 2028.

---