ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A new study is giving us an idea of how many teens and young adults, are living on the streets in Bernalillo County. The study comes from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation and dives into why teens and young adults end up on the streets.
According to the study, there is anywhere between 1,000 to 2,300 youth, ages 15 to 25, living on the streets in Bernalillo County.
The study lists a few reasons they are homeless. A lot of them left home after a fight with their parent or guardian. Others say they left because of abuse in their home. Another key issue they identify. A lot of them have aged out of the foster care system, with nowhere to go, and no help navigating the “real world.” Local leaders have been working on fixing that problem for years.
“To prevent foster youth who are the largest percentage of homeless young adults and youth in New Mexico to help kind of catch them before they fall out of the system,” said Senator Michael Padilla.
Senator Padilla’s foster youth changes bill passed in 2020. The goal is to connect those in the foster system to resources before it’s too late.
The study also recommends potential solutions for the growing problem. Including providing better access to housing options.
If you would like to view the study, you can view it online.