Photo: Local organizer Barbara Hendricks, pale green sweater, shares information about ‘Friends and Neighbors in Need’ at the February 17, 2026, Archuleta Board of County Commissioners work session.
The League of Women Voters of Archuleta County will be hosting a panel discussion tonight, regarding the current housing crisis in our community. The free event takes place at 5:30pm at the Community United Methodist Church.
A serious lack of affordable housing for the community’s low-paid workforce has been an ongoing concern.
How about shelter for people who have no housing at all? And perhaps, no food?
Here’s Deacon Wendy McAllister, speaking at the Archuleta Board of County Commissioners’ February 17 work session, about the need for better emergency response in our community.
That is to say, timely responses to personal emergency situations.
Rev. McAllister is a deacon at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church and one of the driving forces behind Pagosa Outreach Connection (POC).
“There are so many committed, dedicated and compassionate resource organizations here in Pagosa Springs, that assist our population on many levels. Government, nonprofit and civic.
“POC is made up of a number of different organizations that come to the table, and pool their own money and contribute to assist people who are having a one-time urgent need.
“POC was started over 20 years ago by the Community United Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, and United Way, with the mission of assisting residents who are experiencing an emerging financial crisis, with a ‘one hand up’. It can be rent, or a mortgage, or a medical bill, or utilities. or a car repair, or many other things.
“The mission of POC is to bring those residents back to sustainability.”
In other words, this community charity aims to address one-time, temporary emergencies, rather than long-term crises.
“Which means that POC’s reach is rather limited… You need to be a resident and you need to show that you can be returned to sustainability.
“POC is very valuable and relevant to that population. But POC is not equipped to assist the [chronically] homeless population…
“I’m here to advocate for the unhoused population here in Pagosa Springs. There are many more than people are aware of… We’ve identified these folks as ‘rough sleepers’. Our tent community is huge here in Pagosa Springs, as many of you know…”
This comment, about a huge tent community, struck me as difficult to confirm. Unlike in big urban centers where tent communities pop up in plain sight, in public parks and vacant lots, and on sidewalks, Archuleta County’s “rough sleepers” have access to vast forested areas, where a tent might escape notice unless you were looking for it.
“The challenges that our unhoused people face are really just basic needs. My long-term vision is to see a warming center here, and maybe a soup kitchen. Maybe a roving medical van to help those who don’t have transportation…
“Like I said, we have so many organizations that will help, but none of them are equipped to fully assist our unhoused population.”
The next person to speak, from the small group of thoughtful, committed citizens, was downtown resident and Town Council member Leonard Martinez, who related a story about a woman abandoned by an abusive spouse who left her without any money, and without wood for her wood stove. A community effort came together to provide her with firewood and cash donations, and this cooperative action led to the formation of ‘Friends and Neighbors in Need’, otherwise known as FaNiN, in September 2024.
The group had learn of the woman’s predicament through the local nonprofit Rise Above Violence.
Mr. Martinez then introduced Carmen Lewis, Rise’s executive director, who thanked the commissioners for creating financial incentives for vacation rental owners who allow victims of domestic violence to shelter in their units.
She noted Rise provides three tiers of housing to victims: emergency housing for up to three nights; transitional housing for up to three weeks; and long-term housing for up to six months.
“We work closely with Salvation Army; they have consistently been our funder for our emergency housing. When we provide those nights at motels, they reimburse us. So the Salvation Army has been a huge resource for our emergency housing.
“Our need for emergency housing is increasing. In 2024, we provided 13 nights for 12 clients. In 2025, we provided 33 night for 20 clients.
“Homelessness is one of the biggest barriers that survivors of domestic violence face.”
Mr. Martinez then introduced Barbara Hendricks, formerly with the County Department of Human Services and one of the founders of POC.
Ms. Hendricks:
“By having services in place, it reduces the strain on resources that currently provide a very limited amount that we can provide to people. It improves public health and safety, it reduces police interactions, and it also reduces the emergency room visits. It provides for cleaner public spaces.
“What I think our mission with POC has been always, is to deal with people, with compassion and dignity. And to really serve the vulnerable populations in our county. Because it does affect every single one of us.
“So I think having something in place, where people can keep warm — and a soup kitchen is a wonderful idea — and then we can refer people who are struggling with mental illness or substance abuse. And have a really strong community…”
Mr. Martinez then summarized Friends and Neighbors in Need, the newest organization seeking to serve vulnerable individuals and families. Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the LPEA Roundup Foundation, FaNiN was able to quickly provide motel stays, gas, and food to people in emergency situations.
“We just received a $2,500 donation from the Ballantine Foundation, and we’re going to partner with Salvation Army, and in an emergency situation, we’re going to cover that first night [in a motel]. Because that’s really the biggest problem — what do you do today?”
Is Pagosa Springs ready for a warm, safe, emergency shelter, and maybe a soup kitchen? A mobile medical van?
Is the Archuleta County government one of the agencies that ought to be funding these improvements?
We’ve heard that the County Road & Bridge Department is running low on funds for road maintenance, partly due to loan payments on a new multi-million-dollar jail and the purchase of a vacant parcel in the Aspen Village subdivision for a proposed County administration building.
What are the community’s priorities?