Empower Health Services Faced Zoning Challenges
The Albuquerque shelter is working to remain open amid rising concerns from local residents and business owners.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Substance Abuse
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Empower Health Services is currently fighting to maintain its overnight shelter operations in Albuquerque. The city has questioned whether the organization is operating under the proper zoning requirements.
Why it matters
The organization aims to provide critical recovery support and prevent residents from returning to homelessness. Meanwhile, the shelter faces intense scrutiny from the local community due to reports of increased waste and criminal activity in the area.
Intake coordinator Alice Dolan achieved 1 year of sobriety in September 2026 after surviving 8 fentanyl overdoses. The shelter operates as an intensive outpatient program for addiction recovery.
The players
Empower Health Services
This is an Albuquerque organization that provides an intensive outpatient program for individuals recovering from addiction.
Marlena Addison
She is a Comprehensive Community Support Services worker who previously completed the intensive outpatient program at the facility.
Alice Dolan
She serves as the intake coordinator at Empower Health Services and manages patient recovery pathways.
The details
Empower Health Services offers an intensive outpatient program for addiction recovery, helping individuals stabilize their lives. However, neighbors and nearby business owners have reported safety issues including gunshots, discarded needles, trash, and drugs appearing in the immediate vicinity.
Timeline
Alice Dolan celebrated one year of sobriety in September 2026.
Health Landscape
This facility's struggle reflects the broader tension between community housing needs and local compliance with the City of Albuquerque Zoning Code. Municipal regulations often dictate how and where recovery services can operate, directly impacting their ability to provide public health support.
The potential closure of the shelter threatens the continuity of care for individuals currently enrolled in the recovery program. Patients must navigate uncertainty regarding their access to the facility's intensive outpatient services during the ongoing zoning review.
The takeaway
The conflict highlights the operational challenges faced by non-profit recovery providers operating in residential or commercial zones. Balancing necessary public health resources with neighborhood safety concerns remains a difficult hurdle for urban recovery programs.
Further reading
Learn more about local recovery efforts in the Substance Abuse section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOB.
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