The Albuquerque mayor has proposed removing nearly $150,000 of gang prevention funding from the city's budget.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Mayor Richard Berry is suggesting that the money would instead be used for voucher programs that provide long-term housing for the homeless.
The move would drop funding for the anti-gang program from $1.4 million to $1.3 million.
The director of a gang intervention program says the cut will force her to lay off four people who work with youth.
A 17-year-old told city councilors last week that the program helped him turn his life around after he joined a gang and began using drugs.
But city officials say there is an increased demand for housing vouchers and mental health services as they break up homeless camps.
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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com
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