ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque is working to make its westside homeless shelter more than just a shelter and they are hoping a new partner will help them do it. Monday night, City Council approved two contracts for a nonprofit organization, not only to operate the facility now known as Gateway West, but also to provide case management. Albuquerque's Health, Housing, and Homelessness Department selected a group called Chicanos Por La Causa. "They provide services for large-scale shelters and also homeless services so we believe they would be the best experienced to be able to provide the services here in Albuquerque," says Charlie Verploegh from the Health, Housing, and Homelessness Department. This comes after a six-year contract ended with Heading Home and the nonprofit declined to renew it. The transition to find a new operator started back in May but the process got off to a slow start. Gateway Center installs art created by artists facing homelessness "The city Health, Housing, and Homelessness Department put out this RFP twice, there were no respondents. In part, it's very expensive and difficult to run this service," says Verploegh. The city ended up proactively reaching out across the country and found three contenders. They say Chicanos Por La Causa turned out to be the best fit, with a track record of operating similar facilities in six states. Verploegh says they are grateful for Heading Home's years of service but they are looking forward to working with Chicanos Por La Causa to expand the programs and resources Gateway West can offer, beyond just housing. "It's gonna be providing, really looking at individuals and clients as a whole person so that they can be successful in their journey towards recovery toward long-term housing stability," Verploegh says. "In a way that we haven't done that in the past. In the past, it's really just been just an emergency shelter what we're doing in this next step is providing services to individuals." Chicanos Por La Causa has been in New Mexico since 2010, partnering with homeless health organizations in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.