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VOL 7 | ISSUE 341 | OCTOBER 8, 2021
UP ON THE ROOF
Gallup transients continue to settle in alleys, on rooftops By Beth Blakeman Managing Editor
B
r i a n McD o n a ld , a dedicated local business owner, has scaled the roofs of Gallup businesses and homes for some 23 years. In his more than two decades of heating and cooling work on downtown Gallup rooftops, he’s noticed that he’s not alone. The people he sees at work are not colleagues, friends, or anyone he knows. They’re squatters. These folks take shelter by haphazardly climbing pipes and jumping on trash bins to launch themselves onto roofs — building hutches and makeshift tents out of the sides of swamp coolers, and creating makeshift toilets and fire pods for warmth. As the owner of Universal Air HVAC, 2265 Peggy Ann Dr., McDonald provides heating
and cooling sales, installation, and services for homes and businesses around the city. W h ile squat ter s play house on rooftops, often unbeknownst to folks on the ground, business goes on as usual in downtown Gallup. When McDonald saw an encampment on one roof in January, he thought it was above Red Rock Insurance, 212 Coal Ave., He mentioned it to owner Joseph Sanchez. Someone climbed up to check it out and the encampment turned out to be on the roof of a neighboring business. “I’m finding them (transients) in the alleys, under bridges,” McDonald said. “They’re everywhere — downtown Gallup is the worst.” A few months later, in April, squatter issues captured Sanchez’ attention again, when uninvited guests
ROOFTOP | SEE PAGE 9