05-02-2025
Albuquerque City Council works on ordinance changes to deal with nuisance properties
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Fires, trash buildup, run-down buildings, and more. The city of Albuquerque is trying to figure out what to do, about nuisance properties. City council is now ironing out the details of a proposal that would create new rules for property owners.
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One city councilor has been trying to overhaul the city's nuisance abatement ordinance but the proposal is running into concerns from the community. Concerned members of the community spoke at Monday night's city council meeting. 'Seems like the purpose of this ordinance is to allow the city to shut down anything it doesn't like at any time. Insane amount of power to give anyone,' said one community member at Monday night's city council meeting.
Some said the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance is too vague and believe it is a way for the city to target businesses or the homeless population. 'It allows HOAs to more easily harass their members. It allows the city to target businesses they do not like,' said another community member at the meeting.
In December, Councilor Renee Grout proposed the changes, to focus on how the city deals with repeated criminal activity like squatters starting fires at vacant buildings. 'It amends the definition of public nuisance to eliminate the long list of crimes that could constitute a nuisance. Instead, providing that repeat criminal activity, or the repeat ordinance violations will be deemed a nuisance,' Councilor Grout told KRQE in December 2024.
Supporters claim it's an effort to hold property owners accountable when they do not keep their property up to code. However, some city councilors like Tammy Fiebelkorn still have concerns. 'One of my problems is just that we're equating criminal activity with things like sound ordinance problems. Those are not equal in my mind and in the mind of citizens,' said Councilor Fiebelkorn.
Fiebelkorn agreed the focus needs to be on criminal activity at properties but said work needs to be done to clarify what constitutes as criminal activity. She introduced a couple of changes which the council agreed to.
One change was not deeming a property a nuisance simply because a property owner allows a homeless person to camp there. Another removed weed and litter violations from the criteria. 'We did remove that from the ordinance, and I think that makes it stronger. We are now focusing in on real criminal activity, fire code problems and animal cruelty problems,' said Councilor Fiebelkorn.
Under the proposal, after three violations, the city would be able to start fining a property owner and could call for a hearing to take further action ranging from an order to fix the problem to closing the building or business.
Councilors agreed to defer a vote for 30 days to allow more time for public input and changes.
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