4 days ago
Seventh ‘problem hotel' in seven months shut down in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque has shut down the seventh problem hotel in the last seven months, and the city said it's the biggest one yet.
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When you walk into the court inside the Barcelona Suites near Lomas Blvd. and Louisiana Blvd., you find a well-kept space that used to host large events like proms and graduations. But city officials said the individual rooms in the hotel tell a completely different story. And they claim the owners were being deceptive. 'This place was drug-infested and crime ridden and full of all the problems that we see in Albuquerque, and it was all for this neighborhood being run out of this hotel,' said Mayor Tim Keller.
Code enforcement found violations in nearly all 163 rooms at the hotel. They found various plumbing issues, electrical hazards, fire code violations, and unsanitary conditions, like mold, infestations of bed bugs, cockroaches, and pigeons.
In the past year, APD responded to 151 calls for service and made nine arrests at the hotel. 'Just to give you an example, we've had three shootings resulting in injuries in the last year. One took place right outside the back of the hotel. Individuals were seen doing drug transactions at the back window. There was some sort of dispute, one individual was seen running east in the neighborhood, at which point another individual chased him down and shot him,' said Southeast Area Commander Josh Richards, Albuquerque Police Department.
The units were being improperly used for long-term stays, with some tenants staying several years. The tenants of the Barcelona Suites were being charged rates ranging from $280 to $1,025 per month, and in some cases, both cash and the city's housing vouchers.
The mayor said 68 people living in the hotel were rehoused by Albuquerque Community Safety. The city said the property owners are currently out of state, but they face a strict timeline to get the building back up to code.
Two pets were voluntarily surrendered by their owners. Three others were taken into protective custody until the owners can secure appropriate housing.
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