In downtown Albuquerque, more than 65 renters at The Alvarado Apartments signed a formal demand letter accusing their management company, Apartment Management Consultants (AMC), of dangerous neglect, safety failures and “excessive” fees. They are demanding rent abatement and a written repair plan. The Alvarado Apartments and AMC did not respond to requests for comment on […]
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“A complete betrayal”: Council rejects enforcement of renters rights against predatory landlords
Albuquerque renters will not receive local protection from excessive fees after the City Council rejected an ordinance Wednesday that would have enforced the state’s Senate Bill 267 in limbo. The 5-4 vote leaves the law, which caps application fees at $50 and limits late fees to 5% of rent, unenforced at the local level. Since […]
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Who runs Albuquerque day-to-day? Meet the city’s reappointed CAO
When your trash is picked up, a pothole disappears or you spend an afternoon at the BioPark, you’re seeing the work of Samantha Sengel even if you don’t know her name. The Albuquerque City Council unanimously reappointed Samantha Sengel as chief administrative officer (CAO) Wednesday. The city’s most powerful non-elected position oversees 6,000 employees and […]
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Frustrated by delays, Council proposes fix for contentious City Hall Q&A
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information about a new Q&A process proposed to replace the repealed agenda item, if passed, as well as reactions from councilors. The mayor’s administration and Council President Klarissa Peña have a plan to make the most frustrating and contentious parts of the council meetings more useful […]
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City promised fraud reports in 15 days, still waiting after 300
A months-long fight over transparency erupted at Albuquerque City Hall last fall after nine Inspector General fraud investigations were completed. Of those investigations, the public has only seen two final reports; four remain unreleased and one was formally rejected. The controversy began in April when the Albuquerque Accountability in Government Oversight Committee deferred six reports, […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
County rejects federal cut, maintains housing assistance for low-income families
Bernalillo County commissioners approved an item Tuesday to keep housing voucher rates unchanged for 2026, rejecting a federal decrease that officials warned would harm low-income renters. The county will maintain current subsidy levels, which average 2.9% above the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fair market rents, to help tenants stay competitive in a […]
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Albuquerque’s Gateway Center hits a turning point in homelessness response
The City of Albuquerque announced Tuesday that the Gateway Center reached full capacity for the first time since its late-2025 expansion, placing nearly 200 people on a path toward stable housing through intensive support services. The Gibson location now serves 192 residents — 100 women and 92 men — who commit to behavioral intervention and […]
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Inside the push to save Albuquerque’s aging Main Library
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library Advisory Board has raised $925,000 in pledges from state, city and county officials to replace the Main Library’s 50-year-old heating and cooling system, bypassing traditional district boundaries. The board still needs $1.6 million to reach its $2.5 million goal. The 100,000-square-foot downtown library relies on a 1975 “air handler” system […]
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160,000 properties in Albuquerque could get a zoning change, here’s what you need to know
Sweeping zoning changes affecting at least 160,000 Albuquerque properties head next to the City Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning (LUPZ) Committee amid sharp disagreement over what’s changing and whether residents received adequate notice, according to 2023 U.S. Census data. The Integrated Development Ordinance Biennial Update, approved by the Environmental Planning Commission in November, includes […]
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ABQ’s new interim police chief follows a familiar path. Will it lead to the same destination?
Cecily Barker, named Albuquerque’s first woman interim police chief on New Year’s Eve, follows a familiar pattern: Her two predecessors served as interim chief for about six months before being permanently appointed. The pattern is clear: Michael Geier served 6.5 months as interim chief before the City Council confirmed him 9-0 in June 2018. Harold […]