#nmpol – Page 37

Fees for fun things in ABQ won’t be raised

Albuquerque City Councilors have dropped proposed fee increases from Mayor Tim Keller’s draft budget for fiscal year 2024-2025. At the May 16 Committee of the Whole meeting, members voted to make a few changes to Keller’s $1.4 billion budget. Among the amendments was allocating an additional $250,000 for the ABQ BioPark, eliminating the need for […]

Council provides ‘basic human rights for almost everybody’

Albuquerque City Councilors passed an amendment to the city’s Human Rights Ordinance to prohibit discrimination based on mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, or conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. The amendment is an update to the city’s Human Rights Ordinance to match the State of New Mexico’s Human Rights Act, Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn […]

Albuquerque Is Throwing Out the Belongings of Homeless People, Violating City Policy

This story is published in partnership with ProPublica as a part of our commitment to bringing you the best in independent news coverage that matters to Albuquerque. By Nicole Santa Cruz | ProPublica ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power, co-published this story with New Mexico in Depth. On a recent morning, Christian Smith ran […]

Push for more Albuquerque duplexes falls short

Those hoping the city would allow more duplexes to be built in Albuquerque were disappointed Wednesday night when a proposed zoning amendment was voted down 3-2. The consideration before the land use, planning and zoning (LUPZ) committee would have allowed duplexes, once authorized under city zoning, to be constructed from single-family homes located in certain […]

Budget committee meets one last time to tackle the mayor’s big buck budget

Get your popcorn ready to watch some municipal excitement. The Committee of the Whole will meet on May 16 for members to pull out their red pens to mark up the mayor’s $1.4 billion proposed budget for fiscal year 2025. This is the last meeting scheduled before the final budget will be presented at the […]

200 seniors, 90 veterans housed at Westside shelter — some for years

The city’s Westside Emergency Housing Center (WEHC) is home to about 200 seniors and 90 veterans seeking shelter among hundreds more who are experiencing homelessness. While the number who sleep there fluctuates throughout the year, during the winter months officials say it’s not uncommon to reach its capacity of 600. City officials and advocates for […]

Opponents of a proposed amendment to reverse Albuquerque immigrant friendly policy hold rally

Opponents of an amendment that would reverse the City of Albuquerque’s immigrant friendly policy gathered at Civic Plaza Monday afternoon to speak out against the proposed change. “Our immigrant friendly policy in the City of Albuquerque is really important. It has been in place for about 24 years, so for 24 years we have been […]

Council approves a more equitable new food ordinance

Albuquerque city councilors have approved a new food ordinance, updating a law that has been in place for up to five decades. City staff said the current food sanitation ordinance dates back to 2010, and some rules were adopted as far back as 1974. The new ordinance replaces the previous ordinances with a unified set […]

Anatomy of an encampment

A private dirt lot located one block north of East Central Avenue in Albuquerque’s International District recently saw a swell of activity from an illegal encampment. About 50 people experiencing homelessness were living on the site that functioned as a makeshift community. There was considerable trash on the street and reports of burglary, vandalism, public […]

City Council committee listens to budget concerns from residents

Housing, community safety services, Explora and funding for disc golf topped the list of public comments at a meeting of city leaders to hear city budget concerns. What’s COW? The Albuquerque City Council’s Committee of the Whole (COW) met Thursday to hear resident input on the mayor’s proposed $1.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2025. […]