Reimagining Albuquerque

You turn the key — but the lock doesn’t work. The heater’s broken again, and the landlord shrugs. It’s winter in Albuquerque, and you’re left cold, insecure, and on your own.

For too many renters, that’s not just a story — 36.4% of Albuquerque households are renters, and their struggles often go unheard — it’s daily life. Until now, there’s been little recourse. Often, tenants have been forced into a long, exhausting process of documenting issues, reporting them, waiting through delays for city staff inspections, and then enduring court battles to get relief.

But this week (March 17th, 2025), the Albuquerque City Council unanimously passed Resolution R-25-120, creating a dedicated code enforcement officer and prioritizing complaints from tenants facing unsafe living conditions. It’s more than policy. It’s a commitment to making Albuquerque healthier, more stable, and more equitable.

In a rare moment of unity, the City Council discussion showed how this proposal brought together councilors often presented as rivals, underscoring broad support. Councilor Dan Champine of District 8 cut to the point: accountability fails when everyone plays by different rules, adding that this makes everyone look bad and that holding each other accountable matters. Even Council President Brook Bassan of District 4, often cautious, acknowledged that it is good policy — though she voiced continued concern that the administration must still staff these positions. And Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn of District 7, the bill’s sponsor, spoke eloquently to the need, highlighting how renters face too many barriers and how this enforcement simply ensures current code is upheld. Public commentary also supported the measure.

Enforcement Is the Backbone of a Livable City

Good urbanism demands more than building housing or designing great streets. It’s about making sure people are safe and secure in the homes they already have. Recent reports of tenants evacuated from the city-owned Beach Apartments due to dangerous conditions show that without enforcement, even public investments can fail the people they’re meant to serve. Enforcement preserves what we’ve built — and protects residents from shocks and instability.

Housing is infrastructure. Just like roads and water systems, homes need to meet basic standards, and the city should take responsibility for making that happen. If renters are left alone to battle negligent landlords over broken plumbing, pest infestations, or structural hazards, we undermine the very foundation of a livable city.

Relieving Residents of the Burden of Policing

Another urbanist truth: neighbors should not have to police each other. One of the best parts of R-25-120 is how it relieves tenants of the burden of policing their own landlords. While this bill doesn’t directly affect neighborhood associations, it connects to broader issues of enforcement and community conflict. Instead of renters having to navigate tense conversations or conflicts with property owners about code violations or unsafe conditions, this resolution shifts responsibility where it belongs — to the city. Professional enforcement lets renters focus on being good neighbors and building community, rather than fighting battles they shouldn’t have to fight alone.

This same principle could benefit entire neighborhoods, relieving both tenants, homeowners, and neighborhood associations from adversarial roles and helping them refocus on community-building. Right now, neighbors and neighborhood associations often find themselves acting as unofficial enforcers — debating carports, quarreling over setbacks, or fixating on the color of an adobe wall. These conflicts create friction and resentment, undermining the very sense of community they aim to protect.

Expanding the city’s capacity for neutral, professional enforcement — perhaps through additional planning and code enforcement staff — could reduce these tensions. Decades of these conflicts have eroded trust and neighborliness, reinforcing the need for professional mediation and neutral enforcement. It would allow neighborhoods to shift from gatekeeping and conflict toward trust, fairness, and connection. Just as R-25-120 helps renters, broader enforcement resources could help all residents focus on building neighborhoods that are welcoming, not walled-off.

Transparency and Trust

What makes this resolution particularly promising is its commitment to transparency. Complaints will be tracked and reported to the City Council annually. That means renters — and the public — can see that enforcement exists and that it works. This kind of accountability builds trust.

It also helps change the conversation around growth and density. Fear of absentee landlords and neglected properties often fuels opposition to new housing. Strong, visible enforcement reassures residents that growth doesn’t have to mean decay. It can mean opportunity.

What’s Next

R-25-120 is a huge step forward — now Albuquerque must do more:

• Expand tenant education so renters know their rights and how to report problems — in multiple languages and through accessible channels.
• Implement proactive inspections in vulnerable areas instead of relying only on crisis complaints.
• Involve tenants in planning processes, recognizing them as key voices shaping the city’s future.
• Acknowledge that renters are a growing part of Albuquerque’s population and must be included in every neighborhood conversation. Their voices should be solicited in development decisions, and their lived experience should shape city planning.
• Consider broader code enforcement expansions that help navigate conflicts between neighbors, associations, and changing community needs.

Urbanism Is Follow-Through

Cities that aim for growth, density, and vibrancy can’t stop at design and zoning reform. Safe, equitable, livable spaces require consistent enforcement — not as an afterthought, but as core infrastructure.

If Albuquerque backs this resolution with real resources, real accountability, and ongoing public reporting, it can become a national model. Because thriving cities don’t pit growth against safety. They make both possible.

The future Albuquerque is building? It’s one where everyone can turn the key and feel secure inside their home — and one where neighborhoods embrace renters as neighbors, value their contributions, and grow stronger through inclusion and trust.

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics. Available at: https://data.census.gov/table?q=Albuquerque+city,+New+Mexico&tid=ACSDP1Y2022.DP04