Vandalized store windows? City launches 3rd round of help, but mostly only in select neighborhoods

The City of Albuquerque is once again offering to repair broken windows for businesses that are victim of vandalism — but the offer is good only for business in a handful of neighborhoods.

According to program requirements reviewed by City Desk, the city will reimburse owners for 80% of the cost of replacement, up to $3,000 per business, with an additional $1,000 for installing security or “green” glass, if the business meets a number of requirements including having less than 25 employees.

But a majority of the funding is set aside for businesses located in one of several neighborhoods designated as “pockets of poverty.”

Sara Mannel from the city’s Economic Development Department told City Desk that $201,500 is allocated for the program citywide, and $151,500 of that will be available to businesses in pocket of poverty areas.

Those pocket of poverty program was created by the city in 1987 to help uplift neighborhoods where blight and poverty inhibited small business development. A city committee designates neighborhoods every few years for special funding to address those issues.

The current pocket of poverty neighborhoods include parts of 30 neighborhood associations clustered around Downtown, the 2nd Street corridor and Central Avenue to UNM.

“This round of window grants continues our commitment to standing by local businesses,” said Mayor Tim Keller in a statement from the city. “For a small business, the cost of vandalism can be devastating. These grants help business owners recover faster and get back to business.”

In a news release announcing the new program, the city highlighted a number of previous program recipients, though some would not be eligible for this round of funding because they are not located in the pockets of poverty neighborhoods.

This is the third time the city has launched programs to pay to replace broken windows for local businesses. The first, in 2020, was followed by another in 2024.