Gateway Recovery, one of Albuquerque’s newest addiction recovery programs, is now 68% full. The pallet home micro-community near the Comanche exit on Pan American can house up to 50 people in 46 units — 42 for singles and four for couples. The facility’s success marks a sharp turn from the heated City Council debate that […]
Author Archives: Jesse Jones
Jesse Jones is a reporter covering local government and news for nm.news
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Inside the council’s push to freeze more Gateway spending
City Councilor Joaquín Baca is threatening to block millions in new Gateway Center funding unless Mayor Tim Keller’s administration shows clear plans and real results from the $70 million-plus homelessness project. The ultimatum follows years of cost overruns, delays and missteps that have kept the Gateway’s main facility mostly closed since 2019, even after it […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Albuquerque Ethics Board approves expanded fraud investigation into city council candidate’s public financing donations
The Albuquerque Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices on Aug. 20 approved City Clerk Ethan Watson’s request to expand an investigation into fraud allegations against District 1 City Council candidate Daniel Gilbert Leiva. The board voted 6-0 to allow the city’s inspector general to audit an additional 5% of Leiva’s qualifying contributions and review who […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
From red tape to rapid construction: Councilors embrace “supply-side progressivism” to remove red tape delaying housing spending
As Albuquerque’s housing crisis deepens—with rents rising, homelessness up 83% from 2022-2023 and a shortage of 20,000 units—city leaders are turning to “supply-side progressivism” to speed affordable housing construction. The law, sponsored by District 2 Councilor Joaquín Baca and co-sponsored by District 6 Councilor Nichole Rogers, passed unanimously 9-0 at the Aug. 18 City Council […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
City Council to address housing, internet and budget concerns
The Albuquerque City Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18, with a light agenda. The Downtown Core Vacancy Report and a likely deferral of Gateway housing expansion contracts to September are set for the consent agenda. Councilors will also consider canceling a planned moratorium on fiber internet permits and hear a proposal to speed […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Major votes expected at Monday’s city council meeting on homelessness, housing and substance abuse treatment
Albuquerque City Council will tackle a full agenda Monday night, reviewing the Downtown Core Vacancy Report and voting on Gateway housing expansion, affordable housing funding and substance abuse treatment contracts affecting hundreds of residents. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in Vincent E. Griego Chambers. Councilors will reconsider two $1.8 million Gateway Center contracts for […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Opt-In Zoning proposal suffers decisive defeat in committee
Albuquerque’s opt-in zoning proposal suffered a decisive defeat on Wednesday when the City Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee voted 4-1 against it after many people spoke in public testimony, most of them neighbors opposed to the plan. The resolution, sponsored by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn for Mayor Tim Keller, would have let property […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Neighborhood groups clash with City Hall over voluntary zoning changes in Albuquerque
Albuquerque property owners could soon choose to increase housing density on their lots under a proposed resolution heading to committee review this week. Resolution 25-167, the Opt-In Zoning Ordinance, sponsored by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn for Mayor Tim Keller, would let property owners choose to rezone for higher-density or mixed-use development. The measure goes before […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
The $10 Million makeover: How Nov. bonds could give projects in Albuquerque’s District 6 an overhaul
Albuquerque is investing big in its future — nearly $167 million in capital projects have already been launched or completed across the city. From new parks and library upgrades to fire stations and public art, these efforts aim to improve everyday life in every district. This series breaks down where the money went, what was […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Albuquerque cracks down on landlords as new cooling law faces first test
Albuquerque’s new cooling ordinance faced its first major test this summer, as city inspectors cracked down on landlords failing to provide working air conditioning during extreme heat. The city’s response at The Retreat at Candelaria in July marked a shift in how it enforces Albuquerque’s six-month-old cooling ordinance. After weeks of tenant complaints and indoor […]