Albuquerque Archives - City Desk ABQ

The Albuquerque City Council meets at City Hall in this August file photo. The Council narrowly approved a charter review task force on Nov. 2. (Jesse Jones)

Fiery debate precedes approval of Albuquerque charter review

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — A heated City Council debate over mayoral power and legislative control erupted into personal sparring Nov. 2 before councilors narrowly approved a permanent task force to review Albuquerque’s city charter. During its Nov. 2 meeting, the City Council narrowly approved Ordinance O-26-66 on a 5–4 vote, with Vice President […]

Volcanic cinder cones on Albuquerque’s West Mesa are a defining feature of District 1’s landscape near Petroglyph National Monument. (Courtesy of CABQ)

Albuquerque, Local Government

Have an idea for District 1? Help decide how Albuquerque spends $1.7 million

by Jesse Jones November 2, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Burqueños can help decide how to spend $1.7 million in public funds on projects in District 1. The initiative builds on Albuquerque’s first participatory budgeting pilot in District 6. Albuquerque City Councilor Stephanie Telles is inviting residents to submit ideas for projects funded through District 1’s $1.7 million participatory […]

Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque with the City Hall building pictured in the background. (Roberto Rosales)

Albuquerque, Local Government

Before voters head to the polls, the City Council has business to handle

by Jesse Jones November 2, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — What will be a shorter-than-usual Albuquerque City Council meeting Monday, the day before Election Day, will still decide the city’s future, from who reviews its charter to how zoning rules change and what can be built near the Sawmill neighborhood. Councilors will take final action on a proposal to […]

Time for fine-tuning: APS to host series of community meetings on ‘right-sizing’

By Rodd Cayton, The Paper. — As enrollment at Albuquerque Public Schools continues to decline, tough decisions need to be made, and the district is asking for community input to guide the process. APS has scheduled a series of community meetings over the next few months to hear from the public. According to an APS […]

The seal of the Albuquerque City Council

Albuquerque City Council picks up where last meeting left off

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Tonight’s Albuquerque City Council meeting will feel like a continuation of the last one, with councilors revisiting a controversial zoning appeal fee proposal and other issues they left unresolved at the Oct. 5 meeting. Councilors postponed the zoning proposal and ran out of time to consider another item on […]

Several dozen homeless folks currently camp under interstate I-40 and first street. Many express frustration of authorities coming by everyday and kicking them out but decide to return an hour later. This has been their daily routine for months now. Pictured is a fentanyl pill about to be consumed. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales / City Desk Abq

Bernalillo County approves emergency powers to fight fentanyl crisis

By Jesse Jones, The Paper, — Bernalillo County is moving to cut red tape so it can get emergency medical care to the streets faster, overhaul jail detox programs and crack down on fentanyl trafficking. Commissioners approved an emergency declaration Wednesday that grants emergency authority to the county manager and asks the state for additional […]

Albuquerque Housing Authority’s apartments at Broadway and McKnight added 54 affordable units to the city’s housing stock when AHA cut the ribbon on the project in 2023. AHA is accepting pre-applications for its Public Housing program through Oct. 31 and for Section 8 vouchers from Oct. 16 through Nov. 15. (Courtesy of Albuquerque Housing Authority)

Knock, knock: Albuquerque Housing Authority opens doors to Section 8 and public housing applicants

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. — Albuquerque-area renters searching for an affordable place to live have a limited window to get in line for federal housing help, and the deadline for one program is already approaching. The Albuquerque Housing Authority opens pre-applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program on Friday, Oct. 16, and […]

A sink filled with sewage at Mont44 Apartments. Courtesy of CABQ.

Albuquerque, Local Government

What happened to the 10 out-of-state properties on Albuquerque’s Lazy Landlord list?

by Jesse Jones October 13, 2026October 22, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — When raw sewage backed into kitchen sinks and bathtubs at the Mont44 apartment complex, residents organized a tenant union. Landing on Albuquerque’s landlord list in June brought no immediate relief. Maintenance crews only returned after a September city inspection of more than 60 units, organized with tenants. Mont44’s experience […]

A view of Albuquerque. The City Council reviewed the city’s final FY26 objectives report Oct. 5, which outlines goals the city met, fell short on and will carry into the next fiscal year. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales for the Paper

Albuquerque, Local Government

Albuquerque’s report card is in. Here’s what went right and what’s still a work in progress

by Jesse Jones October 8, 2026October 22, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque checked off some goals this year, while others are still a work in progress. The City Council reviewed Mayor Tim Keller’s fiscal year 2026 objectives Monday, Oct. 5, looking at everything from thousands of visits at the Gateway sobering center to ongoing problems with recycling and transit. Councilors […]

Hot air balloons fill the sky over Albuquerque during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The annual event draws hundreds of thousands of guest visits and generates millions of dollars in economic activity for the city. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales/City Desk ABQ.

Albuquerque, Jobs, Workers & Economy

When the green flag flies, Albuquerque’s economy gets a lift

by Jesse Jones October 8, 2026October 22, 2026

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — For nine days each October, hot air balloons fill Albuquerque’s morning sky as visitors pack hotels, restaurants and businesses across the city. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta brings hundreds of thousands of visitors, boosting the local economy. As the 2026 event continues, its full economic impact is still taking […]