Bernalillo County voters will get to decide in November whether to support $40.5 million in capital projects ranging from a wrought iron fence to several new athletic fields. On June 25, the Board of Commissioners approved the list of projects for the general obligation bond issue and the questions that will be placed on the […]
Housing & Homelessness
Trump’s debate references to ‘Black jobs’ and ‘Hispanic jobs’ stir Democratic anger
By MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump warned during his debate with Joe Biden and again at a Friday rally that migrants were taking “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs” from Americans, angering critics who called it a racist and insulting attempt to expand his appeal beyond his white conservative base. While President Joe Biden’s […]
ABQ advocates, officials weigh in on Supreme Court decision on homelessness
Advocates for those experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque reacted to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Friday with concerns about what it might mean for the city’s unhoused population. City officials, meanwhile, were also considering the implications of the decision. The court issued a decision Friday in the highly anticipated Grants Pass v. Johnson case. Siding with […]
‘I didn’t like who I was becoming, and I was afraid’
Life changed in an instant for Ragina Smith on April 18, 2023, when her husband of five years was killed in a motorcycle accident. “One night he left and just didn’t come back,” Smith said. “He only had the bike three months.” The couple was living in Jacksonville, Florida, where Smith, 43, worked as a […]
Supreme Court allows cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court decided on Friday that cities can enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outdoors, even in West Coast areas where shelter space is lacking. The case is the most significant to come before the high court in decades on the issue and comes as a rising number of people in the […]
Anti-homeless attitudes, discrimination focus of Albuquerque hearing
Anami Dass, the chair of Albuquerque’s Human Rights Board, read a statement on behalf of her friend Levy, who couldn’t attend a June 22 public hearing on anti-homeless sentiment and discrimination. Dass said Levy tried to explain months ago what it was like to be discriminated against for being homeless to a case manager. “His […]
Is Trump shielded from criminal charges as an ex-president?
By MARK SHERMAN WASHINGTON (AP) — In the coming days, the Supreme Court will confront a perfect storm mostly of its own making: a trio of decisions stemming directly from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Within days of each other, if not hours, the justices are expected to rule on whether Donald Trump has immunity […]
What’s left for the Supreme Court to decide? Here’s the list.
By MARK SHERMAN and LINDSAY WHITEHURST The Supreme Court is headed into its final week with about a quarter of the cases heard this year still undecided, including ones that could reshape the law on everything from abortion to social media. The justices are also still weighing whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution […]
Board wants city to make attacks on homeless a hate crime
The city’s Human Rights Board is recommending that Albuquerque’s hate crimes ordinance be updated to include housing status — a reference to those experiencing homelessness or who are precariously housed. The recommendation comes after board members noticed a rise in hostilities toward the unhoused community. The board is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by […]
Zoning to increase duplexes, overnight shelters fails at City Council
A push to reform the city’s zoning laws to allow more duplex construction has failed for a second year. An amendment to the city’s codes would have greenlighted conversions of existing single-family homes into duplexes in areas designated as urban centers, main street areas and those near mass transit. A measure to allow for new […]