Scorecard for subsidies: BernCo looks to tie public subsidies to private company benefits

County commissioners reviewed new economic development policies Tuesday aimed at ensuring businesses receiving public subsidies provide measurable benefits to local communities. The Board of County Commissioners heard findings from a steering committee that conducted five community meetings and a countywide survey over the past year. Commissioner Barbara Baca, who led the initiative, introduced a resolution […]

County presses pause on AI data center incentive

Following a lengthy debate over water use, renewable energy and local hiring requirements, Bernalillo County commissioners pumped the brakes on a proposed framework for incentivizing AI and data center projects, voting to defer the item until their next meeting rather than approve or reject it outright. Commissioner Eric Olivas, who sponsored the “Holding Data Center […]

Historic investments and more work ahead: Barbara Baca announces re-election bid for District 1 commissioner

Bernalillo County Commissioner Barbara Baca announced Wednesday she will seek re-election in the June Democratic primary for District 1, which encompasses Albuquerque’s Westside and North Valley. Baca, a lifelong Westside resident and 14th-generation New Mexican, said she is running to continue work on housing, behavioral health and public safety initiatives begun during her first term. […]

Neighborhoods vs. housing crisis: Council to take another step towards sweeping residential zoning changes

Albuquerque city councilors will take another step this week towards enacting sweeping zoning changes that would allow grocery stores, duplexes and townhouses in single-family neighborhoods and reshape development rules for about 160,000 properties, a move supporters say could ease the housing shortage and critics say threatens long-established neighborhood character. The proposal, part of the city’s 2025 Integrated […]

Here’s how you can shape the search for Albuquerque’s next police chief

Mayor Tim Keller launched a search for Albuquerque’s next police chief Wednesday with an online survey and scheduled community forums, seeking public input before evaluating candidates to lead the more than 950-officer department. The city hired Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc. to conduct the nationwide search. The firm has managed police chief searches in […]

County to weigh strict rules for data center incentives

Bernalillo County commissioners are set to revisit a high-stakes resolution aimed at tightening oversight of large data center and AI infrastructure projects when they meet Tuesday in Albuquerque.  The “Holding Data Center Projects Accountable in Our Community” measure, introduced at the Jan. 13 meeting, would condition county incentives on clear community benefits and sustainability standards. Under […]

Driving I-25 at night? Expect major detours this week

Overnight closures are coming to a busy stretch of Interstate 25 and Montgomery Boulevard as crews move forward on a bridge-widening project in Albuquerque. Construction crews will set beams over I-25 for two nights starting Jan. 27, requiring full overnight closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to project information. Northbound and southbound I-25 […]

Foothills residents challenge $35M power project as county decides Tuesday

Bernalillo County commissioners will decide Tuesday whether to uphold a controversial $35 million Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) substation approval. Several resident groups appealed the Planning Commission’s December decision. The appeals are among six scheduled for a special 1 p.m. zoning meeting Tuesday. Groups, including the Sandia Heights and High Desert homeowner associations, […]

Cockroaches, no water, no stairs: Downtown renters unite to demand action from neglectful apartment owners

In downtown Albuquerque, more than 75 renters at The Alvarado Apartments signed a formal demand letter accusing their management company, Apartment Management Consultants (AMC), of dangerous neglect, safety failures and “excessive” fees. They are demanding rent abatement and a written repair plan. The Alvarado Apartments and AMC did not respond to requests for comment on […]

“A complete betrayal”: Council rejects enforcement of renters rights against predatory landlords

Albuquerque renters will not receive local protection from excessive fees after the City Council rejected an ordinance Wednesday that would have enforced the state’s Senate Bill 267 in limbo.  The 5-4 vote leaves the law, which caps application fees at $50 and limits late fees to 5% of rent, unenforced at the local level. Since […]