A months-long fight over transparency erupted at Albuquerque City Hall last fall after nine Inspector General fraud investigations were completed. Of those investigations, the public has only seen two final reports; four remain unreleased and one was formally rejected. The controversy began in April when the Albuquerque Accountability in Government Oversight Committee deferred six reports, […]
Category: City Desk ABQ
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Albuquerque council to revisit rental protections ordinance
City Councilor Nichole Rogers said Thursday she plans to keep pushing a rental practices ordinance after the Albuquerque City Council deferred the measure, citing concerns that state tenant protections lack local enforcement. At a press conference, Rogers said the delay exposed a gap in the enforcement of New Mexico Senate Bill 267, which took effect […]
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Metro crime-fighting tools highlighted as federal funding package clears Congress
A package of federal appropriations bills that cleared both houses of Congress this week contains hundreds of millions of dollars for New Mexico, with a heavy emphasis on public safety in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján issued news releases Friday detailing the legislation, which now heads to President […]
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Bernalillo County seeks $72.9 million for capital projects in 2026 session
Bernalillo County is requesting $72.9 million in capital outlay funding for the 2026 legislative session to address public safety, housing, infrastructure and other countywide priorities. The funding request combines major capital projects with investments tailored to each of the county’s five commission districts, officials said. County commissioners are seeking $5 million to expand the Mesa […]
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DWI cases rebound in Bernalillo County court after APD corruption scandal
DWI cases filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court reached a multiyear high in 2025 and APD arrests are on the rise following a decades-long corruption scandal that has decimated its specialized DWI unit, a City Desk investigation found. The court recorded 2,404 total DWI filings in 2025, consisting of 2,360 misdemeanor and 44 felony cases, […]
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Albuquerque’s Gateway Center hits a turning point in homelessness response
The City of Albuquerque announced Tuesday that the Gateway Center reached full capacity for the first time since its late-2025 expansion, placing nearly 200 people on a path toward stable housing through intensive support services. The Gibson location now serves 192 residents — 100 women and 92 men — who commit to behavioral intervention and […]
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Inside the push to save Albuquerque’s aging Main Library
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library Advisory Board has raised $925,000 in pledges from state, city and county officials to replace the Main Library’s 50-year-old heating and cooling system, bypassing traditional district boundaries. The board still needs $1.6 million to reach its $2.5 million goal. The 100,000-square-foot downtown library relies on a 1975 “air handler” system […]
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Water supply to be tight despite recent snowfall
Local farmers’ water fortunes will largely depend on precipitation this year. Recent snowstorms have improved the area’s water availability outlook, Anne Marken told the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Board of Directors Monday. However, she said, the water supply in the basins that serve the district is still expected to be about half of the […]
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Albuquerque’s nightly outreach hits record as winter temperatures plunge
Albuquerque Community Safety transported a record 1,230 people experiencing homelessness to shelter in December, helping protect lives during extreme winter temperatures. The total is the highest since the service relaunched in November 2025, a 136% increase from the previous month and a 92% jump from December 2024. The surge reflects rising community need and an […]
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Beyond the crosswalk: APS’s Vision Zero plan gets a $2.7M boost
Albuquerque Public Schools has received a $2.7 million federal grant to expand safe walking routes and launch a new “Walking School Bus Program.” U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., announced the funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The grant will support APS’s Vision Zero for Youth Initiative, expanding […]