Albuquerque, N.M.- Multiple ordinances and resolutions were heard and passed during a recent Albuquerque Finance and Government Operations Committee Meeting on May 11.
Photo Credit: Albuquerque City Council YouTube
OpGov.News summarized the meeting held on the 9th floor of the City Council Committee Room at 5 p.m. on its platform.
“The city council meeting primarily focused on several resolutions and ordinances, revealing a mix of routine approvals and significant contentious debates,” according to the OpGov.News platform. “While items like property right-of-way services, a terminal lease agreement, real estate sales, and grant acceptances passed with little discussion, deeper issues arose with a rental habitability enforcement ordinance and a proposed reallocation of the public safety gross receipts tax.
The platform adds that, “A critical point of contention was the rental habitability ordinance (O-2624), which, despite aiming to target 'bad actors,' drew strong criticism from the Apartment Association for unrealistic 24-hour timelines, inadequate notification processes, and potential unfair penalties for compliant landlords.”
The meeting lasted 49 minutes and was held. Councilors Joaquin Baca, Dan Champine, and Dan Lewis were in attendance, among others.
Lewis expressed concerns and was puzzled as to why the City Council isn’t getting updates regarding the resolution deadlines.
“When these deadlines pass, and we get reports that just aren’t complete or not updated, you’re going to continue to get bills that aren’t updated,” Lewis, who represents District 5, said. Ordinance 0-624 is a Rental Unit Habitability Enforcement Ordinance, according to the meeting agenda.
The city of Albuquerque website shows and states that the ordinance was created on April 20, was sent to the council without recommendation, and passed 5-0.
Sponsors for the O-624 include Tammy Feiebelkom, Nicole Rogers, Stephanie W. Telles, and Baca.
City Councilmembers heard a public comment from Alan Sek, who pointed out some flaws in the ordinance while dressed in a suit. The OpGov.News platform states Sek is a member of the Apartment Association.
“One of the problems with the bill is that in the notification process is you don’t have to receive it for it still to be valid,” Sek said.
Sek added concerns about the three-month violation connected to the bill.
“The bill doesn’t talk about whether you solved the issues or abated the problem,” Sek, who is a part of the Apartment Association, said.
His goal is to target problematic properties and owners and not just loop in people who don’t fit the bill.
The other amendment that sparked discussion was public safety.
The proposition would amend the City’s existing Public Safety Gross Receipts Tax to dedicate funds to the Police and Fire/Emergency Preparedness, Code Enforcement, and Albuquerque Community Safety.
Councilmember Nichole Rogers shared her thoughts on an amendment to bill R-2629.
“I just wanted to add a couple of comments,” Rogers said. “When we start dicing it up like this and adding animal welfare, my biggest concern is public safety. At the time, everyone had tunnel vision with public safety being fire and police. My concern is to add family services to this because youth programming is just as important to public safety.”
Rogers fears there will be more changes to public safety taxes in the future.
Lewis recommended they withdraw the amendment and move it to the full council without recommendation.
The City of Albuquerque website states R-26-29 was eventually sent back to the council.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact jorden.h@lead4earth.org.
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