The Albuquerque City Council convened for its first meeting of 2025, focusing on addressing the city's housing crisis. The council considered bill 0-24-69, proposed by Councilors Dan Lewis and Joaquín Baca, which aims to ease restrictions on housing developments in certain areas and expedite projects along busy corridors such as Central Avenue.
Councilor Baca emphasized that the city has been working on housing issues for decades, and this ordinance represents a step forward. "The ongoing housing crisis affects all Albuquerque residents in some way," said Del Esparza, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce chairman and Esparza Digital CEO. He expressed strong support for the bill during his testimony via Zoom.
Esparza highlighted that the proposed amendment to the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) would align city processes with those of state institutions like UNM and APS. It would require a majority of property owners within a set distance of a development to sign an appeal, ensuring neighborhoods have a voice without giving disproportionate power to individuals. The ordinance also mandates that appellants cover legal costs if they lose, discouraging frivolous appeals.
According to Baca, Albuquerque's population has increased by 6.3%, yet housing development has not kept pace. The bill seeks to increase housing density along key routes such as the ART route and main street corridors through zoning changes that allow more multi-family developments while imposing new restrictions on how these projects can be appealed.
The proposal received mixed reactions from the community, with both support and opposition voiced during the meeting. In total, 14 amendments were discussed before the council voted on the bill.
Ultimately, the council passed the bill with a 7-2 vote. Councilors Louie Sanchez and Klarissa Peña opposed it.
