Action Alert

Support O-24-69!

O-24-69: Building a Stronger Albuquerque Together

Amending the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) to allow for more housing

Albuquerque is at a crossroads, facing a housing crisis that requires innovative and thoughtful action. O-24-69 offers a forward-thinking solution by enabling gentle density in key areas, streamlining development processes, and fostering inclusive, transit-oriented growth. This legislation is supported by recent findings in the Albuquerque Region Housing Needs Assessment, which highlights the pressing need for action.

What Does the Data Say?

• Housing Shortage: The Albuquerque Region Housing Needs Assessment reveals our region needs tens of thousands of new housing units to meet current and future demand. Without action, housing costs will continue to rise, exacerbating inequality and displacement.

• Transit Proximity Matters: National studies show that households living near high-frequency transit spend less on transportation costs compared to car-dependent areas. Increasing housing options near ART stations and transit corridors will help residents save money while promoting sustainability.

• Cost of Delays: Unnecessary permitting and appeals can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to development costs. The Urban Land Institute’s 2022 New Mexico Affordability Report cites permitting and appeals as costly, affecting both production of housing and its affordability. O-24-69’s reforms will reduce these costs, making housing more affordable and accessible.

How O-24-69 Works

1. Encourages Gentle Density:

   • Allows duplexes, triplexes, and multifamily housing near ART stations and key corridors (e.g., Central, Fourth, and Broadway).

   • Increases housing supply in areas with existing infrastructure and services.

2. Streamlines Design Guidelines:

   • Simplifies regulations for housing projects, reducing unnecessary delays and making the process more predictable for developers.

   • Encourages high-quality, timely housing development.

3. Reforms the Appeals Process:

   • Ensures broader community support for appeals while reducing opportunities for obstruction by a small minority.

   • Promotes meaningful and inclusive neighborhood engagement that aligns with Strong Towns principles.

Why Strong Towns ABQ Supports O-24-69

This legislation embodies Strong Towns principles by fostering incremental, financially resilient growth while prioritizing areas with existing infrastructure. It ensures:

• Efficient Resource Use: Encourages development where infrastructure is already in place, reducing the need for costly expansion.

• Balanced Neighborhood Engagement: Changes to the appeals process foster constructive collaboration while ensuring housing solutions meet the needs of the broader community.

• Transit-Oriented Development: Density near transit hubs creates vibrant, walkable neighborhoods, lowers transportation costs, and reduces dependence on cars.

Addressing Concerns About Appeals

Some worry these reforms will limit community input. Here’s how the changes support a balanced approach:

• Inclusive Input: Appeals will still be possible but require broader support to ensure they represent community interests. Many members shared that Neighborhood Associations often ignore or do not seek their input. This changes that.

• Collaboration Over Obstruction: Encourages meaningful engagement and dialogue rather than automatic opposition. As Chuck Marohn emphasizes, we can no longer afford to say “no” to housing, we need to reframe the discussion into “how should new housing in our neighborhood look?” This is a meaningful step toward getting there.

• Democratic and Fair: Prevents small groups from blocking projects that benefit the entire city.

Sign Our Open Letter! 

Write Your Councilor

Thank you for signing!

And what members who have signed are saying about O-69

We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has signed our open letter for Council Bill O-69 so far! Your incredible and diverse comments have shown the strength of our community’s shared vision for Albuquerque. We’re thrilled to report that we now have signers from every council district, representing a wide range of perspectives on this important legislation.

Here are some of the most common themes we’ve heard from you so far:

• Vision: Many of you share a dream of a denser, more vibrant Albuquerque with walkable neighborhoods, frequent transit, and affordable housing of all types—something this legislation can help bring to life.

• Urgency: The housing crisis is real, and so is the plight of our unhoused neighbors. Many signers have emphasized the need to act now, without delay, to create a city that meets its most pressing needs.

• Inclusive Reforms: This legislation takes meaningful steps to ensure neighborhood associations engage their members constructively, rather than defaulting to opposition. Signers have expressed excitement about finally being heard and included in the process.

• Financial Resilience: From smarter infrastructure spending to fostering a more vibrant economy, this bill sets the stage for a financially sustainable future for Albuquerque.

Other signers highlighted unique and heartfelt reasons for their support, such as wanting to welcome many new neighbors to Nob Hill, celebrating housing as “cool,” and the hope that housing reforms will help stop Albuquerque’s brain drain and attract the talent we need to thrive.

Your support is inspiring, and it’s proof that we can build a better Albuquerque together. Let’s keep the momentum going—spread the word and encourage others to sign!

Supporting O-24-61

Addressing Vacancy in Downtown Albuquerque

We are supporting Bill O-24-61, the Downtown Vacancy Ordinance, which aims to address the issue of underutilized and vacant properties in downtown Albuquerque.

The ordinance targets about 17 square blocks along Central Avenue, extending one block in each direction to Copper and Gold, between 1st and 8th Streets. This focused area includes some of the most vacant and troublesome properties in the neighborhood.

While this bill targets only a small number of properties, it’s a crucial first step in addressing the broader issue of land speculation and stagnation in downtown. The current system incentivizes absentee owners, often from out of state, to sit on valuable land without contributing to the local community or economy. Bill O-24-61 seeks to change this by placing a fee on vacant and underused properties, encouraging owners to either invest in their properties or sell them, rather than allowing them to remain idle.

Strong Towns founder, Chuck Marohn, often points out that even a couple of blocks receiving investment can have a significant spillover effect, revitalizing the surrounding area and creating momentum for further growth. Bill O-24-61 serves as a pilot for this concept, targeting a small but impactful area on our most important street where investment could catalyze revitalization beyond its borders. As the bill addresses vacancy in these key blocks, it can help stimulate broader economic activity, making the surrounding areas more attractive to developers, businesses, and residents.

This ordinance lacks the more controversial elements seen in earlier versions of the bill while also being far more limited in its scope, making it a balanced and viable approach. By addressing vacancy in this targeted area, we can unlock development opportunities, promote neighborhood revitalization, and better utilize our existing infrastructure.

While it may be a small step, Bill O-24-61 is a tool for discouraging speculation, thawing a stagnant market, and encouraging the types of value-adding development that will make downtown Albuquerque more vibrant and sustainable. We encourage our members to support this important initiative as a crucial part of creating a more dynamic and resilient city.

Find our open letter to City Council on this bill at this link

And templates to write your own letter of support at this link