Open Letter for O-24-69:

Dear City Councilors and Fellow Albuquerque Residents,

Albuquerque is at a critical juncture. The housing crisis gripping our city demands bold, thoughtful action to create a community that works for everyone. O-24-69 is a significant and much-needed step in the right direction, addressing key barriers to housing affordability, transit-oriented development, and inclusive growth.

Albuquerque is facing a massive housing crunch. According to the recently released Albuquerque Region Housing Needs Assessment, our region requires a substantial increase in housing supply to meet growing demand. The report underscores that thousands of additional housing units are needed to ensure affordability, stability, and equitable access to housing. O-24-69 directly responds to this challenge by enabling gentle density and reducing barriers to development in areas that can best support it—along transit corridors and near ART stations.

Allowing for multifamily housing options like duplexes, triplexes, and potentially larger arrangements within a quarter-mile of ART stations and key corridors such as Central, Fourth, and Broadway is a crucial step forward. These changes align with Strong Towns principles, ensuring that our city’s growth is incremental, financially resilient, and adaptable. Legalizing density in these areas supports transit, reduces car dependency, and makes Albuquerque more livable and accessible for all.

The legislation also streamlines design guidelines, making it easier and more predictable for developers to construct much-needed housing on these vital corridors. Simplified processes encourage high-quality development while reducing unnecessary delays and costs. This ensures we can more effectively respond to the urgent demand for housing without compromising the character and vibrancy of our neighborhoods.

Additionally, O-24-69’s reforms to the appeals process are a necessary step to streamline development and avoid unnecessary delays. These changes maintain a democratic approach by requiring broader support for appeals while reducing opportunities for obstruction. Ensuring neighborhood associations engage meaningfully with their neighbors rather than defaulting to opposition is a fair and balanced approach that will help us meet our housing goals.

This legislation is a meaningful step toward creating a more inclusive, affordable, and dynamic Albuquerque. By focusing on areas best suited for density, O-24-69 sets the stage for broader reforms across the city, paving the way for gentle density everywhere.

We urge the City Council to pass this critical legislation, and we invite members and friends of Strong Towns ABQ to join us in supporting this open letter. If you share our vision for a city that works for everyone, please add your name below. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Albuquerque.

Sincerely,

Strong Towns Albuquerque