BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – The Bernalillo County Commission has approved an ordinance to keep unhoused individuals off arroyos and ditches. The county says enforcement will focus on “encouraging compliance” rather than arresting the unhoused.
Tuesday night, county commissioners approved the ordinance which is similar to one the City of Albuquerque passed in 2022 . The ordinance makes it illegal to camp or loiter on waterways, water conveyance right of ways, or even “open space” waterways. The ordinance also makes it illegal to operate vehicles or off-highway vehicles on trails connected to waterways.
Is there more bipartisanship in New Mexico’s politics this year?
“I’m glad we were able to pass these amendments to our waterway safety ordinance because it gives public employees the necessary tools to safely perform their jobs and keep residents out of danger. It’s important that we continue to operate these vital waterways while keeping our employees and the public safe,” District 2 Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada, who sponsored the ordinance, said in a press release.