ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque City Council once again shot down restrictions on short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs. The bill, which would have banned new permits near another short-term rental, failed Monday night by a 5-4 vote. The original bill called for a 330-foot buffer between short-term rentals, but it was amended to 100 feet.
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The sponsors said the measure addresses the city’s housing shortage and protects neighborhoods from rental overcrowding. “In some parts of Albuquerque, including my district in Nob Hill, we are seeing clusters of short-term rentals that changed blocks that were once primarily residential,” said Councilor Nicole Rogers, District 6.
However, many local renters raised concerns about the bill, saying the measure limits their income and reduces tourism revenue. “If you vote for this, if we continue to limit opportunities to make income for everybody, from young homeowners who are maybe renting out a room in their house to retirees who want to make sure that they have income coming in once they are able to no longer go to a job, the impact is going to be felt exponentially,” said a speaker.
Similar bills failed in 2023 and 2024…