ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Two city councilors are looking to address Albuquerque’s housing crisis by easing restrictions on housing developments. But their proposed bill is receiving mixed emotions ahead of a Monday night vote.
This past month, city councilors Joaquin Baca and Dan Lewis teamed up to sponsor a bill they say would lessen the red tape to fast-track new developments like housing along busy main corridors.
“Primarily, though, for me it’s about housing. That’s one of the biggest issues we have here in the city; lack of housing for our families, whether it’s rental or purchase. And then also for our unhoused population,” said Councilor Baca.
The bill was announced on December 16 and the city council is set to vote on it Monday night.
District 7’s neighborhood association president Janice Arnold-Jones expressed her frustration, telling News 13 that this bill was rushed. “We’ve not had absolutely no chance to weigh in if this bill goes to vote tomorrow night, and that is wrong. It is not public, it is not transparent, and it does not follow due process,” says Arnold-Jones.