On Monday night, the Albuquerque City Council voted resoundingly against a package aimed at tackling vacant buildings and people sleeping or loitering on sidewalks, among other things.
City Councilor Joaquín Baca created the proposal and even made some changes based on other councilors’ concerns. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough.
Council members liked parts of the bill — but not the ordinance as a whole. The proposal failed o an 8-1 vote — with only Baca voting in favor of it.
The ordinance called for penalizing owners of Downtown buildings that are empty and in bad shape to cut down on the number of vacant properties.
It would have also allowed police to arrest or fine people sitting, kneeling or sleeping on Downtown sidewalks.
And the proposal would have also updated the parking code.
Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terri Cole testified against the proposal.
Cole said the Chamber appreciates Councilor Baca’s passion for revitalizing our Downtown, and in fact hopes to collaborate with him in the future on ordinances targeting building vacancies as well as homelessness.
“He’s right – we deserve a safe Downtown with clean and unobstructed sidewalks and occupied and well-maintained buildings,” Cole said of Baca’s proposal. “But unfortunately, this ordinance has too many moving parts – six alone in its very long title. Amendments make this complex piece of legislation even more so. And it will have the very real unintended consequence of affecting people who are not part of the problem. For those reasons we respectfully (asked councilors) to vote ‘no’ on this legislation and look forward to more streamlined versions that will in fact revitalize Downtown and make it a great place to invest in and live, work and play.”