Albuquerque City Council Passes R-25-120, Enhancing Enforcement of Rental Unit Habitability Standards
ALBUQUERQUE - The Albuquerque City Council unanimously passed Resolution R-25-120 to significantly enhance enforcement efforts related to existing rental unit habitability standards. The resolution, sponsored by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, will improve safe and healthy living conditions for all Albuquerque renters.
R-25-120 prioritizes tenant complaints regarding unsafe living conditions, such as lack of functioning heating or cooling, electrical and plumbing problems, pest infestations, and structural hazards among others. The resolution acknowledges existing city and state laws, including the New Mexico Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act (UORRA), and the Albuquerque Uniform Housing Code (UHC), mandate that property owners maintain habitable living conditions. The resolution directs the City to address complaints more consistently, establish accountability, and to track and report results.
“Every resident of Albuquerque deserves a safe and healthy place to call home,” said the resolution’s sponsor and District 7 City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. “This resolution is a crucial step in holding landlords accountable and ensuring that our most vulnerable populations, including low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, are not subjected to substandard living conditions. By prioritizing these complaints and dedicating resources to enforcement, we are taking decisive action to protect the health and well-being of our communities.”
The resolution directs the City to establish procedures and accountability in the processing of resident complaints involving the safety and habitability of rental units, with specific attention in the following areas:
Prioritization of Rental Housing Complaints: The City Administration is directed to prioritize timely responses to tenant complaints related to rental housing habitability issues.
Hiring a Dedicated Code Enforcement Officer: A full-time, permanent Code Enforcement Officer position will be created within the Planning Department’s Code Enforcement Program, specializing in housing codes and dedicated to addressing tenant complaints related to unsafe rental units.
Streamlined Complaint Process: The City will establish clear criteria for categorizing and addressing complaints, ensure timely responses, provide ongoing training for code enforcement officers, and create a streamlined process for tenants to file complaints online, by phone, or in person.
Transparency and Accountability: The Administration will track and report on the progress and outcomes of rental unit complaint investigations, providing data on tenant complaints, response timelines, investigation procedures, outcomes, and citations issued in an annual Executive Communication to the Council.
Budgetary Commitment: The City Administration is directed to include the permanent Code Enforcement Officer position in its upcoming FY26 Budget proposal and all future annual budget proposals.
The resolution emphasizes the importance of timely and effective code enforcement response to maintain housing quality and reduce health risks. By addressing these issues, the City aims to mitigate increased healthcare costs, displacement, and homelessness, which place additional burdens on City resources.
“This resolution underscores our commitment to equitable enforcement of housing standards,” Councilor Fiebelkorn added. “We are dedicated to ensuring that all residents have access to safe and habitable housing, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect the rights and well-being of our community.”
The City Administration’s Planning Department will now begin implementing the provisions of R-25-120, with the goal of improving the quality of rental housing and ensuring a more equitable enforcement of housing standards throughout Albuquerque.