Increased Accountability for Out-of-State, Absentee Property Owners Downtown

Change is coming for vacant buildings in downtown Albuquerque as part of the City’s sweeping revitalization efforts. The Downtown Vacant Premises Ordinance, passed earlier this month and signed today, will hold vacant building owners accountable for the blight and public nuisance caused by their inaction. 

The Ordinance will create a program where owners will be subject to registration fees for properties that remain unoccupied for nine months or more, with a goal to put people and businesses in those spaces. It will apply to properties between First and Eighth, from Gold to Copper. Registration fees will range from $1,000 to $5,000 annually, depending on the size of the property. All registration fees will be reinvested in downtown in the form of increased security, cleaning, and beautification to make the Downtown area more inviting for residents, businesses, and visitors.

“Vacant properties have long been a long-standing challenge downtown, and by holding out-of-state, absentee property owners accountable, we’re taking concrete steps to transform these spaces into economic opportunity for our community,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “This is about building a community that works for families, businesses, and visitors alike, so our Downtown has a chance thrive.”

The new ordinance will allow for vacant building owners to work directly with the City on a plan to fill their spaces with new businesses and projects along the Route 66 corridor.

"I think we need to remember the story coming from our community about how our Downtown is the worst part of the City. Somewhere along the way it became 'ok' for us to allow the most visible part of our City, along the iconic Route 66, to just sit there falling apart for over 40 years," said District 2 City Councilor Joaquin Baca. "With this ordinance, we are changing the story. We are raising the standard, and we are correcting decades of building neglect in Downtown." 

The Downtown Vacant Premises Ordinance passed with strong support, reflecting the City’s broader commitment to economic development and public safety.