INTRODUCTION

The Albuquerque Public School (APS) system is the single largest school district in New Mexico overseen by the elected Albuquerque Public School Board of Education. As the state’s largest district, APS accounts for upwards of  22% of New Mexico’s public-school students. The APS school system has 71,000 students enrolled with 148 schools. There are 27 APS approved and authorized Charter Schools. APS employs about 11,000 full-time employees. Dr. Gabriella Durán Blakey is the Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools.

STATE OF APS ADDRESS

On September 1^st, APS Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey gave her third Albuquerque Public Schools State of the District address. APS Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey reported and said this in part:

“[APS is] … strong!  Strong is not the same as finished, and we are not finished.”

In 2024, when Durán Blakey was named superintendent of New Mexico’s largest district, APS students in 4^th  and 8^th grades scored below nationwide averages in both reading and math according to national test results.

In the years since, APS has made modest, steady progress in early literacy, graduation rates and chronic absenteeism even though the majority of the district’s students still do not meet reading and math benchmarks. At the end of the 2024-25 school year, 43% of APS students were proficient in reading, 35% in science and 25% in math.

APS Board President Ronalda Tome-Warito has called on the community to help APS meet its future goals. Tome-Warito said this:

“We are protectors of the children, especially in our classrooms. The one thing I would never want a student to recognize is that they’re not getting a good education. I grew up on the reservation, and I knew I wasn’t getting the best education.  But I would never want a child to feel that and know that.”

APS Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey reported as follows:

READING AND MATH SCORES

Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey reported that as of this spring, APS has met three out of the four goals it set for itself to improve in literacy, college readiness and interpersonal skills. The district fell short in math.

According to assessment data from the end of last school year, 34% of first graders and 38.6% of second graders at APS were proficient in reading, the highest scores reported since at least 2021.

In math, only 30% of sixth graders and 25.1% of seventh graders were proficient, figures consistent with or slightly lower than scores from the year prior.

CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM GROWING SMALLER

Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey reported a significant chunk of APS students are still not attending classes though the number is growing smaller. According to district data, 29.8% of students were chronically absent last school year, meaning they missed 10% or more of the days in a school year.

This number is down from a high of 43.8% during the 2021-22 school year, though attendance rates have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

To get more students interested in coming to class, the district is attempting to make class more interesting. APS hopes to expand its “Academies of Albuquerque” program, which is where  students pick a career pathway to study,  to all 13 of APS high schools. The program is currently in place in nine schools. Durán Blakey said this:

“We want our students to be able to answer a fundamental question: Why am I learning this, and where can this take me?”

Durán Blakey said the APS  district will further expand its career and technical education with a new training center set to open in spring 2029, focusing on construction, healthcare, automotive and other high-demand fields, along with a new manufacturing partnership with Central New Mexico Community College and Sandia National Laboratories.

GRADUATION RATES  AND COLLEGE READINESS

APS says it is graduating more students and better preparing them for life after high school. The district recorded a graduation rate of 76.8% for the class of 2025, not including its charter schools, up almost one percentage point from the school year prior, but nearly four points below the state rate.

APS graduates are increasingly more equipped for college or a career, district officials say. More than half of the class of 2026 earned college credit, received an industry certification or demonstrated proficiency in a second language, surpassing the district’s goal of 49.6%.

In surveys used to gauge a variety of social and communication skills, students scored themselves on track in perseverance, self-regulation, self-efficacy and social awareness.

Though APS recorded successes, Durán Blakey said the district would not “rest on its laurels” as it moved forward. Durán Blakey said this:

“APS does face challenges, and so does every school district in America Chronic absenteeism, enrollment declines, school safety, financial pressures — we have a lot of work to do, and we are doing that work.”

DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND TEACHER VACANCIES PROBLEMATIC

On October 1, 2026, it was reported that the APS Board of Education voted unanimously to launch a districtwide public engagement process on facility and enrollment planning, initiating conversations on how to address years of sharp enrollment declines. The process could eventually lead to school closures as the APS district continues to face declining enrollment. As yet, no schools have been identified for closure. The initiative comes as New Mexico’s largest school district grapples with significant demographic shifts.

APS has lost more than 22,000 students over the past decade, with enrollment dropping from about 86,500 students in 2015 to roughly 63,700 last year. District officials also project enrollment could decline by another 1,500 students this school year. School leaders say the review is aimed at addressing the long-term impact of shrinking enrollment and how district resources are distributed.

The drop in enrollment is  primarily due to declining birth rates in Bernalillo County and families with school-age children moving out of state. Although district projections indicate enrollment will eventually level off, student populations are expected to remain substantially smaller than in past decades. The sharp drop has left many schools underutilized, directly impacting the day-to-day student experience. Nearly one in four APS schools currently serves fewer than 250 students, while about one in six operates at less than half of its intended capacity  making it increasingly difficult to offer comprehensive programming and robust campus environments.

Links to quoted and relied upon sources are here:

https://www.aps.edu/news/news-from-2026-2027/facing-enrollment-shifts-aps-begins-community-dialogue-on-right-sizing

https://errorsofenchantment.com/albuquerque-public-schools-plummeting-enrollment-and-new-mexicos-demographic-crisis/

At the beginning of the school year in August, APS welcomed roughly 60,000 students for the start of a new school year, on which the district will spend a record $2.35 billion. Though APS will not have an official enrollment count until the year is well underway, Durán Blakey said  the district is anticipating a drop of about 1,500 students, the same as last year, across its 140 campuses, in line with nationwide trends from declining birth rates. The district had just over 63,700 students enrolled toward the end of last year.

As APS contracts, the district has adjusted its scale by shrinking its workforce. In May, the Board of Education voted for a budget that cut 290 full-time equivalent positions, though district officials said last month all of the displaced employees were given other jobs at APS.

Durán Blakey said APS reported its lowest number of teacher vacancies in more than a decade, which she attributed in part to the district’s teacher training partnerships with CNM and the University of New Mexico. Durán Blakey said this:

“For too long, APS, like other districts across our country, has struggled to fill critical positions. So we decided to grow our own.”

NEW DEVELOPMENTS REPORTED

Despite enrollment declines, superintendent Durán Blakey said the school district has plans to grow and reshape itself. Last fall, the district opened its International High School for immigrant and refugee students on the former campus of Coronado Dual Language Magnet School, expanded Coronado to serve kindergarten through eighth grade, and rebuilt Sandia Base Elementary School on Kirtland Air Force Base.

In August, APS opened its first early childhood center in the former location of Duranes Elementary School, one of the campuses shuttered in 2024 due to low enrollment. APS will make progress on a new school on Albuquerque’s West Side for special education students, approved by voters last November and set to open in 2028. Durán Blakey said this:

“Our responsibility is to make sure that every student, whether they are a child of doctors and engineers, a student who has lived in Albuquerque for generations, or a newcomer to our country, has an opportunity to discover their strengths and build a future.”

Linka to quoted and relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/superintendent-aps-is-strong-but-has-work-to-do/3113537

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-public-schools-sets-goals-for-2026-27-academic-year/73583117

REVISITING YAZZIE V. MARTINEZ

On July 20, 2018, Santa Fe District Court Judge Sarah Singleton ruled in the landmark public education case of Yazzie v. State of New Mexico and Governor Suzanna Martinez (Yazzie v. Martinez) that the state of New Mexico has a constitutional obligation to provide every student with an equal opportunity and a sufficient education, especially Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students along with African American student make up around 70% of New Mexico’s student population. Judge Singleton ruled that New Mexico is not doing enough to provide a sufficient education to these students and that the state must do more for at risk students.

Subsequent to the court ruling, the court approved formal plans to reform the state’s Public Education System. Over subsequent years the New Mexico Legislature has enacted millions in funding each year to carry out the mandated public education reforms. The main question is why has New Mexico rankings not improved?

APS GOALS ESTABLISHED BY BOARD OF EDUCATION

In 2023, the APS Board of Education has adopted four goals of academic outcomes to be achieved. Those goals reflect what the community expressed through surveys what they expect students to know and be able to do.

The four goals and the Spring 2026 levels of accomplishment have been reported by APS as follows:

Goal I: Reading (Early Literacy):

The percentage of 3rd grade students identified in the Yazzie-Martinez decision plus African American students who demonstrate grade level proficiency or above on the state English Language Arts summative assessment will increase from 27.3% in May 2023 to 37.3%  or at least by 10% by May 2028.

• 2026 TARGET: 29.3%
• ACTUAL: 31%
• ASSESSEMENT: ON TRACK             

Goal II: Mathematics (MATH PROFICIENCY)

 The percentage of 8th grade students identified in the Yazzie-Martinez decision plus African American students who demonstrate grade level proficiency or above on the state mathematics summative assessment will increase at least 10 percentage points by 2028.

• 2026 TARGET: 13.1%
• ACTUAL: 10.8%
• ASSESSMENT: NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Goal III: Post-Secondary Readiness (College and Career Readiness)

The percentage of high school graduates who earn credit in two or more Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Credit Courses, or earn an Industry Certification or Bilingual Seal, will increase by 2028.

• 2026 TARGET: 41.6%
• ACTUAL: 45.7%
• ASSESSMENT: ON TRACK

Goal IV: Skills, Habits & Mindsets

Increase the percentage of students who demonstrate the skills, habits, and mindsets most aligned to life success: perseverance, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and social awareness.

• PERSERVERANCE: 20226 Target: 53%, Actual: 55%
• SELF-REGULATION: 2026 Target 67%, Actual 69%
• SELF-EFFICACY: 2026 Target 46%, Actual 47%
• SOCIAL AWARNESS: 2026 Target, Actual 63%
• ASSESSMENT: ON TRACK

https://www.aps.edu/about-us/aps-goals

THREE YEAR GOALS MET

On July 15, 2026, it was reported to APS School Board that the Albuquerque Public Schools has met its three-year goals for underserved and economically disadvantaged students in first and second grade reading but fell short in middle school math. APS District officials presented interim academic assessment results to the APS Board of Education showing that students identified under the Yazzie v. Martinez education lawsuit, along with African American students, exceeded literacy benchmarks while falling short of math proficiency goals. However middle school math proficiency goals lag annual targets. In reading, over 29% of first graders scored at or above grade-level proficiency with 33% of second graders reaching proficiency. In math, middle school students had modest improvement, but district officials said not enough to meet annual benchmarks.

PROFFICIENCY  SCORES OUTLINED

According to assessment data from the end of the school year presented to the APS School Board,  34% of first graders and 38.6% of second graders were proficient in reading. These are the highest scores reported since at least 2021, even though the statistics mean the majority of students in both grades did not meet the benchmark. At the end of the 2024-25 school year, 28.5% of first graders and 32% of second graders were proficient in reading.

In first grade, Native American students showed some of the biggest gains of any demographic. 27.4% of Native American first graders were proficient in reading, compared with 15.3% at the end of last school year. At the end of the 2021-22 school year, the share of Native American first graders proficient in reading was just 7%.

First graders included as  economically disadvantaged students and Black first graders, who are not specifically named in the Yazzie v. Martinez lawsuit, but are included in the group by APS,  scored a reading proficiency rate of 29.2%, up from 23.2% the year before.

The scores means the  APS school district has met the goal it set for itself three years ago which was to raise first grade reading proficiency among students named in the  Yazzie v. Martinez lawsuit  as  economically disadvantaged students and Black students from 17% in May 2023 to 23% in May 2026.

Second graders reported similarly positive gains. A share of 38.6% of second grade students were proficient in reading, compared with 32% at the end of last school year. The only group across both grades to see a decline was English language learners in the second grade, whose reading proficiency dropped by 0.8% since the end of last school year.

Among the Yazzie v. Martinez students included as economically disadvantaged students and Black second graders, reading proficiency was 32.6%, up from 25.7% the year before, indicating the district has again exceeded its goal which was to raise second grade reading proficiency from 18.3% in May 2023 to 24.3% in May 2026. APS officials have said reading proficiency for third grade students is measured using the state assessment, for which results have not yet come back.

For first and second graders, reading assessments are taken using the artificial intelligence-powered software Amira, of which some teachers and staff have questioned the accuracy. APS staff members have said they have concerns over the program’s inconsistent scoring and inability to decipher the speech of children with impediments or foreign accents.

Among sixth grade students in the targeted groups, 21.2% achieved proficiency on the district’s i-Ready assessment, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous school year. However, that result fell 1.4 percentage points below the district’s interim goal of 22.6%.

Among seventh graders, math proficiency dropped by 0.1% since last school year, for a total proficiency rate of 25.1%. Yazzie v. Martinez economically disadvantaged students and Black students reported a proficiency rate of 17.9%, indicating the district had fallen just short of its goal of 19% proficiency by May 2026. These students were in first and second grade during the COVID pandemic  meaning they missed crucial school years early on.  APS  Superintendent Dr.Durán Blakey said the   so-called “COVID slide” of pandemic learning loss impacts student learning forever and she said “It’s never just going to go away.”

Yazzie v. Martinez economically disadvantaged students and Black sixth graders showed marginal gains in math. These students scored 0.8% higher than at the end of last school year, but the progress wasn’t enough for the district to meet its goal of 22.6% proficiency by May 2026.

Before this school year, students used “Istation”, a testing software without Artificial Intelligence (IA). The company was acquired by Amira. In math, students did not show the same progress. Of sixth graders, 30% were proficient in math, the same as last year.

Though results indicate a majority of the tested students at APS are not proficient in reading and math, the scores are still better than the dismal statewide results from fourth and eighth graders, who scored 50th in the country on a national exam.

New Mexico ranked last in a 2024 report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which showed only 20% of fourth graders were proficient in reading and 23% were proficient in math. In middle school, scores were worse: 19% of eighth graders showed proficiency in reading and 14% in math.

To improve math achievement, APS plans to implement more intensive classroom interventions during the upcoming school year.

HALF OF ALL  APS  GRADUATES EARN COLLEGE CREDITS OR GET AN INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION

On August 21, it was reported that more than half of all Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) graduates earn college credits or get an industry certification or a bilingual endorsement on their diploma, indicating the district has met its goal.  At the end of the 2025-26 school year, 52.8% of students met this benchmark, surpassing APS’ goal of 49.6%. APS District officials noted a glaring achievement gap for students with disabilities  with  only 22% took a college-level course or earned a seal or certification. Certifications in food handling and workplace safety were far and away the most popular accreditations earned by APS high schoolers.

Of the 52.8% of APS graduates who took advanced coursework or received a certification or seal, 35% of them passed two or more advanced placement, or AP classes;  0.8% passed two or more international baccalaureate, or IB classes; 9.4% passed two or more dual credit college classes; 11.2% earned a bilingual seal indicating proficiency in a second language; and 11.7% received an industry certification.

While national measures of college readiness do not directly correlate with APS’ data, the College Board indicates that 37% of public high school graduates in the U.S. took at least one AP exam, and 24.8% passed at least one exam. Students who take an AP class do not need to take the culminating exam, and students who take the exam do not need to have taken the course.

At APS, passage rates for AP tests are slightly lower than national data:  57.6% of APS students who took an AP exam in 2025 passed the test, according to district data. Nationally, AP exam passage rates that year ranged from 58.6% to 89.2% depending on subject.  New Mexico has the 13th-lowest rate of students who pass an AP test in the country: 15.2% of public high schoolers scored a 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school in 2025.

As part of its strategy for improvement, APS tracks student performance metrics including reading and math performance, high school graduation rates and “college readiness” meaning the number of students who pass two or more college courses in high school or earn a similar exceptional distinction.

The district met or surpassed its goals for elementary school reading but fell short in middle school math.

Disparities remain for many students of color, English language learners and students with disabilities, whose performance is lower than their peers’ almost across the board, in almost all subjects and benchmarks.  For college readiness, Black students, Native American students and English language learners all fell short of the 49.6% benchmark by a range of roughly 5 to 10 percentage points.

At the August 19 APS Board Meeting, Associate Superintendent of High Schools Kenny Salazar said  that APS had achieved its college readiness targets by using an “intentional focus” on scheduling and credit recovery options for students and through its “Academies of Albuquerque” program, in which students can pick a career pathway to follow during high school. Salazar said APS has been trying to close the gaps. Salazar said this:

“We’re starting to tighten up some of these trainings and these structures to ensure that these students have those opportunities”

In the case of students with disabilities, district officials said they would work with special education teachers to identify more students who might be ready for advanced coursework, and would work to make sure students with disabilities had adequate supports.

At the August 19 APS Board Meeting, Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey said this:

“While we should be proud that more students are leaving APS with credentials and experiences that prepare them for what comes next, our work now is to make sure that those opportunities reach all of our students across our district.”

The link to the quoted or relied upon news source is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/more-aps-grads-are-earning-college-credit/3106289

NEW MEXICO’S EDUCATION RANKING IN KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK

On June 12, the New Mexico Voices for Children released the “2025 Kids Count Data Book, State Trends In Child Well Being.” The annual “Kids Count” Data Book is prepared by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Casey foundation is a nonprofit based in Maryland focusing on improving the well-being and future of American children and their families. It assesses how New Mexico children are faring in a number of areas including economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. By providing policymakers and advocates with benchmarks of child and young adult well-being, the Foundation seeks to enrich local, state and national discussions concerning ways to enable all kids and youth to succeed.

KIDS COUNT RANKING FOR NEW MEXICO

According to the 2025  annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count data book, for the fifth consecutive year in a row, New Mexico was ranked 50^th as the worst state in the country for child well-being.

The study focuses on four major categories of wellbeing and then makes an overall ranking of each state for child wellbeing. The four major categories and the rankings are:

1. Economic well-being: 49th 
2. Education: 50th 
3. Health: 46th
4. Family and Community: 50th

NEW MEXICO EDUCATION RANKING: 50^th

The 4 major indicators relied upon to determine Education rankings are:

1. Young children not in school is the percentage of children ages 3 and 4 who were not enrolled in school/
2. Fourth graders not proficient in reading is the percentage of fourth grade public school students who did not reach the proficient level in reading as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
3. Eighth graders not proficient in math is the percentage of eighth grade public school students who did not reach the proficient level in math as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
4. High school students not graduating on time is the percentage of an entering freshman class not graduating in four years

NEW MEXICO’S FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION

During the last 7 years, the New Mexico legislature has been very aggressive when it comes to increased funding to turn things around for New Mexico’s children when it comes to education and their wellbeing. Much of the legislature’s efforts  have been a direct result of the 2018 landmark education case of Yazzie-Martinez v. New Mexico Public Education Department  where a  First Judicial District Court ruled the State of New Mexico violated students’ fundamental rights by failing to provide a sufficient public education mandated by the state constitution.

In fiscal year 2019, public education funding spiked. The biggest accomplishments of the 2019 Legislative session were the dramatic increases in public education funding, creation of the Early Childhood Department (CYFD), the mandates to Children, Youth and Families and Public Education departments, not to mention raises for educators and increasing CYFD social workers by 125 were clearly the biggest accomplishments of the 2019 Legislative session.

2019 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

Funding spiked in 2019  and was up to $306 million, including the following:

• $64 million for Pre-K to better prepare children for elementary school.
• $45 million for family, infant, toddler programs to help families with children with developmental delays.
• $30 million for K-3 Plus to add 25 days to the school year.

New Mexico is 1 of just 4 states with a stand-alone department dedicated to services targeting children through age 5. The initial operating budget for the new department was $419 million for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The new department is tasked with overseeing the state’s growing investment in prekindergarten, home visiting programs for new parents, childcare and similar services that previously were scattered across several departments. One of the key goals is to better coordinate the state’s network of early childhood services by housing them in one department rather than having them overseen separately by other departments.

2020 AND 2021 FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS

In 2020 the New Mexico Legislature created a $320 million early childhood education trust fund. In 2021, lawmakers and the governor agreed to up the spending on early childhood programs to $500 million.

2022 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

During the 2022 New Mexico Legislative session, a trio of bills were enacted  to fund programs to help Native American students succeed in school. The house bills provided more than $70 million to tribal entities to help offer culturally relevant lesson plans and access to virtual and after-school programs for those students.

The first bill appropriated $20 million from the state’s general fund to the Indian Education Act to be used to create culturally relevant learning programs, including Native language programs, for students in the K-12 system.

A second bill appropriated $21.5 million to help tribal education departments develop learning plans and programs for students, extend learning opportunities and support tribal school libraries.

The third bill was aimed at higher education and  appropriated $29.6 million to four state colleges and three tribal colleges for 53 initiatives.

In the summer of 2022, the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) released updates on the progress made in response to the Yazzie-Martinez ruling. The report highlights various initiatives undertaken by the state, including increased funding, expanded access to pre-kindergarten programs, and targeted support for struggling schools.

“According to the report, the state’s spending on public education has received a substantial boost. In fiscal year 2018, New Mexico’s education system was funded at the tune of $2.69 billion; in fiscal year 2024, the education system is being funded at $4.17 billion. That is an increase of $1.3 billion over five years. State funds have been channeled toward reducing class sizes, hiring additional teachers, improving professional development programs, and enhancing resources for English language learners and special education students.”

In November 2022, voters approved tapping the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund for roughly another $240 million annually for early childhood education and K-12 schools. The additional distribution of funding from the Permanent Land Grant Fund goes into effect on July 1.

2023 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

The enacted 2023-2024 New Mexico State budget contains major expenditures for  education and child wellbeing.  Those expenditures include:

• $220.1 Million for extended in-classroom learning time by increasing the number of minimum instructional hours per year in public schools.
• $30 Million to provide healthy universal school meals and to eliminate school meal costs for every New Mexico child.
• 9 Million to the Children, Youth and Families Department for 60 new protective services staff, to be supported by additional federal matching funds.
• $277.3 Million for continued investments in affordable, high-quality child care.
• $131 Million to maintain and expand access to high-quality pre-k education.
• $40.4 Million for the continued expansion of early childhood home visiting.
• $111.1 Million to provide a four percent salary increase forall school personnel.
• $157.4 Million for the Opportunity Scholarship program

2023 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

The 2024 enacted New Mexico budget includes the following funding  for public education:

• $4.43 billion in recurring funds for public schools. Annual spending on K-12 education increased by 6.1% to $4.43.
• $19.6 million to expand Pre-K
• $50 million to the tribal Educational Trust Fund
• $20 million to pilot and evaluate evidence-based strategies to improve the Children, Youth and Families Department
• $49 million for literacy, career technical education and community school programs
• $14 million in early literacy support
• $55 million for culturally relevant and bilingual materials
• $62.7 million for 2% salary increases, bringing all school personnel up to $15 per hour
• $43 million to expand early childhood care
• $750,000 to support adult literacy programs
• $2 million for attendance programs

2024 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

On February 12, 2024, the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year state budget was passed by the New Mexico Legislature. It contains  a 6.5% increase in recurring funds from last year’s  2023-2024 fiscal year.  The largest slice of the general fund goes to public schools, which are slated to receive about $4.3 billion for the fiscal year. That includes more than $94 million to give a flat 3% raise to all public-school employees, an amount that was trimmed by a Senate Finance Committee. Before public school employees were looking at a total average of 4% raises.  The final version the budget approved by the Senate includes $30 million for summer reading intervention programs, $14 million for early literacy and reading support and $5 million to train secondary educators in the science of reading.

2025 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

During the 2025 legislative session, several bills were approved during the 60-day legislative session that will likely benefit New Mexico’s children and their well being. The legislation includes a $10.8 billion budget bill that directs over $100 million to transitional housing and the state’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department. The legislature also  created a new state Medicaid trust fund that could help the state weather federal funding decreases, legislation expanding childcare assistance for prekindergarten children and established an outside oversight office to review complaints involving CYFD

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey appears to be doing a respectful job since taking over the APS school system just a little over two years ago in 2024. By all accounts she is getting along just fine with the elected APS school board. Notwithstanding, all the good work and goodwill she has with the board, it has only gone so far considering that  New Mexico education is still being ranked 50^th in the country with APS receiving a large share of state funding during the last 7 years.

New Mexico ranking 50^th in the country in education is always a favorite subject of complaint by those running for office, especially Republicans critical of the Democratic Party control of the legislature, but the political criticism is never accompanied by viable solutions to turn our public education system around.

Throwing money at the problem is not working either. Too often solutions such as school vouchers, mandatory teacher evaluations and breaking up APS are offered as a solutions, especially by Republicans. The blunt reality is given the billions that have been spent over the last seven years to turn things around, the APS and New Mexico’s education system is still under performing despite the financial commitment made by the legislature to get the job done.

Then there is the matter of the APS declining enrollments and teacher vacancies both of which demand immediate attention. It’s becoming painfully obvious that the APS School District is facing the real prospect of reorganization and scaling down operations and perhaps schools closures.

After a full 7 years of the billions spent each year on the state education system, programs and departments created its difficult to accept why New Mexico has not improved in its annual education rankings. If anything, the ratings are getting worse. Public education leaders must  take responsibility for what is happening, and yes identify and correct mismanagement, and find far more viable solutions rather than just holding out their hands for more funding.

 

On October 5, the Albuquerque City Council enacted three out of four measures sponsored by MAGA Republican Dan Lewis misleadingly labeled the “Better Neighborhoods” package under the guise and falsehood to cut red tape and spur development projects. On October 20, the Albuquerque City Council approved the fourth measure which substantially raises appeal fees of developments. The “Better Neighborhoods” package consists of two ordinances directed at neighborhood coalitions and two memorials that request action from the New Mexico legislature.

CITY ORDINANCES

The two city ordinances make dramatic changes to the Neighborhood Association Recognition Ordinance (NARO) and are O-26-61 and O-26-60.

0-26-61 OVERVIEW AND ENACTMENT

O-26-61 is the most egregious of the four measures. Neighborhood  Coalitions are defined as groups of neighborhood associations that can represent entire areas of the city and can be larger than some city council districts. Under the ordinance they could still organize but without a recognized city role.

O-26-61 removes city recognition for neighborhood coalitions and ends developer good-faith requirements.

Ordinance O-26-61 was introduced and moved forward within 2 weeks for a full council vote without a committee hearing and no community discussion. O-26-61 strips standing from neighborhood coalitions, raises appeal fees, and requires coalitions to pay legal fees if they lose a challenge against a developer who has applied for permits. The ordinance limits formal city recognition of neighborhood coalitions and eliminates automatic development notices to them. Appeal rights under O-26-61are limited to resident-based neighborhood associations near a project. Neighborhood coalitions to a limited can still file appeals but they must prove legal standing.

The ordinance caps individual neighborhood association boundaries to 2 square miles. The ordinance requires neighborhood associations to come into compliance with boundary requirements by July 1, 2027 and allows  associations to retain current boundaries until July 1. Amendments to the ordinance requires associations to approve appeals by a majority vote and change advance notice of an appeal vote from seven days to two weeks. The ordinance encourages outreach to apartment buildings and public spaces.

The ordinance adjusts meeting notice rules so associations can act on appeals. An amendment requires approval from at least 10% of an association’s members or 15 confirmed members for any appeal.

Ordinance O-26-61 passed on a 5 to 4. Voting YES were MAGA Republican City  Councilor Dan Lewis, Dan Champine, Renee Grout and Progressive Democrats Stephanie Telles and Tammy Fiebelkorn. Voting NO were Democrat City Council President Klarissa Peña, Progressive Democrats Jaquin Baca and Nichole Rogers and Republican Brook Bassan.

If signed by Mayor Tim Keller O-26-61 will become law. If vetoed by Mayor Keller, the veto would require six votes of nine to override.

O-26-60 OVERVIEW AND DEFERRAL

O-26-60 substantially raises appeal fees which are  currently between $190 to $265 to $925 for approved appeals and $300 for denied appeals. Amendments added indigency waivers for people who cannot afford the fee, extended the payment deadline to two business days. It requires the Planning Department to give the City Council an annual report on land-use appeals and their outcomes. O-26-60  was deferred by Councilor Lewis to the October 19 City Council meeting. On October 19, the Albuquerque City Council approved ordinance O-26-60 which increases fees for appealing issues surrounding a development.

CITY COUNCIL MEMORIALS

State law governs zoning appeals. Councilor Lewis sponsored two memorials asking the New Mexico Legislature to make changes to state law governing zoning appeals.

M-26-01 asks the Legislature to clarify state law allowing municipalities to define the circumstances under which someone can appeal a development. It ask that the legislature clarify who qualifies as an “aggrieved” person with legal standing to challenge and sue and asks state lawmakers to remove restrictions that allow home-rule cities to set local definitions for legal standing. Memorial M-26-01 passed UNANIMOUSLY on a 9 – 0 vote.

M-26-02 asks the Legislature to allow municipalities to designate certain land-use categories, including zoning and development decisions, for direct appeal to District Court. Lewis said this about M-26-02 :  “Currently, a coalition can appeal an approved project and ask the City to review a decision the City has already made, delaying the project for months. … We are asking the Legislature to eliminate this duplicative review and require the appeal to proceed directly to court.”   M-26-02 passed on a 6-3 vote, with Bassan, Rogers and Peña voting against.

PUBLIC COMMENT AND DEBATE ON “BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS” PACKAGE

During the October 5 City Council meeting, upwards of  75 residents spoke during the meeting, with 44 opposing the reforms and 28 supporting them. Dozens spoke out during public comment, including residents, developers and members and leaders of neighborhood associations and coalitions

The main focus of public comment and debate was on O-26-61 and its removal of neighborhood coalitions from the Neighborhood Association Recognition Ordinance, which were added to the NARO in 2022 by the City Council. Dozens spoke out during public comments, including residents, developers and members and leaders of neighborhood associations and coalitions.

SUPPORTERS SPEAK OUT

During public comments, developers and real estate agents said neighborhood coalitions were filing appeals that led to costly delays for needed projects. Some homeowner associations did support the bill and said they didn’t appreciate coalitions speaking for them.

Homeowner associations, coalition members and residents opposing the bill said coalitions bolster associations and notify residents of projects that may be out of their neighborhood boundary, but still 100 feet from their property line.

Rebecca Latham, president of her neighborhood association, said the bill strengthened accountability and gives associations “a clear voice.” Latham works for HB Construction and  said her association takes time to build relationships and share information to understand “what makes most sense for our neighbors” and she said this:

“So when a group presents a position representing our association, without us having a chance to discuss it or approve it, it puts our credibility at risk.”

Angela Piarowski, a CEO with Modulus Architects, said many of their project have been affected by appeals with  some projects delayed by years.  Piarowski said this:

“We follow the rules, our clients invest based on those rules, they should be able to rely on the outcome. … A coalition’s disagreement should not become an effective veto over the city’s approvals.”

Adam Silverman, a local real estate developer who supported the changes, said coalitions without local ties can stall projects and neighborhood associations closest to developments should lead community discussions. Silverman was somewhat contradictory supporting then changes and when he said this:

“I believe the neighborhood association should absolutely have the right to be involved in the process when something new is being proposed near their community.”

OPPOSITION SPEAKS OUT

Julie Radoslovich, president of the Hurley Neighborhood Association, opposed the “Better neighborhoods Package” and said volunteer neighborhood associations rely on coalition expertise to navigate land-use rules and challenge improper developments. Radoslovich said this:

“Neighborhood coalitions serve as a buffer when actions threaten our neighborhoods.”

Jennifer Jones of the Inez Neighborhood Association said coalitions benefit parts of the city, like hers which is  positioned beside Uptown and surrounded by major roads,  that wish to address greater environmental impacts and traffic issues.  Jones  said associations “wouldn’t have a voice” in those wider problems if the bills passed.

Sarah Thomas said coalitions can give associations a leg up. She said her coalition “has really allowed us to put our heads together with a broader view of what I consider to be our community.” Thomas said her association, meanwhile, “is just barely hanging on” with only six people attending the last annual meeting. She added, “We had to beg people to be on our board.”

Neighborhood Activist Steven Holman is a resident of City Council District 7 which is the mid heights city council district of City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. During City Council Public Comment on October 5, Holman gave the following one minute comment that succinctly addresses the impact of  Better Neighborhoods Package:

In regards to the better neighborhoods package, I am going to keep this short and bitter.

This is retaliation for a history of litigation protecting the petroglyphs, marginalized communities, and historic sites that have often found the city violated its own rules.

There used to be over 300 neighborhood associations and now there are less than 150.  They are disappearing and declining and coalitions have been filling the void.

This legislation will make it so there is actually less community representation. But that’s what you want, no way to fight back against Data Centers. The city has over 60 acres it said it could annex and rezone for a data center, yet it won’t do the same for affordable housing. True hypocrisy.

Coalitions exist to help marginalized groups and historic sites.  My neighborhood is one of the largest and if a hate group somehow got the ok to build, my association couldn’t afford the litigation.  I certainly know my city councilor [Tammy  Fiebelkorn]  wouldn’t hear me out. This is why coalitions are needed.

The question needs to be asked: Maybe the city is the problem?

The developers and sellouts like Strongtowns support this, even Senator Moe Maestas who tried to take zoning away from all cities statewide last legislative session supports this.  Vote against the better neighborhoods package.

Don’t sell us out!

SPONSOR LEWIS LASHES OUT AT NEIGHBORHOOD COALITIONS

Republican Dan Lewis, the sponsor of the “Better Neighborhoods” package has lashed out at  neighborhood coalitions in general and has said they are “undemocratic” as decision-making bodies. Lewis said O-26-61 “right-sizes” neighborhood representation by putting authority back with “the neighborhoods that are closest and have a direct stake.” Lewis said appeals often come after a development has spent years moving through the city process and Lewis said this:

“And just the process of that keeps projects delayed by months and months We have neighborhoods that don’t have things that other parts of the city have like grocery stores and good housing and good quality of life type projects in their neighborhoods that they desperately need.”

Lewis assailed  the Westside Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (WSCONA), which is  in his district, as one of the “worst offenders” as it cost 400 jobs in its appeal of Mesa Studios. That neighborhood appeal was repeatedly denied but eventually won in State District Court because WSCONA President Jane Baechle, who did not live in the project area, walked the area of the petroglyphs and recognized the threat of development so close to the federally protected petroglyphs.

Lewis argued falsely that his ordinances strengthens neighborhood associations and falsely claimed that no one in his district opposed the bill and many “have left the coalition.” Lewis said this:

“These are simply good reforms … that puts the primary responsibility and say to our neighborhoods.”

Richard Schaefer, WSCONA secretary, said in a letter that the bill O-26-61was a “veiled attempt to make it far more difficult for residents to organize and exert their rights as fully enfranchised citizens of the City of Albuquerque.”

LEWIS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PAST GUTTING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION RIGHTS AND REMEDIES

It is clear that  the four city council actions sponsored by Dan Lewis are politically motivated. Lewis has an extensive history of tangling and disagreeing with the West Side Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (WSCONA) who have often objected to many of his efforts on the city council and development projects that may affect their homes and neighborhoods.

The four legislative actions sponsored by MAGA Republican City Councilor Dan Lewis are not the first time that Dan Lewis and the City Council have gutted the rights and remedies of neighborhood associations and coalitions when it comes to appealing zoning changes and development projects.

In 2025, the City of Albuquerque lost a lawsuit in District Court that the Westside Coalition Of Neighborhood Associations filed against it when Dan Lewis acted improperly on behalf of developers to gut scenic protection rules near Petroglyph National Monument. His behavior was specifically cited in the Opinion and Order in that case (No. D-202-CV-2023-03961).  The City appealed and lost again in the Court of Appeals. (See related guest column by Mike Voorhees regarding the law suite and Dan Lewis and the ordinances he sponsored in the postscript.)

It was on January 23, 2025 that Council Bill No. O-24-69, sponsored by Councilor Dan Lewis, was enacted by the city council on a 7 YES to 2 NO vote.  O-24-69 blatantly  limits the standing of Neighborhood Associations to appeal zoning changes and development projects  approved by the city.  Specifically, Council Bill No. O-24-69 as enacted limits the standing of Neighborhood Associations and provides as follows:

• It excludes an individual’s use of public lands as a basis for standing to appeal.
• It eliminates the failure to notify Neighborhood Associations as a basis for appeal or remand.
• It requires Neighborhood Associations to pay  attorney fees and costs to developers when their  appeals of approvals are denied, but  developers  have no liability to pay attorney fees of Neighborhood Associations when developers appeal a denial, regardless of the decision. If the appellant Neighborhood association loses their appeal, they are responsible for paying up to $1,000 for  reasonable costs.
• It allows  amendments by the request of a developer or other unknown party to bypass the EPC or LUPZ and go straight to the City Council.
• It adds the burdensome requirement for a Neighborhood Association to file a petition in order to have standing in any appeal.
• It allows a City Councilor to NOT be recused even when that councilor sponsors an amendment

The link to review the enacted  O-24-69 is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/clerk/documents/o-2025-004.pdf

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/city-council-removes-formal-recognition-standing-from-neighborhood-coalitions/3136165

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/the-city-appeal-process-is-a-headache-for-some-a-tool-for-others-a-new-law-hopes-to-streamline-it/3146280

https://abq.news/2026/10/lewis-better-neighborhoods-bills-meeting-recap/

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuquerque-ends-city-recognition-for-neighborhood-coalitions-in-5-4-vote/

MAYOR KELLER ISSUES PRESS RELEASE

On October 19, Mayor Tim Keller issued the following press release for immediate relese announcing that he had signed O-26-61:

OCTOBER 19, 2026

Mayor Keller Empowers Neighborhood Associations, Signs Recognition Ordinance

“Updated ordinance ensures that neighborhoods can’t be represented without their consent”

ALBUQUERQUE – Today, Mayor Keller announced he has signed legislation updating Albuquerque’s Neighborhood Association Recognition Ordinance (NARO), strengthening the role of individual neighborhood associations and ensuring residents have a direct voice in decisions affecting their communities by removing the ability for coalitions to speak for them without their consent.

“The voices of a few don’t reflect the will of the majority, neighborhoods should be able to choose how and who represents them in court,” said Mayor Keller “This bill is fundamentally about one question: In ABQ should any group, including coalitions, be allowed to legally represent a neighborhood without their consent? Common sense clearly says ‘no’; neighborhoods are fundamental cornerstone of our community and should be the legal representative of their needs. “

The legislation, O-26-61, updates the City’s neighborhood association process to strengthen voices and direct representation of neighborhood associations and establish clearer requirements for participation in development decisions. The bill does not change the opportunity for neighborhood coalitions to organize and advocate – it simply ensures that only neighborhood associations can be the legal representatives in court. 

Neighborhood associations will continue to receive development notifications and retain qualifying appeal rights with new requirements to demonstrate member support when challenging development decisions.  Other groups wishing to advocate for communities are not affected, other than that they may not represent neighborhood associations legally without their consent.

The updated ordinance is more in line with Mayor’s broader efforts to reduce bureaucracy, remove red tape and streamline processes for innovative projects, housing, grocery stores, essential services, while preserving opportunities for residents to participate in decisions affecting their communities.

The legislation was approved by the Albuquerque City Council on October 5, 2026.

https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/mayor-keller-empowers-neighborhood-associations-signs-recognition-ordinance

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

It’s very difficult to believe that Mayor Keller even bothered to read let alone tried to understand the measures that make up the “Better Neighborhoods” measures. His press release mislabels the measure as the “Recognition Ordinance” and falsely claims the “updated ordinance ensures that neighborhoods can’t be represented without their consent.” This is a false and misleading narrative that Mayor Keller wants the public to believe as he pretends to be a supporter of neighborhood associations and not the development community.

When Keller is quoted in  the press release saying “This bill is fundamentally about one question: In ABQ should any group, including coalitions, be allowed to legally represent a neighborhood without their consent? Common sense clearly says ‘no’; neighborhoods are fundamental cornerstone of our community and should be the legal representative of their needs”  he is trying to reframe the issues or change the narrative by attempting to show he supports neighborhood associations and residential property owners when he does not. Keller is more interested in promoting the real estate development community and he could care less about the impact of developments on established neighborhoods.

The press release shows a clear ignorance of the law and the content of the measures that made up the “Better Neighborhoods” package passed.  The truth is that the bylaws of  the neighborhood associations and that of the neighborhood coalitions mandate that they secure support on legal matters and initiation of lawsuits. Individual neighborhood associations are not required to join neighborhood coalitions with coalition membership being strictly voluntary and neighborhood associations can drop out of neighborhood coalitions whenever they want and for whatever reason they have.

The  very real consequences of passage of O-26-61 are clear and are as follows:

• Thirteen neighborhood associations will either lose recognition or have to kick out their county neighbors as members.
• Loss of recognition equals the loss of notification to those individuals and neighborhoods that are likely to be harmed by the development.
• It makes sure contact information is publicly available to neighborhood associations and volunteers only who can disseminate information on developments. Currently, contact information is publicly available only by request to developers from the Office of Neighborhood Coordination and only after the neighborhood association has submitted the correct Public Notice form.
• It removes the requirement for developers to act in good faith and to cooperate with the very neighborhoods they chose to develop.

The two memorials sponsored by Lewis and enacted by the city council do not officially end Albuquerque’s Home Rule authority, but they do undercut the “quasi legal” review process for appeals within the city. By inviting the State legislature to alter the process of zoning appeals, the City is clearing the way for fast-tracked developments. It makes it much harder, and far more expensive, for regular people to have a voice in how their neighborhoods develop.

The Better Neighborhoods package benefits the development, real estate and investment community to the determent of established neighborhoods. It will have a major impact eliminating the rights of neighborhood coalitions to challenge developments. When a new apartment complex or commercial development is proposed in neighborhoods that will have a detrimental impact on the neighborhood, especially historical or established neighborhoods, individual property owners  look to neighborhood coalitions to help appeal or challenge the projects.  All too often, private property owners and  individuals do not have the financial resources nor knowledge of the appeal process of their own to oppose multimillion dollar development projects and  developers. A good example would be data center development.

Passage of the Better Neighborhoods package within two weeks of its introduction and without public hearings was as underhanded as it gets by the City Council. Enactment continues with the City Council’s dangerous practice of amending the city’s zoning laws to prohibit or limit extensive public input and to stifle public opinion. Passage of the Better Neighborhoods package is  an effort to deconstruct guardrails and protections. It  marginalizes the voices of neighborhoods and city residents. Simply put, the passage of  the Better Neighborhoods package on a 5 to 4 vote was a sellout by Mayor Tim Keller and the Albuquerque City Council of the citizens of Albuquerque, property owners and neighborhood associations and coalitions in favor of the development community.

CITY COUNCIL CAN  REPEAL“BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS” PACKAGE

The public should also weigh in an voice their opinion to Mayor Keller that they do not feel he acted in the best interest of the city when he signed into law O-26-61.

The four City Councilors who voted NO to enact O-26-61 were Democrat City Council President Klarissa Peña, Progressive Democrats Jaquin Baca and Nichole Rogers and Republican Brook Bassan. One or all 4 should take immediate steps to repeal O-26-61 and the “Better Neighborhoods” package by sponsoring and introducing a resolution or ordinance repealing the legislation and demanding public hearings before the City Council’s Land Use and Planning committee to allow the public sufficient time weigh in and to avoid the the two week rush job that came with enactment of O-26-61. Contact your City Councilor and tell them to repeal O-26-61 and protest the underhanded way it was enacted.

MAYOR TIM KELLER CONTACT INFORMATION

Department: Office of the Mayor

Phone: 505-768-3000
Fax: 505-768-3019

Physical Address: 1 Civic Plaza, 11th Floor, Albuquerque NM 87102

Mailing Address:

Office of the Mayor

PO Box 1293

Albuquerque NM 87103

EMAIL: tkeller@cabq.gov, MayorKellerIQ@cabq.gov, MayorTimKellerPress@cabq.gov

CITY COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION

CITY COUNCIL PHONE: (505) 768-3100

CITY COUNCILOR AND SUPPORT STAFF EMAILS

stelles@cabq.gov

stephenchavez@cabq.gov

joaquinbaca@cabq.gov

bacajoaquin9@gmail.com

namolina@cabq.gov

kpena@cabq.gov

cquezada@cabq.gov

bbassan@cabq.gov

dawnmarie@cabq.gov

danlewis@cabq.gov

galvarez@cabq.gov

nrogers@cabq.gov

district6@cabq.gov

tfiebelkorn@cabq.gov

seanforan@cabq.gov

dchampine@cabq.gov

eromero@cabq.gov

rgrout@cabq.gov

rrmiller@cabq.gov

ipadilla@cabq.gov  (Director of Council Services)

mmmontoya@cabq.gov (Council Clerk)

 

The New Mexico  Health Care Authority’s Behavioral Health Services Division is tasked with rebuilding New Mexico’s behavioral healthcare infrastructure. On September 22, Nick Boukas, the director of the New Mexico Health Care Authority’s Behavioral Health Services Division, told the New Mexico Legislatures interim Legislative Finance Committee that his agency has signed off on 11 of the state’s proposed 13 regional behavioral healthcare plans.

While needs vary from region to region, Boukas said that they have largely held four priorities in common:

1. Expanding access to behavioral health treatment and recovery services.
2. Strengthening youth, family, school and caregiver support.
3. Addressing housing and transportation; and building and
4. Retaining a behavioral health workforce.

According to a Legislative Finance Committee briefing document (brief) the state invested $565 million for behavioral health services in 2025, yet there is  “little data” to indicate whether outcomes are improving or whether “access is better today than it was when the state began making these investments.” According to the brief  the 13 plans carry a price tag of $110 million, according to the brief.

A few of the members of LFC committee  in attendance expressed frustration over the slow-going process, which has become a common theme in this summer’s legislative hearings on the matter. Rep. Mark Duncan (R-Kirtland) told Boukas this:

“We’ve spent a whole lot of money with zero results yet.”

In response, Boukas told lawmakers that the seemingly slow nature of SB3’s implementation is to be expected and he said this:

“When I say that this is working, it’s that we’re getting folks to start talking to each other. None of the programs have rolled out yet to where we can start collecting data.”

Boukas has said he hopes to have all 13 regional plans approved by the end of the year. The Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act Executive Committee is scheduled to meet in Santa Fe on Oct. 6.

Links to relied upon or quoted news sources are here:

https://www.newsbreak.com/source-new-mexico-1589738/4903562262644-new-mexico-behavioral-health-committee-closes-in-on-goal-of-approving-13-regional-health-plans

https://sourcenm.com/2026/09/23/new-mexico-behavioral-health-committee-closes-in-on-goal-of-approving-13-regional-health-plans/

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REFORM PACKAGE RECALLED

It was on February 27, 2025 that Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law the Behavioral Health Reform Package.  The legislation consists of 3 Senate Bills that makes sweeping changes to how New Mexico’s mental health and drug abuse treatment programs are run statewide.

Senate Bill 3, known as the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act creates 13 behavioral health regions mirrored after the state’s 13 judicial districts. The bill requires regional plans crafted for providing mental health and substance abuse treatment.

The plans are overseen by the state judicial branch and  include time lines and regional funding priorities.  Local officials with counties, tribes and cities within each region have crafted unique plans to identify their communities’ biggest gaps in behavioral healthcare and to set goals for addressing them. During the  60-day 2025  New Mexico legislative session, Lawmakers also earmarked more than $555 million to fund an overhaul the state’s system for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.

Under the enacted Behavioral Health Reform Package, the new mental health care model places the State Judiciary in charge of planning while leaving the state Health Care Authority largely in charge of overseeing funding. This is a significant change from the former system which largely fell under the Governor’s executive branch jurisdiction. The legislation enacted increases accountability by requiring regional plans outlining priorities for providing mental health and substance abuse treatment. The new  trust fund provides annual funding to support the regional plans, which would largely be overseen by the state’s judiciary.

Senate Bills 1 and 2 signed into law by  Governor Lujan Grisham on February 27, 2025 were also part of the Behavioral Health Reform Package and are summarized as follows:

Senate Bill 1: This bill created the Behavioral Health Trust Fund for the state of New Mexico to support mental health and substance abuse treatment, prevention, and intervention programs throughout the state. The behavioral health trust fund is  invested by the State Investment Council. The trust fund distributes 5% of its annual value to fund programs and support investments in necessary infrastructure, technology, and workforce development to facilitate the expansion of services. The fund could also helps New Mexico unlock matching funds from federal, local, and private sources.

Money for the new fund was provided in a separate budget bill during the 60-day session and was for $555 million. The Behavioral Health Trust Fund, created by Senate Bill 1, aims to provide a sustainable funding source for regional behavioral health initiatives.

Senate Bill 2: This bill allocates $200 million to expand regional behavioral health services such as crisis response and outpatient care. The bill appropriates the funding to the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts and various state agencies to set up a new framework for behavioral health programs statewide. Senate Bill 2 was not part of the signing ceremony but never the less is part of the behavioral health reform package and became a part of general fund appropriations by the legislature.

CHANGES IN COMPETENCY LAWS FOR CIVIL MENTAL HEALTH COMMITEMENTS

It was also during the 2025 legislative session, the New Mexico legislature also enacted House Bill 8 known as the Omnibus Crime Package.  House Bill 4 is the criminal competency legislation which was part of the enacted Bill 8 Omnibus Crime Package. It gives prosecutors more options to involuntarily commit people into a locked psychiatric facility if they are found to be dangerous to themselves or others and unable to stand trial. The courts will now have more options when dealing with suspects who are deemed incompetent to stand trial instead of simply releasing them back on the streets.

Under House Bill 4, when a court determines that a defendant is not competent to proceed in a criminal case the court shall determine if the defendant is dangerous and with a process for evaluating whether criminal defendants are competent to stand trial established. House Bill 4 specifically requires that “competency evaluators” determine whether defendants are dangerous to themselves or others. After a competency hearing, and if a defendant is found not to be competent, a judge then decides whether the defendant poses a threat. Based on that determination, a defendant is either ordered to attend an assisted outpatient treatment program or be sent to the state Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

The link to review House Bill 4 is here:  https://legiscan.com/NM/text/HB4/2025

DESTRUCTION  OF NON-PROFIT MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS BY GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ

The need for the enactment of the Behavioral Health Reform Package in 2025 was necessitated in large part by the actions of  Republican Governor Susana Martinez who falsely accused several providers of fraud, which led to a mass departure of mental health care providers in the state. One of the cruelest things that Republican Governor Susana Martinez did as governor was order an “audit” of mental health services by nonprofits in New Mexico which devastated New Mexico’s behavioral health system. In 2014, more than 160,000 New Mexicans received behavioral health services with most of those services funded by Medicaid according to the Human Services Department at the time.

In June 2013, under the direction of Governor Martinez, the Human Services Department cut off Medicaid funding to 15 behavioral health nonprofits operating in New Mexico. The Martinez Administration said that the outside audit showed more than $36 million in overbilling, as well as mismanagement and possible fraud. The audit was false. The Martinez Human Services Department agency brought in the 5 Arizona providers to take over.

In early 2016, at least 13 of the 15 nonprofits that were shut down were exonerated of fraud by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. Even though AG Balderas found no fraud and cleared the nonprofits of fraud the damage had been done to the nonprofits and many just went out of business. Lawsuits ensued and the Governor Lujan Grisham Administration was stuck settling most of the cases out of court to the tune of millions of taxpayer dollars.

Three of the five Arizona providers brought in by Governor Susana Martinez’s administration in 2013 to replace the New Mexico nonprofits pulled up stakes in the state and the states mental health system never fully recovered.

The freezing of Medicaid funding to 15 providers over false fraud and overbilling accusations and intentionally gutting the state’s mental health care system can only be described as cruel and vicious conduct by a political hack in the form of Republican Governor Susana Martinez.  The state is still  playing  catch up to fill the void to provide mental health care services to those who desperately need them.

https://www.abqjournal.com/749923/third-arizona-behavioral-health-provider-to-pull-out-of-state.html

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The passage of the three behavioral health bills by the Senate was a bi partisan vote and was a major victory and a reflection of just how far the state has come to fix its broken health care system.  The passage of the 3 bills came more than a decade after former Republican Governor Susana Martinez gutted New Mexico’s behavioral system in 2013. Enactment of all 3 Senate bills making  sweeping changes to the state’s health care system to deal with mental illness and drug abuse was long overdue.

Simply put, since 2014, the state of New Mexico has had a broken mental health care system largely in part because of the actions of former Republican Governor Susana Martinez when she ordered an “audit” of mental health services by nonprofits in New Mexico which devastated New Mexico’s behavioral health system. It will take more time to rebuild the broken mental health care system, but impressive progress is in fact being made.

Let’s hope that progress will continue come 2027 with the new Governor.

 

On Tuesday October 13, Democrat Deb Haaland and Republican Gregg Hull filed campaign finance reports with the New Mexico Secretary of State covering the time period of September 8 through October 5. The Campaign finance reports filed reveal a sharp financial divide in the 2026 New Mexico’s race for governor. Democrat Deb Haaland has raised nearly three times as much as Republican Gregg Hull during the latest reporting period and ending it with more than five times the amount of available cash.

According to the Secretary if States Office, the Haaland campaign reported raising $1,910,870.49 and spending $2,502,405.07 from September 8 through October 5. The Haaland campaign closed with $2,837,260.02 in cash on hand.

According to the Secretary of States Office, the Hull campaign  reported raising $643,834.89 and spending $631,690.84 from September 8 through October 5. The Hull  campaign ended the period with $521,796.33 in cash on hand.

The two campaigns spent more than $3.1 million combined. The filings show that both candidates are spending their donations about as quickly as they are receiving them, with expenditures going primarily to digital and television advertisements.

Under New Mexico campaign finance laws, a candidate for governor can accept up to $12,400 from one donor during an election cycle.

Neither campaign reported loans or debt.

HAALAND CAMPAIGN DONATIONS AND EXPENDITURES

Democrat Deb Haaland would become the nation’s first female Native American governor if elected on November 3.  Haaland is a former U.S. congresswoman and became the nation’s first-ever Indigenous cabinet secretary during Joe Biden’s presidency. Haaland has tapped into a national fundraising network of progressive donors to power her campaign and has drawn on her national profile to outraise both her primary and general election opponents by large margins.

In total, Deb Haaland has raised nearly $20 million across the primary and general elections, including more than $6.4 million during the general election.  As October 13, 2026, the Secretary of States office reported the Deb Haaland has raised for her entire campaign  total contributions of  $19,215,366.09,  with total expenditures of $16,378,076.07,  in-kind contributions of $74,624.64 with a current debt Balance of $0.0 and a current cash balance of $2,837,260.02

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/exploreDetails/o-FWxlqdlSZjoP5Ut0jHQX1lK5MpzTLbNw12UnzEQ-I1/5/0/125/2026

The Deb Haaland campaign received roughly $1.9 million covering the time period from of September 8 through October 5 from a little more than 34,000 donations. That amounts to an average donation of roughly $55. A Haaland campaign spokesperson said the average online contribution to the Haaland campaign in this report was $21.76 with 96% of online contributions being under $100 and there were 7,521 first-time online donors. The new campaign filings reveal that just 17% of Haaland’s donors are state residents. A little more than 6,000 donations came from donors with California addresses compared with fewer than 5,900 donations from New Mexico residents.

The Deb Haaland campaign reported 28 donations of the maximum amount from one donor of $12,400 at totaling $347,200 for the  time period from September 8 through October 5. Those contributions came from individuals, businesses, labor organizations, tribal interests and political action committees.

The $12,400 maximum-level donors listed in Haaland’s report are:

• New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
• Candida Covington
• John Wertheim (husband of Bianca Wertheim, the Haaland campaign treasurer}
• Devon Energy Production Company
• Occidental Petroleum
• Olivia Walton
• Sergio Saenz
• Motorola Solutions Political Action Committee
• IBEW PAC Voluntary Fund
• Stahmanns Inc.
• George Martin (Game of Thrones author)
• Jana Singleton
• Paul Blanchard (Downs race Track and Casino)
• Leigh Ann Blanchard (wife of Paul Blanchard)
• Mescalero Apache Tribe
• Michelle Maestas
• Rudy Andrew Guzman (Owner of Guzman Construction)
• Tanya Kiehne
• United Food and Commercial Workers
• New Mexico Gas Company
• Doug Campbell
• Laurie Michaels
• NEA Fund for Children and Public Education
• Barbara Serna
• Global Financial Strategies Group
• Ashish Patel
• Bill Bloomfield
• Zane Kiehne

The Deb Haaland Campaign four largest payments went to Sage Media Planning & Placement for television airtime and production. Those payments totaled $1,408,621.98:

• $405,542.89 on Oct. 1
• $388,461.02 on Sept. 16
• $314,474.53 on Sept. 10
• $300,143.54 on Sept. 23

Other major Deb Haaland campaign expenses included:

• $228,833.57 to Mission Wired
• $147,000 to the Democratic Party of New Mexico
• $100,000 to The Perkey Group
• $80,000 to the Democratic Party of New Mexico

Deb Haaland said this in a statement about her campaign donations:

“I know firsthand how hard people work to earn every paycheck, and I am deeply grateful for everyone that shares my vision for New Mexico.”

Haaland said her priorities include lowering the cost of living and opposing policies advanced by President Donald Trump. Haaland also said she would continue traveling across New Mexico and meeting directly with voters through November.

HULL CAMPAIGN DONATIONS AND EXPENDITURES

As October 13, 2026, the Secretary of States office reported the Gregg Hull Campaign has raised for the entire campaign total contributions of  $2,532,391.01, has had Total Expenditures of $2,010,594.68 with In-Kind Contributions of $104,437.20 with a $0.00 Current Balance and a

Current Cash Balance $521,796.33.

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/exploreDetails/pyDxIVw11ZjA5jjAGYukHH1lK5MpzTLbNw12UnzEQ-I1/5/0/125/2026

The Hull campaign received about $634,000 during  the time period  from of September 8 through October 5  from 1,400 donations which averages to roughly $450 per donation. The new campaign filings reveals  that 99% of Hull’s donors come from New Mexico.

The Hull Campaign  reported 11 contributions at the $12,400 maximum limit allowed totaling $136,400 for the  time period from September  8 through October 5. His maximum-level donors included corporations, businesses, individuals and a local Republican organization:

• Chase Oil Corporation
• Republican Party of Lincoln County
• Fair and Square Builders LLC
• Melloy Brothers Enterprises Inc.
• Bertrand Parnall (Prominent Personal Injury attorney)
• Marta Parnall (Wife of Bert Parnell)
• Parnall Law Firm LLC
• Mary Featherstone
• Rob Sneed
• John Obermiller
• Sanna Obermiller

Hull’s campaign made three payments totaling $420,000 to Red Surge for television and cable airtime and production:

• $180,000 on October 1
• $161,735 on October 1
• $78,265 on October 1

Major Hull campaign expenses include $60,643 in combined payments to the Republican Party of New Mexico for literature and mailings, nearly $31,000 to Peakland Strategies for consulting and $25,000 to Perez & Associates for consulting.

Hull said this about Haaland’s fundraising advantage:

“We’ve spent millions and millions and millions less than our opponent to be basically in a neck-and-neck race … We’re spending our money very effectively, and we’re getting our message out to the voters across New Mexico. … When you’re fundraising across the nation [like Haaland has], that brings in a much larger cash pool than what you’re going to find in New Mexico.”

Gregg Hull claimed more than 95% of his contributions throughout the campaign have come from New Mexico donors.

The next campaign finance reports are due October  29 and will cover campaign activity from October 6 through October 27. They will provide the final campaign-finance snapshot before voters choose New Mexico’s next governor.

Links to other quoted relied upon news sources other than filed campaign finance reports are here:

https://www.koat.com/article/haaland-hull-pour-millions-into-final-stretch-of-governors-race/74138320

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/haaland-continues-to-dwarf-hull-in-fundraising-reports-show/article_a85e1c88-c2e9-4786-ab8d-beb39e4f41d7.html

https://sourcenm.com/2026/10/14/new-mexico-dem-governor-nominee-haalands-fundraising-advantage-grows-heading-into-election-day/

HAALAND’S LEAD OVER HULL REMAINS STEADY IN POLLS

On Sunday, October 11, with just 23 days left before the  November 3  general election for New Mexico Governor the Albuquerque Journal Published its second and final election poll in the 2026 race for Governor. The Journal poll found 49% of likely voters surveyed said they plan to vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, who is seeking to become the first Native American woman elected governor in the nation’s history.  Meanwhile,  42%of voters said they plan to vote for Republican Gregg Hull, the former Rio Rancho mayor who would be the first Republican to win a statewide race in New Mexico since 2016. The remaining 9% of voters surveyed said they were undecided or did not know who they would vote for in the November general election.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/journal-poll-haaland-maintains-lead-over-hull-as-new-mexicos-race-for-governor-nears-homestretch/3139307

On October 5, one month before the November 3 general election, KOB-4 released the results of a scientific  poll taken of 800 registered and likely voters in the ’26  New Mexico Governor’s race between Democrat Deb Haaland and Republican Greg Hull. The Poll was conducted exclusively for KOB-4 by Survey USA. The poll was taken from September 25 to September 30. The poll reveals that  Democrat Deb Haaland leads Republican Gregg Hull 47% to 41% in the race for Governor with 12% of likely voters undecided.  The links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/kob-poll-finds-haaland-leading-hull-by-6-points-in-head-to-head-race/

https://results.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=6e6ded19-6ad8-4379-8fa9-6a15dfa99052

On Sunday, August 30, the Albuquerque Journal Published its first poll in the 2026 race for  Governor. The Journal poll found 49% of likely voters surveyed said they plan to vote for Democrat Deb Haaland. Meanwhile, 43% of voters said they plan to vote for Republican Gregg Hull, the former Rio Rancho mayor who would be the first Republican to win a statewide race in New Mexico since 2016. The remaining 8% of voters surveyed said they had not yet decided on who they would support in the November general election. The overall 6-point margin separating Deb Haaland and Greg Hull in the Journal Poll mirrors the final margin of New Mexico’s 2022 gubernatorial race between Democrat Incumbent Governor Lujan Grisham and Republican Mark Ronchetti.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/journal-poll-haaland-leads-hull-by-closer-than-expected-margin-in-new-mexicos-race-for-governor/3111874

The two Albuquerque Journal Polls and the one KOB 4 poll showing that Deb Haaland is leading Greg Hull by 6% or 7% in the three  polls but falling short of the magical 50% plus one margin to win reflects that the race for Governor is close to being over and the trajectory of the race still remains that  Deb Haaland will win decisively on November 3. To win outright, Haaland has to only secure 1% of the 9% undecided.  For Hull to turn things around and win he would have to secure all 9% of the undecided which is not at all likely. The 6% to 7% Haaland lead in the three polls is essentially identical to the margin Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan defeated Republican Mark Ronchetti in her bid for a second four year term. In 2022, Governor Lujan Grisham did not garner 50% in polling until late in October, 2022.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Simply put, Republican Gregg Hull is facing an uphill battle in a very Democratic leaning state. Haaland is the former U.S. Interior secretary under President Joe Biden and a former congresswoman. Haaland is a national figure with respect to her fundraising ability and the historical nature of her candidacy. She will be the first native American who would  be elected  governor. On the other hand, Gregg Hull is a virtual unknown throughout most of the State even though he was Mayor of Rio Rancho.

Haaland has tremendous support among women, Hispanics, Independent voters and  highly educated voters and taken together they will decide the election. Then there is the matter of the national political mood that clearly favors Democrats thanks in large part to President Trump’s disastrous presidency, the Iran war he has started and his disastrous handling of the economy and his very low approval rating.  Haaland’s candidacy has been significantly bolstered in New Mexico with the recent endorsement by former Democratic President Barack Obama.

As evidenced by Deb Haaland’s Democratic primary victory of  72.3% (156,861 votes) over  Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman’s 27.7% (60,189), Democrats are highly motivated to vote for Deb Haaland and its highly unlikely they will change their minds and vote for Republican Hull. President Trump’s extremely high negatives in the state will also have a major impact motivating voter turn out in a deep blue Democrat state.

In the final analysis, it will be a combination of the independent voters, the progressive voters and the female and Hispanic voters, along with an expected high Democratic voter turnout because of Trump’s negatives, that will result in Deb Haaland being elected our next Governor.

Election day is November 3.  Early voting began October 6 and goes to October 31, 2026 (county clerk offices October 6–16; expanded locations October 17–31; hours vary by location).  Please vote!

In mid August, the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness released the  2026 Point-In-Time (PIT) Report with graphs and charts reflecting the numbers of unhoused people in Albuquerque and in the balance of the State. The link to review the entire 61 page 2026 PIT report is here:

https://www.nmceh.org/pitreports

This article is an in depth review of the PIT statistics, the City of Albuquerque’s efforts at shelter and providing services to the unhoused and a discussion Albuquerque’s financial commitment to the unhoused. The article further address the need for civil mental commitments to get the unhoused off the streets as a viable solution.

INTRODUCTION

“The Point-In-Time (PIT) Count is the process of identifying and counting individuals and families experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness within a community on a single night in January, as outlined and defined by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD)

…

The PIT Count consists of an unsheltered count and a sheltered count. These counts help to measure a community’s need for services. The unsheltered count tracks individuals and families whose primary nighttime residence is a location not meant for human habitation. Conversely, the sheltered count records those residing in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs.

Complementing the PIT Count, the Housing Inventory Count (HIC) measures local capacity to meet these service demands. The HIC tallies all dedicated beds and units available within Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Rapid Re-Housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing programs designed to assist households experiencing homelessness upon entry.”

 The 2026 PIT Count reflects another increase in the reported number of people experiencing homelessness in New Mexico. For the first time in the history of these counts, Albuquerque recorded over 3,000 individuals, while the Balance of State count topped 2,000. There are many data points suggesting homelessness in New Mexico continues to increase and the 2026 PIT is another indicator of that trend.”

https://www.nmceh.org/pitreports

SUMMARY OF  2026 PIT  STATISTICS

The following statistics were reported in the 2026 Point-In-Time (PIT) Report:

• The annual Point In Time Count for unhoused people in Albuquerque on January 26th, 2026 was 3,122. (In 2025, it was 2,960.)
• The annual Point In Time Count for unhoused people in the Balance of the State of New Mexico on January 26th, 2026  was 2,173. (In 2025, it was 1,723.)
• The number of students identified as experiencing homeless by the New Mexico Department of Public education during the 2025 – 2026 school year was 9,954.
• The number of individuals identified through medical service records and diagnosis criteria was 9,168.
• The distinct number of individuals who engaged with any part of New Mexico’s homeless response system in the year 2025 was 31,430.

2026  CITY OF  ALBUQUERQUE PIT COUNT BY HOUSING TYPE

The 2026 PIT Count found 3,112 total people within 2,628 total households experienced homelessness in Albuquerque on January 26, 2026. Following is the breakdown:

Persons in Households with at least one Adult and one Child

• Emergency Shelters:  328
• Transitional Housing: 112
• Unsheltered:      4
• Total: 444

Persons in Households with only Children

• Emergency Shelters: 12
• Transitional Housing:   7
• Unsheltered: 0
• Total: 19

Persons in Households without children

• Emergency Shelters: 1,033
• Transitional Housing: 180
• Unsheltered: 1,436
• Total:  2,649

Total PIT Person Count

• Emergency Shelters: 1,373
• Transitional Housing: 299
• Unsheltered: 1,440
• Total: 3,112

 COMPARING 2025 PIT REPORT FOR ALBUQUERQUE

In 2025, a total of 2,960 total homeless people were reported in Albuquerque, broken down is as follows:

• 1,367 were reported as unsheltered people.
• 1,327 were reported in emergency shelters which is up from 658 in 2011.
• 266 in transitional housing with women more prevalent than men in this type of housing.
• 8% of people reported experiencing homelessness for first time.
• 2,566 total are reported as homeless groups/families in Albuquerque.

2026  BALANCE OF THE STATE PIT COUNT  BY HOUSING TYPE

The 2026 PIT Count found a total of 2,173 people within 1,239 households experienced homelessness in the Balance of State  on January 26th, 2026.

Persons in Households with at least one Adult and one Child:

• Emergency Shelters:         566
• Transitional Housing:        139
• Unsheltered:                       27
• Total:                                 732

Persons in Households with only Children:

• Emergency Shelters:        29
• Transitional Housing:         6
• Unsheltered:                      0
• Total:                                35

Persons in Households without children:

• Emergency Shelters:              598
• Transitional Housing:               85
• Unsheltered:                           723
• Total:                                    1,406

TOTAL PIT PERSONS COUNTED

• Emergency Shelters:      1,193 
• Transitional Housing:        230       
• Unsheltered:                      750
• Total:                                2,173    

COMPARING 2025 PIT REPORT FOR THE BALANCE OF THE STATE:

In 2025, a total of 1,723 homeless people throughout the rest of New Mexico were counted and broke down as follows:

• 779 unsheltered people
• 774 in emergency shelters
• 170 in transitional housing
• 39% of people reported experiencing homelessness for first time

DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN

The following Demographic breakdown was provided in the 2026 PIT Survey. It has been edited for brevity and clarity.

GENDER

“In the Albuquerque and in the Balance Of the State statistics, those identifying as male experienced unsheltered homelessness at higher rate than those identifying as female.”

RACE AND GENDER

“Across both the Albuquerque and Balance of State  unsheltered counts, individuals identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, and Hispanic/Latina experienced homelessness at disproportionately higher rates relative to their census baselines. Those identifying as White and Asian or Asian American experienced homelessness at lower rates than expected.

By gender, in Albuquerque, American Indian or Alaska Native women and Black men had disproportionately higher counts of unsheltered homelessness. In the Balance of State, the count of white women is higher than expected, while the count of white men is lower than expected. The 2025 PIT Count data showed the opposite pattern for both white women and men for the BoS.”

AGE

“Within the unsheltered population, 64.2% of individuals in the Albuquerque CoC are under the age of 45, compared to 54.4% in the Balance of State. This demographic variance indicates a higher concentration of unhoused young adults within the Albuquerque urban core than in the other parts of the state.”

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

“Over 70% of women in both Albuquerque (77.5%) and BoS (70.8%) reported a past domestic violence experience, compared to 40.4% of ABQ men and 34.8% of BoS men. In Albuquerque, 38% of women and 11% of men, along with 33.6% of women and 10.8% of men in the Balance of State, indicated that domestic violence was the direct cause of their unsheltered status. Both results are statistically significant (p ≤ .001), demonstrating that domestic violence and its subsequent impact on housing instability are deeply gendered phenomena.”

MILITARY SERVICE

“Within the unsheltered counts, 8% of respondents in Albuquerque and 6.6% in the Balance of State (BoS) had served in the U.S. Military. By race, Black and white unsheltered veterans were overrepresented in Albuquerque and the Balance of State. Hispanic/ Latina/e/o respondents were underrepresented for both ABQ and BoS, while American Indian or Alaska Native veterans were underrepresented for Albuquerque.”

ONLY TIME EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

 “Within the Unsheltered count, 42.4% of respondents in Albuquerque and 39.4% in Balance of State reported experiencing homelessness for the first time. First-time episodes of homelessness are concentrated among the 25–34 age demographic in Albuquerque and the 35–44 age demographic in the Balance of State. By gender, instances of new homelessness hovered between 38-43% for both women and men in both Albuquerque and the Balance of State.”

LOCATION/WHERE FROM

“Within the Albuquerque CoC unsheltered count, 50.6% of respondents reported being from Albuquerque. However, among those who identified as nonnative, the largest percentage had resided in the city for over 15 years. Statewide residency data indicates that 68.3% of respondents in the Albuquerque CoC and 55.8% in the Balance of State (BoS) CoC were originally from New Mexico. Furthermore, among individuals who migrated from outside New Mexico, 69.4% in the Albuquerque CoC and 65.7% in the BoS CoC were stably housed upon their arrival, meaning they became unhoused after relocating to the state.”

KELLER’S  GATEWAY SYSTEM OF SHELTERS

The Gateway Shelter Network consists of 5 shelters of support for people struggling with homelessness and drug and substance addiction consists of the following:

1. Gateway Center– (Located on Gibson.) Campus providing medical, behavioral, and social services including overnight beds, first responder intake, medical sobering and respite. Old Lovelace Hospital city purchased for $15 million costing $95 million to remodel into shelter with city officials saying upwards of 1,000 unhoused per month are being provided assistance.
2. Gateway West – Safe, supportive 660-bed facility for individuals experiencing homelessness, offering specialized resources and case management. (City officials say the annual impact is services to 5,700 Individuals. Open 24/7 Since 2019)
3. Gateway Family – Supportive housing center for families with overnight beds, meals, and case management to help achieve stable housing. (City officials say the annual impact is 987 individuals being served, Open Since 2020.)
4. Gateway Recovery– 50-resident micro-community offering low-barrier beds, recovery services, and support for 18 – 24 months. City officials say the annua projected impact is 50 – 100 being served. Opening Early 2025
5. Gateway Young Adult – Housing and support for young adults ages 15-25 experiencing homelessness, tailored to their unique needs. City officials say the projected impact is 120 Individuals being served. Opened March, 2026.

ALBUQUERQUES FINANCIAL COMITMENT TO UNHOUSED

Editor’s Disclaimer: Jaemes Shanley is the President of the Mark Twain Neighborhood Association and past contributor of guest columns published on www.PeteDinelli.com. Mr. Shanley assisted with the identification of City of Albuquerque budget funding and capital outlay funding for shelters and contract services for the unhoused as outlined below in this article.

It has been determined from review of City Council approved city budgets and capital outlay spending by the city, the city has spent a minimum of $127 million dollars for construction of the 5 Gateway shelters. The Gateway System Capital Outlay spending for Gateway Shelter system is as follows:

Gateway West Shelter:  

•   $7.6 million for cumulative refurbishing
•   $2.0 million in Fiscal Year ’26 for remodeling

Gateway Gibson Center:

• $15 Million building purchase (Lovelace Hosp)
• $71 Million remediation and remodeling

Gateway Recovery:  

• $5 Million to acquire and install 48 pallet homes
• $1.7 incremental facility development

Gateway Young Adult:  

• $17 Million building acquisition of former motel
• $ 5 Million for remodeling into 70 unit facility
•  $3 Million US Senate earmark

TOTAL CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR 5 GATEWAY SHELTERS: $127.3 Million

HEALTH, HOUSING AND HOMELESS DEPARTMENT BUDGETED CONTRACTS FOR UNHOSED INITIATIVES

It is the City of Albuquerque Department of  Health, Housing and Homeless (HHH) that is responsible for operating all 5 Gateway Shelters and responsible to provide services to the unhoused. The HHH budgets are  where line-item funding for services to the unhoused are provided for in the following contracts:

• Affordable Housing contracts
• Emergency Shelter contracts
• Health and Human Services contracts
• Homeless Support Services contracts
• Gateway Shelter operating contracts
• Mental Health contracts
• Substance Abuse contracts

The approved FY/23  General Fund budget for the Health, Housing and Homeless Department (HHH) was  $62.28 Million and included the following line item funding in the millions of dollars:

• Total Affordable Housing contracts:                          $42.60 million
• Total Emergency Shelter contracts:                             $6.03 million
• Total Health and Human Services contracts:             $2.63 million
• Total Homeless Support Services contracts:              $4.34 million
• Total Gateway Shelter Operating contracts:                   -0-
• Total Mental Health contracts:                                     $3.87 million
• Total Substance Abuse contracts:                               $2.82 million

TOTAL F/Y 2023 HHH CONTRACTS                          $62.28  Million

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy23-approved-budget-final-sept-13.pdf/view

The  approved FY/24 General Fund budget for the Health, Housing and Homeless Department (HHH) was $63.10 Million and included the following line item funding in the millions of dollars:

• Total Affordable Housing contracts:                           $38.2  million
• Total Emergency Shelter contracts:                            $5.58  million
• Total Health and Human Services contracts:             $2.33 million
• Total Homeless Support Services contracts:              $5.16 million
• Total Gateway Shelter operating contracts:               $5.03 million
• Total Mental Health contracts:                                      $3.65 million
• Total Substance Abuse contracts:                                $2.53 million

TOTAL F/Y 2024 HHH CONTRACTS                              $63.10 Million

 https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy24-web-version.pdf/view

The  approved FY/25 General Fund budget for the Health, Housing and Homeless Department (HHH) was $61.55  Million and included the following line item funding in the millions of dollars:

• Total Affordable Housing contracts:                 $39.79 million
• Total Emergency Shelter contracts:                   $5.24 million
• Total Health and Human Services contracts:    $2.02 million
• Total Homeless Support Services contracts:    $4.80 million
• Total Gateway Shelter operating contracts:      $4.03 million
• Total Mental Health contracts:                           $3.13 million
• Total Substance Abuse contracts:                      $2.53 million

TOTAL F/Y 2025 HHH  CONTRACTS                     $61.55 MILLION

The  approved FY/26 General Fund budget for the  Health, Housing and Homeless Department (HHH)  lists 116  separate contracts for services benefiting directly or indirectly to the unhoused totaling $53,901,355. The 116 separate contracts totaling $53,901,355 include:

• 32 for Affordable Housing Contracts totaling                  $30,391,436
• 12 for Emergency Shelter contracts totaling                      $6,347,819
• 16 for Health and Human Services Contracts totaling    $1,962,486
• 28 for Homeless Support Services contracts totaling      $5,746,188
• 11 for Mental Health Contracts totaling                            $2,995,400
• 12 for Substance Abuse contracts totaling                         $2,573,526
• 5  for Gateway Shelter operating contracts totaling           $3,884,500

TOTAL F/Y 2025 HHH  CONTRACTS                                   $53,901,355

TOTAL SERVICE CONTRACTS:  116   

The link to review the approved  FY/26 budget for the HHH department, page 209, is here:

Click to access fy26-approved-final.pdf

Mayor Tim Keller’s approved FY/27 General Fund budget  for the Health, Housing and Homeless Department (HHH) lists 122 separate contracts for services directly or indirectly to the unhoused totaling $85,283,474. The 122 separate contracts totaling $85,283,47 include:

• 34 for Affordable Housing Contracts totaling                   $35,534,228
• 13 for Emergency Shelter contracts totaling                     $10,230,537
• 14 for Health and Human Services Contracts totaling       $2,418,638
• 23 for Homeless Support Services contracts totaling       $6,091,714
• 11 for Mental Health Contracts totaling                              $3,925,400
• 12 for Substance Abuse contracts totaling                         $5,530,478
• 15 for Gateway Shelter operating contracts totaling        $21,552,479

TOTAL  F/Y 2026 HHH CONTRACTS                                        $85,283,471

TOTAL SERVICE CONTRACTS:   122      

The link to review the FY/27 budget for the HHH department, page 124, is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy27-proposed-budget-with-weblink-final-4-01-2026.pdf

ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY  SAFETY DIVISION

The Albuquerque Community Safety Division (ACS) must be considered a big part of the City’s financial commitment to deal with the unhoused and remove them from city streets. Five years ago, Mayor Keller created the ACS and staffed it with social workers and mental health care professionals to do outreach to the homeless and to reduce by the thousands calls for service to APD. The problem is that the homeless still proliferate city streets at unacceptable levels despite ACS efforts.

The Albuquerque Community Safety Department (ACS) dispatches first responders to 911 calls with or without other first responders from the police and fire departments. Albuquerque Community Safety responders may have backgrounds as social workers, peer-to-peer support, clinicians, counselors, or similar fields. It is a first-of-its-kind cabinet-level department responding to calls on inebriation, homelessness, addiction, and mental health. It will work alongside APD and AFR as a third option for 911 dispatch. The approved FY/27 General Fund budget for ACS  is $19.6 million, representing an increase of $1.7 million, or 9.5%, from the FY/26 original budget. The F/Y 27 approved budget for ACS contains funding for 156 full time employees. (Page 165 of F/Y 27 budget)

The link to download and review the 2027 approved city budget is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/dfa/documents/fy27-approved-numbered-final-w-hyperlinks-7-31-2026.pdf/view

Links to other quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_42aba680-62c4-4228-95a2-da72df1a34e1.html

https://citydesk.org/2025/09/10/albuquerque-becomes-new-mexicos-homeless-hub-as-gateway-contracts-add-100-beds/?mc_cid=b9e7b25ad7&mc_eid=001367acf1

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Since day one of becoming Mayor in 2017, dealing with the unhoused on the streets of Albuquerque and getting the homeless off the streets and getting them services has been a major priority of Mayor Tim Keller. During Keller’s tenure as Mayor, the number of homeless has more than doubled as Keller’s efforts to remove the unhoused permanently off the streets has failed  and as the homeless proliferate the city streets. The most recent “Point In Time” Survey of the unhoused released mid- August reports the city has 3,122 people unhoused, up from  2,960 reported in 2025.

According to review of approved city budgets, the  city of Albuquerque has spent a staggering $452 million dollars to build the 5 Gateway Shelters and to provide services to the unhoused calculated as follows:

Total capital outlay for 5 shelters:                            $127.00  million

• FY/23  HHH Department Contracts:                $  62.28   million
• FY/24  HHH Department Contracts:                $  63.10  million
• FY/25  HHH Department Contracts:                $  61.23  million
• FY/26 HHH  Department Contracts:                $  53.90  million
• FY/27 HHH  Department Contracts:                $  85.28   million

TOTAL CAPITAL OUTLAY AND SERVICE CONTRACTS:  $452.79 MILLION

Keller has increased spending for services to the unhoused in one year from $53,901,355 (F/Y ‘26) to $85,283,471 (F/Y ’27). The biggest obstacle is that 75% of the homeless refuse city shelter and services, yet millions are being spent.  Keller has advocated allowing upwards of 100 Safe Outdoor Spaces for 1,000  homeless to camp, scattered through out the city.

The fiscal year budgets for the HHH Department service contracts for  the fiscal years 2026 and 2027 divided by the most recent  2026 Point In Time figure provides a reasonable calculation of the amount spent individually on the 3,122  identified homeless over a the past two year period as  $44,581.94.  Following is the calculation:

$ 53.90 million (2026) + $85.28 million (2027) ÷ 3,122 unhoused = $44,581.94

It must be emphasized that the $44,581.94 per individual was for services only and does not include the cost of shelter operations.

The 2026  Point-In-Time (PIT) survey found 3,122 people in Albuquerque called the streets or an emergency shelter their home. Of that number, 1,440  people were completely unsheltered with no roof over their heads, living on the streets or in emergency shelters. The 2026 PIT report revealed an increase in homelessness going from 2,960 in 2025 to 3,112 in 2026, an increase of 152 people.

Statewide, 2026 PIT Count found a  total of 2,173 people within 1,239 households experienced homelessness in the Balance of State  on January 26th, 2026 reflecting and increase of 450.  In 2025, the Balance of the State total was 1,723 homeless people.

Simply put, Albuquerque has become New Mexico’s de facto “homeless capitol”  providing shelter and services to the homeless for all communities throughout New Mexico. The problem is that the City’s unhoused numbers are getting worse and not any better after spending a staggering $452.79 million dollars with the unhoused proliferating city streets.

UNHOUSED POPULATION INCREASES UNDER KELLER

The city’s homeless population has more than doubled from 2022 to 2026, while the increase in homeless people jailed by the county has more than tripled during the same time period. Police and court records and interviews with homeless people show the increase in their incarceration is primarily driven by the cascading effects of repeatedly citing people who are experiencing homelessness.

A 2025 report by the city found 30% of individuals experiencing homelessness self report having a serious mental illness, 25% self report having a substance use disorder and around 66% experience some form of mental health condition. A report by the New Mexico Justice Reinvestment Working Group found that 65% of individuals who enter the state’s criminal justice system have behavioral health needs and the criminal justice system cannot provide necessary medical  treatment and facilities.

A major problem is that approximately 75%  to 80% of the chronic, emergency unhoused simply refuse city services, yet the city spends upwards of $55 to $85 million a year on contracts to provide services and assistance to the unhoused

METROPOLITAN COURT DIVERSION COURT

On January 6, 2026, the Metropolitan Court Diversion Court was launched. The court redirects people with serious mental illness into voluntary treatment as an alternative to criminal prosecution for minor and nonviolent crimes. The court deals with people who previously have had criminal charges dismissed because they were found incompetent to stand trial. Eligible defendants are assessed by a social worker or case manager at the point of prosecution and offered on a voluntary basis a structured diversion option, including shelter intake, case management, substance use or mental health treatment, or other supportive services.

FORM SPECIALIZED UNIT TO INITIATE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENTS

It is likely that the Albuquerque Police Department and the city’s Community Safety Department know who the “frequent flyers” are and who need to be taken immediately off the streets because they pose and immediate threat to themselves and others. Both departments could and should assist the District Attorney or the City Attorney with civil mental health commitments of the unhoused and file civil mental commitment actions.

Under New Mexico statutes, the legislature has empowered  District Attorneys authority to initiate civil mental health commitments. The Bernalillo County District Attorney and the Albuquerque City Attorney’ office should form a specialized unit of at least four attorneys to deal exclusively with civil mental commitment actions in the Metropolitan Court’s new Diversion Court. The state or courts would  provide  funding for  the mental health services provided by the state through the Behavioral Health Trust Fund and  the Behavioral Health Reform Package.

The District Attorney should  cross deputized Assistant City Attorney’s, supported with para legals, to initiate mental health commitment proceedings to work in unison with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office. Such an arrangement of cross deputization of Assistant City Attorney’s has occurred in the past with the City Attorney’s Metro Court Traffic Court arraignment program that processed at one time 60,000 cases per year negotiating plea agreements. Under the process, citations are issued by sworn police and dates for arraignments by the court are immediately scheduled in the citations. The arraignment dates could be the initial step to begin the process of civil mental health commitments.

It is understood the Gateway Shelter on Gibson, which is the former Lovelace Medical Center and Hospital, is still largely vacant and has upwards of 200 patient rooms that are vacant. The Gateway Shelter on Gibson should be utilized for referrals by the Metropolitan Court’s “Diversion Court” with the State providing mental health services to those committed for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

More must and can be done by the courts mandating unhoused people off the streets and ordering them into the mental health or drug addiction treatment programs they desperately need. The Albuquerque City Attorney and the Bernalillo County District Attorney should form a specialized unit to initiate civil mental health commitments in Metro Court to secure court orders to get chronically mentally ill and drug-addicted people off city streets and get them the medical or mental health counseling help they desperately need.

Links to related articles are here:

City Council Passes Ban On Sitting, Sleeping On Sidewalks To Deal With Unhoused; Safe Outdoor Spaces To Be Offered At Gateway West Shelter; City Announces New Diversion Program; COMMENTARY: New Diversion Program Needs To Include Civil Mental Health Commitments Of Unhoused Who Are Danger To Selves And Others Or In  Need Of Addiction Medical Treatment

2025 Point In Time Count Of Unhoused Finds 8% Increase In City; Goes From 2,740 In 2024 To 2,960 In 2025;  50% Of Unhoused Found Not To Be From New Mexico; City Spends Millions On Shelters And Services The Unhoused Reject; Civil Mental Health Commitment Hearings Viable Option To Get Unhoused Off Streets

 

On October 5, the Albuquerque City Council enacted three out of four measures sponsored by MAGA Republican Dan Lewis misleadingly labeled the “Better Neighborhoods” package under the guise and a false attempt to cut red tape and spur development projects. The “Better Neighborhoods” package consists of two ordinances directed at neighborhood coalitions and two memorials that request action from the New Mexico legislature to act to curb city’s zoning authority.

The two city ordinances make dramatic changes to the Neighborhood Association Recognition Ordinance (NARO). It is O-26-61 that is the most egregious of the four measures and the ordinance eliminates formal city recognition of  neighborhood coalitions, homeowners’ associations and business groups and eliminates automatic development notices to them and ends developer good-faith requirements. O-26-61 strips standing from neighborhood coalitions, raises appeal fees, and requires coalitions to pay legal fees if they lose a challenge against a developer who has applied for permits.

Ordinance O-26-61 passed on a 5 to 4. Voting YES were MAGA Republican City Councilor Dan Lewis, Dan Champine, Renee Grout and Progressive Democrats Stephanie Telles and Tammy Fiebelkorn. Voting NO were Democrat City Council President Klarissa Peña, Progressive Democrats Jaquin Baca and Nichole Rogers and Republican Brook Bassan.

If signed by Mayor Tim Keller O-26-61 will become law. If vetoed by Mayor Keller, the veto would require six votes of nine the nine city councilors to override.

GUEST COLUMN BY STEVEN HOLMAN

Steven Holman is a resident of City Council District 7 which is the mid heights city council district represented by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. The district includes the uptown retail business district including the Commons, Winrock and Coronado Shopping Center. The District boundaries are generally Montgomery Boulevard on the North, I-25 on the West, Lomas on the South and Eubank on the East.

Steven Holman is a strong believer in accountability in government, having been involved in progressive marches in Washington DC against the Iraq War, for Women’s reproductive rights, for Marriage Equality, and with the Occupy and BLM Movements. In writing this piece, Steven Holman want the voices of local communities and their advocates to not be suppressed or silenced.

Steven Holman submitted the below guest column to be published on www.PeteDinelli.com. He was not compensated for it and his column is being published as a public service:

MAYOR TIM KELLER SHOULD VETO 0-26-61 AND THE “BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS” PACKAGE; VETO WILL DEFINE KELLER LEGACY AND  FUTURE OF CITY

Mayor Tim Keller faces decisions that will define his legacy and the future of Albuquerque. He has to choose between siding with citizens and established and historical  communities versus investors, real estate developers, and corporations and nationally backed organizations.  A core principle of being a Democrat and a progressive one at that, is maintaining the value that elected officials should serve the people and not be beholden to businesses and special interest groups.

Unfortunately, Mayor Keller has proven in the past that he aligns with investment developers more than the people of Albuquerque.  This was never more evident than his utilizing the nationally backed organization Strongtowns in their common quest to deregulate zoning and allow developers to build what they want, wherever they want , and how they want without any requirements for affordable housing. Earlier this year, they both lost this agenda not only at the Albuquerque City Council level but in the New Mexico Legislature as well.  This was because communities organized and stood up against these kinds of policies in a rare win against this kind of Reagan-era deregulatory free market hand out to developers.

At their core, Mayor Keller and Strongtowns want to largely remove all zoning regulations and allow development to run free without any zoning limitations and no input from communities that will be negatively affected by development.  The hope is that development will flood the market and bring housing prices down. It will not! The reality is that studies are finding more and more this only has up to a 3% impact in affordability and targets poor and marginalized communities due to the low cost of acquiring their properties and leading to gentrification and displacement. For example, in cities like Memphis this has proven to gentrify and displace lower income communities. The truth is that zoning doesn’t stand as a barrier to housing or impacts affordability. It protects historic, indigenous, and marginalized communities.

Because these groups haven’t gotten what they wanted, there has now been the introduction of the outright retaliatory Better Neighborhoods legislative package that eviscerates neighborhood associations and coalitions power to fight back against developers and the city.  They are also introducing 0-26-65 on October 19, 2026, sponsored by Republican Brook Bassan, who is pro development, that will allow  the city Planning Department to manage the  Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO), which is all the city’s zoning laws, with updates to city zoning laws. This is troubling because the City Council inserted unapproved language in the last IDO updates and were forced to change it back while calling it a “clerical error.”  Meanwhile this would also change the IDO zoning updates from every TWO YEARS to TWICE YEARLY, eliminating consistency of policy for development and forcing communities to come together and review changes far more often. 

Organizations like Strongtowns can be utilized as a way for politicians to say they’re listening to the “will of the people”.  They pose as a “local” activist community group that’s pro-affordable housing while they are nationally organized and backed by local developer interests. What is very troubling about Strongtowns is that they use their media sources to outright lie to the public. This makes it easier for political allies like Mayor Keller to side with them and investment developers.  This is never more evident than a Friday, October 9,  post on social media by their communications team saying that “special interests” are trying to sway Mayor Keller to veto the Better Neighborhoods legislative package. Those are not special interests. They are neighborhood associations and coalitions and everyday citizens asking  Mayor Keller not to stab them in the back with the Better Neighborhoods legislation. The only special interest groups who are contacting the mayor are developers and nationally backed organizations like Strongtowns.

Most of the Better Neighborhoods package has largely passed the city council.  It is now  headed to Mayor Keller’s desk for his signature approval or veto. Keller is left with the  grim choice of either backing the people and voters he represents or backing the city’s special interest groups or the investment developers and corporations. These pieces of legislation headed to Mayor Keller for his signature will ultimately disarm citizens and communities from being able to defend against encroachment on indigenous sites, destruction of historical neighborhoods, and displacement of lower income communities.

For my part, I’m seeing history repeat itself.  Growing up in Northern Virginia outside Washington DC, I was witness to the worst of what these policies do.  Among the many things I’ve seen are:

• A historic Civil War battlefield being bulldozed for a shopping center and then unironically named Battlefield Shopping Center.
• The demolition of a historic African American Church so a development could be built.
• The demolition of a historic community center that was previously the town elementary and high school.
• People’s homes allowed to burn to the ground so the land could be used for developments.
• The displacement of Washington DC’s poorest neighborhood when they bulldozed the entire community to build the nationals baseball stadium.
• The displacement and pricing out of my own family who was there there for four generations, forcing them to move to another nearby state due to housing being some of the most expensive in the country due to gentrification.

With the policies these people want to pass I can see the same things happening to the petroglyphs or historic parts of Old Town or Martineztown.  Unlike the many transplants of Strongtowns, I respect the culture and history of this place and realize I’m just a guest here.  I don’t want to force changes on communities in Albuquerque but instead want to help preserve and protect what makes this place special and uniquely beautiful.

Change can happen without destroying identity, but handing the keys to the kingdom to investment developers is just plain bad policy. Ultimately, the Mayor’s actions will serve as a message to communities, organizations and citizens across the city letting us know if we have an ally in Mayor Tim Keller.

If Mayor Keller signs this legislation into law, it will stand as a reflection of his “abundance agenda” and “democratization” of housing he announced earlier this year in his State of the City address. In essence he will have proven to be no better than Trump and his “Big Beautiful Bill” that also gave special business interests a handout over helping people.  These decisions will ultimately shape Mayor Keller’s legacy not only in Albuquerque, but for any future political aspirations he may have.

Mayor Keller, the ball is in your court!  We hope you’ll be a true Democrat and support the will of the people reaching out to you or you may end up showing us who really holds your puppet strings.

DINELLI COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The “Better Neighborhoods” package sponsored by MAGA Republican Dan Lewis is a false and misleading attempt to cut red tape and spur development and encourage upzoning to increase density. Taken together, the measures  will have a major impact eliminating the rights of neighborhood coalitions to challenge developments. The legislation is nothing more than  a continuation of a complete frontal assault of rights and remedies of not only neighborhood association coalitions and businesses but of neighborhood associations themselves and private citizens. The City Council’s objective is to stifle and prevent opposition to developments that have a negative impact on residential neighborhoods and giving developers unchecked influence and authority.

PLAN OF ACTION OPTIONS

There are three options voters, and the public, have to reverse the disastrous enactment of the “Better Neighborhoods” package:

First, contact Mayor Tim Keller and ask him to veto Ordinance O-26-61. Strong Towns and the development community are already engaging in an extensive lobbying effort contacting the Mayors Office and encouraging Mayor Keller to sign the legislation into law.

Second, in the event Mayor Keller does not veto the legislation and signs it into law, city voters and residents need to contact city councilors. They have two options:

1. City residents should demand that City Councilor Republicans Dan Lewis, Dan Champine, Renee Grout and Progressive Democrats Stephanie Telles and Tammy Fiebelkorn, who voted for passage,  move to reconsider passage of the legislation or introduce a Resolution or Ordinance repealing it .
2. City residents should ask City Council President Klarissa Peña, Progressive Democrats Jaquin Baca and Nichole Rogers and Republican Brook Bassan who voted NO to introduce a Resolution or Ordinance .

CONTACT INFORMATION

MAYOR TIM KELLER CONTACT INFORMATION

Department: Office of the Mayor

Phone: 505-768-3000
Fax: 505-768-3019

Physical Address: 1 Civic Plaza, 11th Floor, Albuquerque NM 87102

Mailing Address:

Office of the Mayor

PO Box 1293

Albuquerque NM 87103

EMAIL: tkeller@cabq.gov, MayorKellerIQ@cabq.gov, MayorTimKellerPress@cabq.gov

CITY COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION

CITY COUNCIL PHONE: (505) 768-3100

CITY COUNCILOR AND SUPPORT STAFF EMAILS

stelles@cabq.gov

stephenchavez@cabq.gov

joaquinbaca@cabq.gov

bacajoaquin9@gmail.com

namolina@cabq.gov

kpena@cabq.gov

cquezada@cabq.gov

bbassan@cabq.gov

dawnmarie@cabq.gov

danlewis@cabq.gov

galvarez@cabq.gov

nrogers@cabq.gov

district6@cabq.gov

tfiebelkorn@cabq.gov

seanforan@cabq.gov

dchampine@cabq.gov

eromero@cabq.gov

rgrout@cabq.gov

rrmiller@cabq.gov

ipadilla@cabq.gov  (Director of Council Services)

mmmontoya@cabq.gov (Council Clerk)

 BELOW ARE LINKS TO RELATED ARTICLES