Rehabilitating the Garfield Alley
Victory Hills neighborhood members' persistence and Councilor Rogers' work with Planning Department brings presence - and safety back to a once forgotten alley.
Albuquerque - Victory Hills property owners and residents were recognized in the August 25, 2025 edition of Nob Hill News for the neighborhood's most recent 'victory:' the installation of gates and locks for the alley adjacent to the north wall of the historic Fairview Memorial Park Cemetery.
Neighborhood needed a remedy to the problems occurring along the alley (a city right of way behind the apartments along the south side of Garfield between Yale Blvd. and Columbia Dr. SE). The alley had become a magnet for illegal fires, dumping, and property damage over the last few years.
The neighbors had confidence when they approached Councilor Rogers earlier this year. The Councilor has successfully helped other District 6 neighborhoods with similar issues. They shared previously reported code violations with her, including evidence of the illegal dumping and trespassing. Fairview Memorial Park Cemetery officials also reported unsafe trespassing, trash, and fires from homeless encampments that had formed all along the alley.
Councilor Rogers provided funding from her District set-asides and worked with the Code Enforcement Division of the City Planning Department for the project. The installation of gates and locks were completed this summer, giving the neighborhood coalition the opportunity to beautify the alley and keep it usable for the neighborhood.
"We have a lot of alleys in District 6 and I do not believe they all should be closed, but I will always listen to our community and work together to find solutions,” Councilor Rogers said. “I’m most excited about the clean-up efforts and to see what they dream up to brighten and activate these spaces for good.”