City Council Puts Bad Landlords on Notice

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The Albuquerque City Council voted last night to pass two pieces of legislation sponsored by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, District 7, along with co-sponsors Councilors Nichole Rogers, Stephanie Telles, and Joaquín Baca, aimed at protecting renters from substandard and unsafe housing conditions.

The Rental Unit Habitability Enforcement Ordinance (O-26-24) creates an accelerated and strengthened enforcement framework targeting landlords who fail to maintain minimum habitability standards in residential rental units. The companion Code Enforcement Priorities Resolution (R-26-20) directs the City's Code Enforcement Division to prioritize complaints related to tenant health and safety over non-health-and-safety violations.

"Fifty-two percent of renters in Albuquerque are cost burdened, and nearly half of our multifamily rental stock is classified as the lowest quality housing available," said Councilor Fiebelkorn. "These renters deserve to live in safe, decent conditions. This legislation makes clear that the City takes habitability seriously, and that landlords who repeatedly fail their tenants will face real consequences."

Rental Unit Habitability Enforcement Ordinance (O-26-24)

The ordinance creates a tiered enforcement system. Under Tier 1, landlords have 72 hours to fix a habitability violation upon receiving notice. If a landlord accumulates three or more violations within a 12-month period they move to Tier 2 and those landlords are automatically fined $500 for the third violation and every violation that follows within that period.

When remediation requires more than 72 hours, landlords must submit a written remediation plan, subject to Planning Department approval. If that plan is not followed, a $500 daily fine applies until the violation is corrected.

Critically, when a remediation period extends beyond seven days, landlords are required to pay relocation costs for affected tenants. If the landlord fails to do so, the City may step in, administer the relocation, and place a lien on the property to recover costs.

"The data tells the story," Councilor Fiebelkorn added. "In 2025, just 148 properties accounted for 40 percent of all Uniform Housing Code violations. Eight owners alone were responsible for 8 percent of all violations. We are not talking about a broad burden on good landlords. We are talking about a small number of bad actors who have overburdened the City’s Code Enforcement and faced few real consequences. That changes today."

Code Enforcement Priorities Resolution (R-26-20)

The companion resolution R-26-20 directs Code Enforcement to prioritize tenant health and safety complaints, including violations related to heating, cooling, running water, ventilation, and blocked exits, over complaints unrelated to public health and safety like weeds and litter.

The resolution builds on R-25-120, enacted in March 2025, which allocated funding for an additional Code Enforcement officer focused on habitability. As of September 2025, 60 cooling violations had been reported but only 20 had been enforced or closed, underscoring the need for a clear, codified prioritization policy.

"No one should have to choose between paying rent and living somewhere safe. This legislation says that if you are a landlord in Albuquerque, meeting basic habitability standards is not optional,” said Councilor Fiebelkorn. “And if you repeatedly fail your tenants, there will be real consequences."