About the ONC

The Office of Neighborhood Coordination (ONC) was first established in 1985 within the City’s Department of Human Services, initially with only two staff members. Over the next couple of years, a Task Force consisting of neighborhood representatives, city staff, and citizens at large worked on legislation to create the “Neighborhood Association Recognition Ordinance,” which was adopted by the City Council on March 16th, 1987 by an 8-1 vote.

Between 1987 and 2017, the ONC was moved under several City Departments, including the Office of Neighborhood Services, the Family and Community Services Department, and the Planning Department as part of one-stop-shop to better assist citizens in obtaining various applications, licenses, and permits in one building and department. Finally in 2017, the ONC was moved under the City Council. The Council determined that ONC would better be able to serve the citizens and neighborhood groups within the city by being able to offer a wider variety of services. Additionally, City Council Services enabled the ONC to reach a broader audience and expand staffing resources to offer additional communication, training, and outreach.

Also in 2017, City Councilors expressed an intent to address the weaknesses and shortcomings in the existing NARO, which had been minimally updated over the past 30 years. The first draft of the revised NARO legislation was sent to all neighborhood associations in January 2021. Extensive feedback from neighborhood associations and coalitions was received, and the draft legislation was subsequently revised to incorporate much of this community feedback. The revised draft NARO legislation was introduced at the City Council meeting on Monday, August 2, 2021, was amended at LUPZ and at Full Council, but was voted down at the September 20, 2021 City Council meeting.  A revised bill that incorporated all of the amendments of the previous bill was introduced at the March 21, 2022 City Council meeting, was approved on a 5-4 vote at the April 18, 2022 City Council meeting, was subsequently vetoed by the Mayor, and the Mayoral veto was overturned on a 6-3 vote on May 16, 2022. The updated NARO was enacted and went into effect on Friday, May 27, 2022.

In October 2026, the City Council voted to amend the NARO by approving Council Bill O-26-61, and it was subsequently signed into law by the Mayor. The amended NARO implements the following changes for neighborhoods:

• Neighborhood coalitions will no longer be recognized, meaning that they will no longer receive developer notice and they will no longer have automatic appeal standing in land use cases
  • Coalitions can still exist independently from the NARO
  • The Office of Neighborhood Coordination (ONC) encourages coalitions to continue to reach out to our office for assistance and resources as needed
• Recognized neighborhood associations with overlapping boundaries will no longer be allowed, meaning that all existing recognized associations with overlapping boundaries will need to amend their boundaries so there is no overlap with any other recognized neighborhood association in order to retain recognized status
• Recognized neighborhood association boundaries will need to be completely within City limits for recognition. This is not to say that an NA can’t still have boundaries within both City and County limits; however, for City recognition, notice, and appeal purposes, only the portions of an association’s boundaries that fall within City limits will be recognized
• Recognized neighborhood association boundaries can now go up to two (2) square miles in total area, an increase from the previous limitation of one (1) square mile
• Existing recognized neighborhood associations may retain existing boundaries and recognized status until July 1, 2027. After that date, the boundaries will need to conform with the requirements of two square miles, no overlap, and no area outside the City

In addition to helping create neighborhood associations, maintaining neighborhood association contact information and responding to neighborhood public notification requests from permit applicants, developers and the general public, the ONC provides a wealth of services and resources not only to  neighborhood associations but to coalitions, community organizations, non-profits, homeowner associations and the general public.

Neighborhood associations have been in existence since before the NARO was enacted in 1987, demonstrating that they have been alive and well in Albuquerque for over 40 years. Even before the ONC came into existence, neighborhood associations in Albuquerque were working hard to make their areas safer, cleaner, and more pleasant. As of October 2026, there are 144 recognized neighborhood associations, representing all four quadrants and nine council districts citywide. The neighborhood associations are a cross-section of individuals who have one goal and purpose: to make their neighborhoods safer, cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing, economically strong, and overall better places to live, work, and play.