City Begins Foreclosure of Two Problematic Properties

The City of Albuquerque’s Planning Department’s Code Enforcement Division is foreclosing on two problematic properties: The Motel 6 located at 6015 Iliff Road NW and the CVS located at 7105 Central Avenue NE.

After months of attempting contact to ensure ongoing enforcement of city ordinances and to collect on substantial liens owed to the City of Albuquerque, Code Enforcement has initiated foreclosure proceedings. Both properties have accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in fines for noncompliance with the City’s Code Standards, and neither property owner has responded to the City’s notices.

“We have done everything we can to try and get these property owners to clean up their act, but they continue to neglect their responsibilities,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These two properties have been hotbeds for crime and a drain on resources, and that’s going to stop”.

The Motel 6 closed on March 11, 2025, after an inspection revealed numerous violations and serious risks to the safety of the tenants and neighbors. This particular Motel 6 location had become a hub for criminal activity, including narcotics trafficking, assault, and theft. APD logged nearly 600 calls for service at the motel in only one year.

The CVS location closed in early 2019, and since then, Code Enforcement has tried working with the property owners to keep the property clean and secure; however, they have become unresponsive. This has led to Code Enforcement responding to 62 calls for service since the store closed.

“These property owners are neglecting their properties, and it is harming their neighborhoods and the City will not stand for it,” said Planning Department Director Alan Varela.

The City began successfully piloting the foreclosure process in the courts two years ago with abandoned and dangerous properties that the City paid to demolish.