City Puts Another Unsafe Hotel on Notice

The City of Albuquerque has issued the property owners of the Extend a Suites & RV Park, located at 12999 Central, a Notice of Administrative Civil Enforcement and a proposed fine of $14,100 Following a scheduled inspection by City Code Enforcement, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, and the Environmental Health Department on Tuesday, June 30. The inspection revealed an array of violations that threatened the safety of tenants and the surrounding community, in addition to violations of zoning laws and operating without a business license or Certificate of Occupancy. The Notice of Administrative Civil Enforcement gives the property owners 14 days to come into compliance. If the property owners do not come into compliance, then fines of $3,500 per day will begin accruing for continued operations with outstanding violations.

“We want to support local businesses and give them the chance to come into compliance to become safe for customers, employees, and their neighbors,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “If their responsibilities under the law are not met, we will hold negligent property owners accountable.”

The inspection found unsafe living conditions below basic health and safety standards. Violations included:

• Unlawfully operating an RV Park contrary to City land use laws. The property was never zoned for an RV Park, and the City had specifically called out that violation as early as 2020.
• RV Park – inadequate septic hookups or bathroom facilities, causing people to defecate outside or dump human waste on the ground in a designated spot on the property.
• Hotel - plumbing issues such as nonfunctional toilets, sinks, and showers; leaking plumbing fixtures; unsanitary drainage conditions; and inadequate hot water with some rooms having no water at all.
• Hotel - electrical hazards including damaged and deteriorating wiring, exposed conductors, electrical boxes missing covers, and damaged outlets throughout the building.
• Hotel - fire code violations like missing fire extinguishers, nonfunctional and missing smoke detectors, and improperly stored gas cylinders.
• Hotel - unsanitary conditions such as water damage, mold, and infestations of bed bugs and cockroaches.
• Unpermitted construction, expired business license, and deficient Certificate of Occupancy.

“Public safety remains our top priority and there is no valid excuse for these types of violations,” said Planning Department Director Alan Varela. “We will continue to ensure that every property meets the standards necessary to keep our neighborhoods healthy and thriving.”

The property has become a magnet for law enforcement activity. In the past year alone, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) responded to 69 calls for service at the Extend a Suites & RV Park. Incidents included:

• Narcotics
• Theft/fraud/embezzlement
• Auto burglary
• Four arrests

The tenants of the Extend a Suites and RV Park were being charged rates ranging from $500 to $600 per month for hotel rooms and $800 to $1,200 per month for illegal RV spaces in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. The units were being improperly used for long-term stays, with some tenants staying several years.

Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) and the Department of Health, Housing and Homelessness (HHH) are available to help residents affected by unsafe or negligent property conditions. Anyone who needs assistance should call 311, where they will be connected with available resources and services, including support for basic needs, housing, public health, and other immediate concerns. HHH also operates four health and social service centers across the City, while ACS helps connect people with compassionate, community-based support when needs arise.