To maintain property in downtown Albuquerque, a member of the city council is offering a proposal that would directly impact the condition and state of vacant buildings in the area.
Councilor Joaquin Baca has told reporters that his proposal is designed to benefit existing downtown businesses by compelling building owners to register such structures with the city and put together a plan for keeping them in good condition.
In so doing, the building owners would become part of a registry that will allow the City of Albuquerque to keep on top of which structures are empty, while also enforcing code violations.
Well-maintained vacant buildings will enhance the appeal of adjacent buildings that aren’t vacant, Baca has suggested.
According to a study put together earlier this year by the Washington-based Center for Community Progress, “vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties reduce the value of surrounding properties, leading to decreases in owners’ equity and personal wealth.”
In surveying several downtown blocks earlier this year, the Albuquerque publication The Paper noted “an alarming number of shuttered businesses and vacant buildings, some that have been closed and empty for many years.”
Vacant buildings first became a part of the downtown landscape in the 1960s as more and more residents opted to shop at malls in the suburbs, prompting the increasing closing of retail spaces in the core city.
An earlier version of Baca’s proposal that was regarded as too encompassing was rejected by the city council in October.
December 12, 2024
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
