Downtown businesses urge action over encampments near Quirky Books; administration cites legal limits and cleanup efforts

Multiple downtown business owners and residents told the Albuquerque City Council on Monday that a property near Jefferson and Central known as Quirky Books has become a magnet for illegal camping and drug activity, creating sanitation and safety problems that are affecting daily operations.

Speakers from neighboring businesses and educational programs described daily needle finds, feces, broken windows, and violent and unsanitary activity spilling onto adjacent lots and into private parking areas. Edward Fitzgerald, identifying himself as a neighbor on Jefferson just north of Central, said the property “has allowed illegal camping of homeless and has created unsanitary conditions around the entire neighborhood,” listing discarded drug paraphernalia and public bathing as recurring problems.

Owners and managers of nearby businesses including the Albuquerque School of Healing Arts said they spend staff time cleaning up needles and waste and repair vandalism. “We are spending a lot of money fixing broken windows,” said Sarah Farrell, who asked for help and more proactive enforcement.

City staff told the council that the City has pursued code enforcement actions against the property. Ms. Keith, the city’s general counsel, said citations were issued to Quirky Books, the property appealed to the hearing officer, and the hearing officer imposed a $1,500 fine that is now appealed to district court. She said the property has also filed a motion asking the New Mexico Board of Appeals to take up the issue.

The CAO described interdepartmental responses involving code enforcement, APD, solid waste crews and outreach teams. “We have multiple departments that are working in concert with each other to ensure that if there is illegal activity, we are ensuring that APD has an appropriate response and that is reported to them,” the CAO said. Staff emphasized the city’s limits under existing law and court processes but said they were coordinating cleanups and outreach, and working with the shelter/outreach “interaction team” to offer services to people living on the property.

Councilors pressed the administration for data about arrests, trespass enforcement, and 311/242 calls for the corridor. Councilor Sanchez requested specific arrest and citation statistics; the CAO said area command could provide that information after it is compiled.

Small-business speakers urged more rapid action, including more consistent enforcement, better coordination to clean and secure lots, and additional resources targeted to the corridor. Councilor Rogers said business owners in his district told him funding and repair programs have focused downtown in prior rounds and asked for more equitable distribution to other districts.

The administration said it would provide additional information to councilors on arrests, citations, and code enforcement status and would convene follow-up meetings with the affected business owners.