Council directs city to add dedicated staff to enforce rental unit habitability standards

The Albuquerque City Council on March 17 voted unanimously (9'to'0) to direct city administration to enhance enforcement of rental-unit habitability standards and to include funding for a dedicated staff position to assist renters in the administration's upcoming budget.

Councilor Fiebelkorn introduced R-1-20, describing it as a response to repeated public testimony about unsafe living conditions in rental housing. "We've had so many conversations and so many folks from the public who have come to public comment over the years that I've been a councilor, really concerned about the safety and their well-being within their rental units," Fiebelkorn said. He said the bill would hire a staff member in the Planning Department focused on guiding renters through the enforcement process and helping to prioritize life-safety complaints.

Administration staff said the city already has enforcement authority through existing ordinances and state law but is limited by staffing and capacity. Planning and code-enforcement officials told the council the department is budgeted for 50 positions in the code-enforcement division but currently has several vacancies; the resolution calls for a new FTE in FY2026 dedicated to tenant-focused enforcement and assistance. Administration representatives said they support the idea but noted that filling vacancies and recruiting qualified inspectors are ongoing constraints.

Public commenters and several councilors urged that the position include outreach and education so tenants understand their rights and options. Councilor Feibelkorn said the role is intended to reduce the need for costly, time-consuming court processes by helping tenants get citations issued and repairs completed more quickly.

Outcome and next steps: Council approved the resolution directing administration to prioritize a tenant-focused code-enforcement position and to include the position in upcoming budget submissions. Administration said it will work with the council on job specifications and prioritization and will return information on vacancies, inspection response times and staffing plans.

Why it matters: Councilors and public commentators documented recurring safety problems, including lack of hot water, in some rental units. The resolution does not create new enforcement authority but aims to allocate staff and administrative focus to speed responses and assist tenants in exercising existing remedies.