Latest news with #AlbuquerqueCityCouncil
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Strong high pressure with heat & a few storms around New Mexico
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Less-muggy conditions are present in wake of yesterday's fewer thunderstorms that formed in Eastern New Mexico with rain-free conditions now mostly across New Mexico with somewhat-gusty easterly gap winds for a few areas. Above-freezing temperatures are even confined to most of the higher peaks of the Northern Mountains with valley floor locations starting off in the upper 40s, while elsewhere is mostly starting off in the upper 50s, 60s, and lower 70s. Forecast Continues Below Investigation: Politicians sink $13M in closed New Mexico tourist attraction Space: LIST: 5 places to go stargazing in New Mexico News: Videos show man in dumpster getting dumped into waste truck in Albuquerque Trending: Albuquerque City Council votes down 'RENT' ordinance Somewhat-persistent upper-level westerly winds with less moisture, along with a slight nudge in the jet stream to the north with a high pressure system moving in overhead from the southwest, will combine with the daytime heating, as well as with the lingering low-level moisture to the east, to produce a few storms in the mountains to East New Mexico today. Elsewhere, some clouds will pass on through with temperatures warming up well into the high 80s, 90s, and above 100 degrees for most central to southern areas, while the lingering muggy conditions will lead to northern areas reaching the 70s to the 80s. Drier air aloft is ahead, but the pendulum swing pattern of muggy mornings with breezy easterly winds shifting to southwesterly drier winds in the afternoons forming storms to the east will continue ahead. Temperatures will continue to rise ahead with much clearer skies through this Father's Day weekend into early next week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Space and tech celebration in Nob Hill hopes to inspire the future of STEM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Tapping into curiosity and hoping to make New Mexico's next great scientists. A special event from New Mexico's STEM-leaders on Thursday is giving kids hands-on experience in what may be their future career. Story continues below Investigation: Politicians sink $13M in closed New Mexico tourist attraction Space: LIST: 5 places to go stargazing in New Mexico News: Videos show man in dumpster getting dumped into waste truck in Albuquerque Trending: Albuquerque City Council votes down 'RENT' ordinance 'This is a way to kind of open their eyes to what's out there,' said Ronda Harmon, STEM Academy Director at the Air Force Research Lab. They're planting the seed and hoping to fuel New Mexico's future. Dozens of kids learning about how they can been engineers or analysts not just years from today, but right now. At a special event called 'Atomic 66,' dozens of kids got hands on with robots, building simple circuits, and even simulating rocket launches. 'Students often make decisions about what they're going to be when they grow up. Like in the middle school, grade levels. And if they're making that choice without knowing what all their options are, then they're making a very limited choice,' shared Harmon. This week long workshop directly puts kids in the driver's seat, making them aware of the many opportunities there are in stem-related fields. 'We have all kinds of jobs in New Mexico that kids can plug into, and I don't think they know that, right? So this is kind of that awareness, not only about what careers are available, but also about what skills it takes to do those careers,' continued Harmon. Home to an off-site air force research lab and other tech-focused businesses, the Q Station on Central says it hopes to nurture critical thinking for the next generation, 'Sometimes kids think, 'that's too hard, I can't do that. I don't know anything about it.' But once you start to dabble and explore and say, 'what happens if I do this? What happens if I do that?' Then you're like, 'oh, this is really cool. This is fun for me,'' said Harmon. The 'Atomic 66' event has tech talks and another youth-focused stem event happening on Friday. Click here to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Santa Fe County bans ‘high-risk' fireworks for a month
SANTA FE COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) — With the Fourth of July approaching, Santa Fe County has declared severe drought conditions and banned the sale and use of certain fireworks. The county says this is for unincorporated and wildland areas. Story continues below Investigation: Politicians sink $13M in closed New Mexico tourist attraction Space: LIST: 5 places to go stargazing in New Mexico News: Videos show man in dumpster getting dumped into waste truck in Albuquerque Trending: Albuquerque City Council votes down 'RENT' ordinance The fire marshal proposed the ban on certain fireworks, including the following: Ground and hand-held sparkling devices Cone fountains Crackling devices Cylindrical fountains Flitter sparklers Ground spinners Illuminating torches Wheels The resolution went into effect June 10 through July 10, but may be extended if dry conditions continue. 'This fireworks ban is a preventive measure to protect lives, property, and the environment,' said Fire Marshal Jaome Blay. 'We urge all residents to avoid personal use of fireworks and instead attend professionally produced public displays.' The ban is part of Resolution 2025-65, which says permissible fireworks must only be used on paved or barren surfaces with a readily available water source. If someone uses one of those fireworks, they are strongly encouraged to follow these safety recommendations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Albuquerque RENT Ordinance fails in committee after landlord pushback
Jun. 11—An Albuquerque City Council committee on Wednesday voted down a proposed set of regulations intended to increase the power of renters and comprehensively regulate landlords after the latter expressed concern that the bill was an overreach and would negatively affect the rental market. The bill died after 3-2 vote in the Land Use, Planning, and Zoning Committee. But Shanna Schultz, policy and government affairs administrator for the city, who wrote the bill on behalf of Mayor Tim Keller, left open the possibility of another similar bill in the future. "I understand the intent of this bill. But I also think there are a lot of unintended consequences," said Councilor Renée Grout. In its original form, the Renter's Empowerment and Neighborhood Transparency (RENT) Ordinance would've affected almost every element of the renting experience, from signing a lease to evictions and deposits. The RENT Ordinance sought to give renters more power over their landlords, according to Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, who sponsored the bill on behalf of the mayor's office. The measure, styled as a "Renters Bill of Rights," comes as the council has required landlords to provide cooling to tenants and created a code enforcement position dedicated to tenant-landlord issues. It also comes as the city faces an escalating housing crisis. Some of the bill's most notable changes aimed to enhance transparency. The RENT Ordinance would've required landlords to disclose all costs associated with a rental agreement in clear, straightforward language in their published listings. This included any information from a background check that might disqualify an applicant, as well as minimum credit score and income requirements. Another notable part of the RENT Ordinance would have eliminated pet rent. Landlords could accept a pet deposit of up to $150. The RENT Ordinance drew support from some renters and housing advocates, including OLÉ New Mexico. They said the ordinance would hold bad landlords accountable and improve the living conditions of renters, who make up about 44% of Albuquerque residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The bill also drew concern from landlords, some realtors, and property management companies. They argued the ordinance infringed on property rights, increased their liability since tenants could deduct repair costs from rent payments in some instances, and would lead to higher rents. Ultimately, Fiebelkorn was joined by Councilor Nichole Rogers in trying to keep the bill alive. Councilors Dan Champine and Brook Bassan joined Grout in voting to end the bill.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed RENT Ordinance aims to rein in unfair rental practices
Jun. 9—The Albuquerque City Council is set to consider sweeping new rules that would overhaul the rental process citywide, aiming to protect tenants from hidden fees, housing instability and unresponsive landlords. The bill, known as Renter's Empowerment and Neighborhood Transparency (RENT) Ordinance, would enshrine several protections around almost every part of the renting experience. The bill addresses nearly all aspects of the rental process and would impact every landlord and renter in the city. Statistics from the American Community Survey show that about 44% of households in Albuquerque rent. But it's far from guaranteed to pass. "I think that this council has proven in the past that they're not interested in helping renters very much," said Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, who is sponsoring the bill on behalf of the mayor's office. "But recently, we did get two pieces of tenant protections passed." Those two pieces were an ordinance mandating landlords provide cooling for tenants and a bill that created a code enforcement position to respond directly to renters' issues. The bill also faces opposition from landlord advocates. "While the stated intent of this legislation may be to protect tenants, in practice, it burdens responsible landlords, increases operational and legal risk, and would discourage housing investment in Albuquerque," said Alan LaSeck, executive director of the Apartment Association of New Mexico. LaSeck went on to say the proposals ignore the realities of managing rental housing and would lead to reduced availability, higher costs and greater conflict. "Rather than fostering cooperation between tenants and owners, they threaten to drive housing providers out of the market, shrinking our housing supply, increasing rents and worsening the very problem we're trying to solve," LaSeck said. What's in the RENT Ordinance? Shanna Schultz, policy and government affairs administrator for the city, said the bill comes at a time when Albuquerque continues to grapple with a housing crisis. A 2024 Denver-based Root Policy Research report, titled "Albuquerque Region Housing Needs Assessment," found a significant shortage of units for low-income renters. The same report found that residents were spending more than a third of their monthly income on housing and that occupied units, such as apartments and single-family homes, often had more residents than rooms available. "I think we know that building more homes is essential, but that's not enough on its own. It's not the only tool in the toolkit," Schultz said. "We also need to protect the people who are already living in homes." Schultz, who authored the policy proposal, noted that the bill's transparency provisions were among its most significant changes. The RENT Ordinance would require landlords to disclose all costs of a rental agreement in plain language in their published listings. That includes anything on a background check that could disqualify an applicant, as well as minimum credit score or income requirements. "This can help renters avoid surprise charges and do things like budget more confidently, which is very important in this economy right now," Schultz said. There are several other key provisions, including those around repairs. The ordinance grants the tenant the right to arrange for necessary maintenance by a licensed and insured professional. The tenant can also deduct the cost of the repair from their rent payment or receive reimbursement from the landlord when the landlord fails to make a repair. Landlords would also be prohibited from charging fees and additional rent for companion animals, defined in the bill as typical pets not used for commercial purposes. In all, the bill makes changes to rules around security deposits, relocation assistance, the rental application process, evictions, credit reporting requirements, move-in and move-out procedures and methods of payment. It's set to go before the Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee on June 11. If it advances, it's unlikely to go before the full council until at least August, Schultz said. "Why would landlords also be interested in this? And I think the answer to that is that clear rules reduce confusion and conflict," Schultz said.
