OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Albuquerque City Council Meeting - September 18, 2023

City Council — Monday, September 18, 2023
BodyAlbuquerque, New Mexico
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, September 18, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
1:16

Okay, folks, here's your one-minute warning.

1:18

If you're with us, we'll ask you to find a quick seat and we will get started.

1:50

Okay, folks, welcome to the 37th meeting of the 25th City Council.

1:53

We'll call this meeting to order.

1:54

Uh, all of our counselors are present except for Council Lewis, who will join us briefly.

1:58

Um Madam Vice President.

2:01

Thank you, Mr.

2:02

President.

2:03

Um, I'm gonna we're all gonna stand up, have a moment of silence, and then we'll have the Pledge of Allegiance led by uh President Davis and the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish by Councillor Pinna.

2:14

He'll join me and stand up.

2:23

Thank you.

2:23

Will you join us in the pledge?

2:53

Thank you, President Davis.

2:55

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

2:57

Let me make a couple of housekeeping notes for folks following along.

2:59

I see we have a decent crowd tonight.

3:01

Um, for those of you interested in local government and little D democracy, you may be disappointed.

3:06

Um we don't have a very big agenda for action items tonight.

3:09

We of course have our consent agenda, and I think we'll talk about a couple of those items.

3:13

We have a land use appeal this evening, but it's our intent to defer that for two weeks until our October meeting uh to be sure that all the parties have an opportunity to review the Lou HO's decision and uh prepare for that hearing.

3:25

And then the sponsor of the only item on our final action tonight also has made a motion and intends to defer that item to our next meeting.

3:32

And so we have nothing to do.

3:34

Um, except for our consent agenda.

3:36

But we have Kevin's got to stay.

3:38

We have lots of that means we have lots of administrative QA time.

3:42

But we do have a number of proclamations, a presentation on housing, uh, some QA, and we have the consent agenda, uh, which means we do have some things to do.

3:49

But for those of you looking at those items at the back end of the agenda, um, I don't think we have a big uh stacked agenda this evening.

3:55

That doesn't mean we should take all of our time, but it certainly means um that we it's a good evening to have some extra proclamations and honor some of the cool things that are happening in our city.

4:04

So, Madam Vice President.

4:06

Thank you.

4:07

Um pass from council staff at the near table in the chamber entrance.

4:19

Members of the public, city staff, and the media have the ability to view this meeting in person and on live streams through four different platforms.

4:35

The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers.

4:40

Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable the closed captioning services on your television or device at this time.

4:48

The video recording of this and all past council meetings will remain available for viewing at any time on the City Council website.

4:56

Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need assistance finding the videos online.

5:03

Please call 505768-3100 for assistance during business hours Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 p.m.

5:11

The council will take a break at approximately 7 p.m.

5:14

this evening if needed.

5:17

With regard to decorum in the chambers, we want tonight's proceedings to be as civil and respectful as possible.

5:23

Please do not make any personal attacks, and please no applause or outbursts during the meeting.

5:29

The meeting will go a lot smoother if we are all respectful of one another.

5:34

At this time, we're gonna do our proclamations and presentations.

5:39

Councillor Benton.

5:42

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

5:45

Um we're recognizing the Department of Senior Affairs and its recreation division and their management of the Los Volcanes, Palo Duro, North Valley, and Manzano Mesa Centers, Senior Centers and Multi-Generational Centers for achieving the national accreditation by the National Institute of Senior Centers on June 21st.

6:12

The National Institute of Senior Centers, NISC is part of the National Council on Aging and has nine standards of excellence that senior centers must must uh reach in order to achieve a national uh accreditation.

6:26

This achievement demonstrates a commitment towards excellence that is achieved by less than two percent of all senior centers nationwide.

6:36

Thank you for coming down without me reading my status.

6:40

My script, and I didn't tell you to come on down, so thanks for doing it anyway.

6:46

In addition to this important national accreditation in July, the department was awarded an NISC program of excellence award in technology, virtual and hybrid programming for its 50 plus senior tech fair event.

7:01

Teach technology skills to older adults needed.

7:05

Um we commend this department and their staff for their dedication and commitment to excellence by enduring by ensuring that our senior centers amongst the are amongst the best in the country and meeting the needs of our families as they age.

7:21

And uh it demonstrates a huge commitment uh on the part of the NISC of only two percent of centers nationwide have reached uh have gotten this type of uh accreditation.

7:36

So uh very appreciative of that.

7:39

And before I read the PROC, we would especially like to recognize the contributions of Palo Duro Senior Center Manager, Antoinette Sigala.

7:49

And toinette, thanks for being here.

7:53

You recently retired.

7:55

We have something in common recently retired after 30 years of service with the department, so thank you for that.

8:03

Thank you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████████████████████████39%
Public Engagement█████████████████17%
Housing██████████10%
Procedural███████7%
Public Safety██████6%
Procurement Process█████5%
Senior Services███3%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Substance Abuse Prevention██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Albuquerque City Council Meeting - September 18, 2023

The 37th meeting of the 25th City Council convened at 5:00 PM on Monday, September 18, 2023, in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers. All nine councilors were present. The meeting featured proclamations, a detailed housing presentation from the Department of Health, Housing, and Homelessness, public comments, and action on several consent agenda items and lease agreements. Key items were postponed to the October 2 meeting.

Consent Calendar

  • EC-23-342 (Appointment of Dr. Samantha Sengel as CAO): Postponed to October 2 (9-0).
  • EC-23-343 (Terminal Building Lease with Newman's Dedicated Delivery, LLC): Approved (9-0).
  • EC-23-344 (Architectural Consultants for City-Wide On-Call Services): Approved (9-0).
  • OC-23-39 (Reappointment of Victor Griego to Accountability in Government Oversight Committee): Confirmed (9-0).
  • OC-23-40 (Appointment of Robert Martinez to Public Safety Tax Advisory Board): Confirmed (9-0).
  • AC-23-11 (Variance appeal by Alvarado Gardens Neighborhood Association): Withdrawn by applicant (9-0).
  • R-23-121 (Directing MOU with Bernalillo County for opioid treatment at MDC): Postponed to October 2 (9-0).
  • EC-23-341 (First Amendment to Lease with Vizionz-Sankofa): Approved after discussion (9-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Annalie DeSalniers (People's Housing Project) urged permanently affordable, rent-controlled housing, noting that affordability is at an all-time low and that many affordable units lose their affordability after a set period.
  • James Freeman called for strict short-term rental regulations similar to New York City's Local Law 18, citing per capita STR numbers in Albuquerque far exceeding New York City's.
  • Beatrice Villegas, a social worker, expressed concern about the city opening RFPs to for-profit developers, fearing displacement and gentrification, and noted challenges with out-of-state landlords.
  • Bex Hampton criticized developer Chad Renneker for building unaffordable units and highlighted poor conditions at the Artisan apartments, where tenants have formed a union.
  • Luna Olivaria-Gallegos and Cameron Martinez spoke about undignified housing conditions and the need for permanently affordable, publicly owned housing.
  • Tomas Rodriguez and Teddy and Nick Decker advocated for the North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center, citing the lack of public swim facilities and the need for a competitive pool.
  • Sophia Eleftheriou described ongoing problems with the Highway House Motel in Nob Hill, including structural damage from a 2019 explosion and fires, despite code enforcement actions.
  • George Sladd questioned why Councilor Sanchez removed his name from consideration for the Airport Advisory Board.
  • Harold Hallmarson raised concerns about 9-1-1 response times, recounting a personal incident.
  • Angelina Crowley urged the city to develop high-quality public housing rather than relying on developer subsidies.

Discussion Items

  • Housing Presentation (Dept. of Health, Housing, and Homelessness): Deputy Director Joseph Montoya presented a five-year housing strategy. Key data: over the past five years, the city invested $36 million in programs assisting 42,000 people, and $71 million in housing development creating 2,000+ units (over half affordable). Current production is ~250 affordable units/year; the goal is 5,000 units over five years (1,000/year) to address a citywide need of 30,000 units. Funding sources include federal HOME/CDBG, a $20 million grassroots tax fund, and $42 million from bond issuances. The plan calls for $20 million annually from the city, leveraging state and federal funds, MRA partnerships, and better coordination with the county and state. New programs include ADU financing, condo conversion, and open RFPs for both nonprofits and for-profits.
  • Councilor Benton questioned the use of "internal capacity" as a barrier and stressed the need for collaboration with Bernalillo County and the state. He noted that the city has not been aggressive enough in seeking state funds.
  • Councilor Davis expressed frustration that despite $80 million spent on the Gibson Health Hub (Gateway Center), no housing has been produced. He noted the city has only produced 538 affordable units in five years, far short of need. He called for a shift in priorities and asked how to achieve $20 million this year given the current budget.
  • Councilor Bassan raised concerns about mixed messaging: the need for 5,000 vs. 30,000 units, the role of MRA funds (which have not produced affordable units), and the timing of studies. She urged leveraging the city's $1.4 billion budget more effectively and questioned the Gateway Center's cost-effectiveness.
  • Councilor Peña asked for separate tracking of affordable and MRA-funded units, expressed concern about for-profit developers outcompeting local nonprofits, and emphasized the need for eviction prevention and rental assistance programs.
  • Councilor Fiebelkorn noted that no MRA funds have been used for affordable housing to date, and called for a more aggressive approach to motel conversions and mixed-income development. She stated a moral objection to city funds supporting projects with zero affordable units.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda approved unanimously, with one item (EC-23-341) discussed separately and approved.
  • EC-23-341 (Vizionz-Sankofa lease amendment) approved 9-0: rent waived in exchange for wraparound services at the Gateway Center. The nonprofit provides services to about 100 people per month.
  • Postponements (all 9-0):
    • R-23-163 (transit consolidation study) to October 2.
    • AC-23-12 (zoning appeal by Villegas/Garcia) to October 2 due to notification issues.
    • EC-23-342 (CAO appointment) to October 2.
    • R-23-121 (opioid treatment MOU) to October 2.
  • Housing presentation: No formal vote, but the council directed the administration to refine the plan, provide a detailed spreadsheet of all housing projects, and return with a strategy to meet the $20 million annual need. Council President Davis noted the council would need to reallocate funds mid-year to meet the goal.

Other Business

  • Proclamations were issued for National Senior Center Accreditation, National Service Dog Month, and National Recovery Month.
  • Councilor Peña raised the issue of inoperative arched lights on Central Avenue; administration responded that parts are ordered and a project manager will provide an update.
  • The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, folks, here's your one-minute warning. If you're with us, we'll ask you to find a quick seat and we will get started. Okay, folks, welcome to the 37th meeting of the 25th City Council. We'll call this meeting to order. Uh, all of our counselors are present except for Council Lewis, who will join us briefly. Um Madam Vice President. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I'm gonna we're all gonna stand up, have a moment of silence, and then we'll have the Pledge of Allegiance led by uh President Davis and the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish by Councillor Pinna. He'll join me and stand up. Thank you. Will you join us in the pledge? Thank you, President Davis. Thank you, Madam Vice President. Let me make a couple of housekeeping notes for folks following along. I see we have a decent crowd tonight. Um, for those of you interested in local government and little D democracy, you may be disappointed. Um we don't have a very big agenda for action items tonight. We of course have our consent agenda, and I think we'll talk about a couple of those items. We have a land use appeal this evening, but it's our intent to defer that for two weeks until our October meeting uh to be sure that all the parties have an opportunity to review the Lou HO's decision and uh prepare for that hearing. And then the sponsor of the only item on our final action tonight also has made a motion and intends to defer that item to our next meeting. And so we have nothing to do. Um, except for our consent agenda. But we have Kevin's got to stay. We have lots of that means we have lots of administrative QA time. But we do have a number of proclamations, a presentation on housing, uh, some QA, and we have the consent agenda, uh, which means we do have some things to do. But for those of you looking at those items at the back end of the agenda, um, I don't think we have a big uh stacked agenda this evening. That doesn't mean we should take all of our time, but it certainly means um that we it's a good evening to have some extra proclamations and honor some of the cool things that are happening in our city. So, Madam Vice President. Thank you. Um pass from council staff at the near table in the chamber entrance. Members of the public, city staff, and the media have the ability to view this meeting in person and on live streams through four different platforms. The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers. Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable the closed captioning services on your television or device at this time. The video recording of this and all past council meetings will remain available for viewing at any time on the City Council website. Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need assistance finding the videos online. Please call 505768-3100 for assistance during business hours Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 p.m. The council will take a break at approximately 7 p.m. this evening if needed. With regard to decorum in the chambers, we want tonight's proceedings to be as civil and respectful as possible. Please do not make any personal attacks, and please no applause or outbursts during the meeting. The meeting will go a lot smoother if we are all respectful of one another. At this time, we're gonna do our proclamations and presentations. Councillor Benton. Thank you, Madam Vice President. Um we're recognizing the Department of Senior Affairs and its recreation division and their management of the Los Volcanes, Palo Duro, North Valley, and Manzano Mesa Centers, Senior Centers and Multi-Generational Centers for achieving the national accreditation by the National Institute of Senior Centers on June 21st. The National Institute of Senior Centers, NISC is part of the National Council on Aging and has nine standards of excellence that senior centers must must uh reach in order to achieve a national uh accreditation. This achievement demonstrates a commitment towards excellence that is achieved by less than two percent of all senior centers nationwide. Thank you for coming down without me reading my status. My script, and I didn't tell you to come on down, so thanks for doing it anyway.

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