YOU’RE WATCHING KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. A PLAN SOME SAY WOULD HELP THE CITY’S HOUSING CRISIS FAILED LAST NIGHT. IT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR TO TURN THEIR HOME INTO A DUPLEX, A TRIPLEX, OR EVEN A QUADPLEX. AND YOU WOULDN’T EVEN KNOW IT UNTIL IT HAPPENED TONIGHT IN A TARGET 7 INVESTIGATION, JASON MCNABB SHOWS US WHY IT DIDN’T MAKE IT. THESE HOMES ARE ALL CONSIDERED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AS DESIGNATED BY THE CITY. SO WHAT IS RIGHT NOW? ZONED RESIDENTIAL OR R-1, ALLOWS FOR A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING. THAT MEANS ONLY ONE FAMILY CAN LIVE IN THEM. SO RIGHT NOW, IF IF SO, SAY, IF WE’RE NEIGHBORS. AND I WANTED TO CHANGE MY CURRENT HOUSE INTO A DUPLEX, OR IF I LIVED IN A PERMISSIBLE AREA TO TO CHANGE IT TO A COFFEE SHOP, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REQUEST, A VARIANCE. DAN CHAMPAGNE IS AN ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILOR. HE EXPLAINS WHAT THE PROCESS CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE. SO I’D HAVE TO GO IN AND REQUEST THE PAPERWORK, POST IT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, LET THE NEIGHBORS SEE IT FOR X AMOUNT OF DAYS. BUT A PROPOSAL THAT FAILED WEDNESDAY ON THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE ALLOWED HOMEOWNERS TO REMODEL THEIR HOUSE AND ALLOW MULTIPLE FAMILIES TO MOVE IN WITHOUT HAVING TO DO THAT. ALBUQUERQUE HAS VERY STRICT ZONING LAWS. THE REGULATIONS ARE VERY TIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR PROPERTY. PAUL GUESSING OF THE TAXPAYER WATCH GROUP RIO FOUNDATION CALLS THE PROCESS UPZONING. BROADLY SPEAKING, UPZONING IS TAKING EXISTING ZONING, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, AND MOVING IT UPWARDS IN TERMS OF DENSITY AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND OR BUSINESSES THAT CAN BE LOCATED IN THAT AREA. SUPPORTERS SAY IT’S DESIGNED TO HELP THE CITY’S HOUSING CRISIS. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY USE OUR OUR LAND BASE SO THAT MORE HOUSING CAN BE BUILT, ROGER VALDEZ OF THE CENTER FOR HOUSING AND ECONOMICS SAYS, BECAUSE THERE’S A HIGH DEMAND ON HOUSING, PRICES HAVE SKYROCKETED. HE BELIEVES THIS WOULD CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE. SO IT’S A REALLY GOOD STEP. IT’S NECESSARY, BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE AN EXPLOSION OF NEW DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES ON EVERY LOT IN ALBUQUERQUE. THE IDEA HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL, AND PLENTY OF OPPONENTS AND SUPPORTERS HAVE ALREADY MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD TO CITY COUNCIL. CRITICS SAY PROPERTY VALUES COULD GO DOWN AND THE TAXES ON THEIR HOMES COULD GO UP, AND THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT PARKING. LET’S JOIN OTHER CITIES THAT ARE CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I HEAR SO MANY PASSIONATE PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, WE WANT WHAT TUCSON’S DOING. TUCSON IS 20% LESS AFFORDABLE THAN ALBUQUERQUE. HAD IT PASSED, ALBUQUERQUE WOULD HAVE JOINED SEATTLE, HOUSTON AND MINNEAPOLIS AS CITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED SIMILAR PLANS TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS FOR TA
Albuquerque city council rejects plan to convert single-family homes
Albuquerque’s city council narrowly voted 5-4 against a proposal that would have allowed homeowners to convert single-family homes into multi-family units without a variance, aiming to address the city’s housing crisis. These homes are currently designated as single-family homes by the city, meaning only one family can live in them.Dan Champine, an Albuquerque city councilor, explained the current zoning process, saying, “So what is right now zoned residential or R1 allows for a single family dwelling.” He added, “So right now, if, so say if we’re neighbors and I wanted to change my current house into a duplex or if I lived in a permissible area to change it to a coffee shop, I have to go through a request of variance.” Champine described the process, saying, “So I’d have to in and request the paperwork posted in my neighborhood, let the neighbors see it for X amount of days.”The proposal, which failed Wednesday, would have allowed homeowners to remodel their houses and permit multiple families to move in without going through the variance process. “Albuquerque has very strict zoning laws. The regulations are very tight when it comes to how you can use your property,” Champine said. The plan would have affected 160,000 properties in the city, allowing homeowners to put in small businesses or convenience stores, known as bodegas.Paul Gessing of the taxpayer watchgroup Rio Grande Foundation described the process as upzoning, saying, “Broadly speaking, upzoning is taking existing zoning whatever that may be and moving it upwards in terms of density and the amount of people and or businesses that can be located in that area.”Supporters argued the proposal was designed to help the city’s housing crisis. Roger Valdez of the Center for Housing and Economics emphasized the importance of using land more efficiently, stating, “It’s so important to more efficiently and effectively use our land base so that more housing can be built.” He noted the high demand for housing has caused prices to skyrocket and believed the proposal would create more affordable living spaces, saying, “So it a really good step, it’s necessary, but it don’t mean that there is going to be an explosion of new duplex and triplexes on every lot in Albuquerque.”The idea has been controversial, with opponents expressing concerns about potential decreases in property values, increases in taxes, and parking issues. Some critics pointed to other cities, saying, “Let’s join other cities that are creating affordable housing,” and “We have people saying we want what Tucson is doing. Tucson is 20 percent less affordable than Albuquerque.”Had the measure passed, Albuquerque would have joined cities like Seattle, Houston, and Minneapolis, which have implemented similar plans to address housing challenges.
Albuquerque’s city council narrowly voted 5-4 against a proposal that would have allowed homeowners to convert single-family homes into multi-family units without a variance, aiming to address the city’s housing crisis. These homes are currently designated as single-family homes by the city, meaning only one family can live in them.
Dan Champine, an Albuquerque city councilor, explained the current zoning process, saying, “So what is right now zoned residential or R1 allows for a single family dwelling.” He added, “So right now, if, so say if we’re neighbors and I wanted to change my current house into a duplex or if I lived in a permissible area to change it to a coffee shop, I have to go through a request of variance.” Champine described the process, saying, “So I’d have to in and request the paperwork posted in my neighborhood, let the neighbors see it for X amount of days.”
The proposal, which failed Wednesday, would have allowed homeowners to remodel their houses and permit multiple families to move in without going through the variance process. “Albuquerque has very strict zoning laws. The regulations are very tight when it comes to how you can use your property,” Champine said. The plan would have affected 160,000 properties in the city, allowing homeowners to put in small businesses or convenience stores, known as bodegas.
Paul Gessing of the taxpayer watchgroup Rio Grande Foundation described the process as upzoning, saying, “Broadly speaking, upzoning is taking existing zoning whatever that may be and moving it upwards in terms of density and the amount of people and or businesses that can be located in that area.”
Supporters argued the proposal was designed to help the city’s housing crisis. Roger Valdez of the Center for Housing and Economics emphasized the importance of using land more efficiently, stating, “It’s so important to more efficiently and effectively use our land base so that more housing can be built.” He noted the high demand for housing has caused prices to skyrocket and believed the proposal would create more affordable living spaces, saying, “So it a really good step, it’s necessary, but it don’t mean that there is going to be an explosion of new duplex and triplexes on every lot in Albuquerque.”
The idea has been controversial, with opponents expressing concerns about potential decreases in property values, increases in taxes, and parking issues. Some critics pointed to other cities, saying, “Let’s join other cities that are creating affordable housing,” and “We have people saying we want what Tucson is doing. Tucson is 20 percent less affordable than Albuquerque.”
Had the measure passed, Albuquerque would have joined cities like Seattle, Houston, and Minneapolis, which have implemented similar plans to address housing challenges.
