On August 31, 2026,  it was widely reported by Albuquerque news outlets that six  Albuquerque Police sworn officers have been placed on leave as part of an ongoing investigation into a decades-long scheme involving criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear III, his private  investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez and defense attorney Rudy Chavez  who paid  law enforcement  to get DWI cases dismissed. APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said  that APD is doing an internal investigation into the six officers, who were not named.Gallegos said this:

“We are not releasing the names at this time. …The overall investigation is still ongoing. These six officers have not yet been interviewed.”

APD created an Internal Affairs Task Force in January 2024 to investigate alleged misconduct by former or current officers. Fourteen officers have since been fired, resigned or retired during the internal investigation. The FBI is leading a separate investigation into allegations of illegal conduct. The six officers placed on leave  have not been charged in the federal criminal investigation.

More than a dozen law enforcement officers have been fired or placed on leave, including nine APD officers who have pleaded guilty in the FBI’s investigation. At least three APD officers’ homes were raided by the FBI during the investigation. A State Police Officer and Deputies with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office have also been implicated.

SENTENCING DATES

Among the guilty pleas in federal court are ten former law enforcement officers, former defense attorney Thomas Clear III, his former paralegal, Ricardo ‘Rick’ Mendez, and former defense attorney Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Chavez. Sentencing dates have been set for some of the defendants.

• Former Albuquerque Police Officer Justin Hunt is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15 before Chief District Judge Kenneth Gonzales in Santa Fe.
• Former APD Officer Nelson Ortiz is set for sentencing on September 16, before Judge Kenneth Gonzales in Santa Fe.
• Former APD Officer Harvey Johnson is set to be sentenced on September 29 before Judge Kenneth Gonzales in Santa Fe.
• Former APD officer Joshua Montaño’s sentencing is set for October 14th also before Judge Gonzales in Santa Fe.
• Later in the year, again before Judge Gonzales, sentencing is set for former APD officer Timothy Mc Carson on November 10.
• Former Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy, Jeffrey Hammerel, is scheduled for sentencing in Santa Fe on November 17.
• Additionally, former defense attorney Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Chavez is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Matthew Garcia in Albuquerque on December 8th, 2026.

No sentencing dates have been scheduled for any other defendants.

HOW DWI ENTERPRISE BRIBERY AND DISSAL SCANDAL WORKED

According to criminal complaints, indictments and plea agreements filed in Federal District Court by the New Mexico United States Attorney and the US Department of Justice, the DWI Enterprise scheme was very simple and straight forward and it went on for upwards of 3 decades. Arresting officers would give contact information on motorists they arrested on DWI charges to Private Investigator Carlos Mendez who worked for defense attorney Thomas Clear or Clear himself. In exchange, the officers would receive cash, gifts and legal services and intentionally fail to show up to required pretrial interviews, court hearings. The officers  would also withhold evidence in cases where the suspects hired Clear. Clear would then file motions to dismiss the charges, and judges had no choice but to dismiss the cases for “lack of prosecution” as a sanction against the prosecution.

Clients whose cases were dismissed would typically pay more in legal fees of between $5,000 and $10,000 depending on if the charges were DWI, aggravated DWI other charges in addition to DWI. Law enforcement officers would be recruited by Clear and Mendez to participate in the scheme over many years. The conspirators would also profile people as to their ability to pay higher fees. Defense attorneys customarily charge between $3,000 and $6,000 to defend DWI cases depending on if the case is a person’s first, second, third or even fourth offense, misdemeanor or felony DWI. There is no charge if a defendant  qualifies and is defended by the Public Defender’s Office.

Police officers would intentionally fail to appear at required court hearings, withhold evidence or fail to file court paperwork for DWI offenders,  some of whom were aware of the scheme and others who were not, who hired Clear.

Clear said during in his plea agreement that the scheme dated back to 1995. Clear said and admitted this in his plea agreement:

“Under this scheme, I would then appear at the (Motor Vehicle Division) administrative hearings and the criminal case settings on behalf of the DWI offender and would move to dismiss the proceedings”

Clear and his paralegal and co-conspirator Ricardo Mendez entered guilty pleas on charges of racketeering, among other federal charges. Clear and Mendez have been disbarred from the practice of law. Clear faces 130 years in prison. No one who has pleaded guilty in the case has been sentenced.

HUNDREDS OF DWI CASES DISMISSED

It has been reported that the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office has dismissed over 260 DWI cases linked to the federal cases.  From January 2024 through June 2025,  sixteen officers were added to what’s called the Brady-Giglio List, a designation that deems them untrustworthy witnesses in court. As a result, two New Mexico district attorneys were forced to dismiss the officers’ open criminal cases in Bernalillo and Valencia counties. The two District Attorneys have had to dismiss 306 DWI cases against suspected drunk drivers.

https://www.krqe.com/news/investigations/dwi-dismissal-scandal-306-drunk-driving-cases-dropped-did-the-drivers-reoffend/

SINGLE LARGEST GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION SCANDAL

The bribery of law enforcement to dismiss DWI Cases is the single largest government corruption scandal in the City of Albuquerque’s and the State Of  New Mexico’s  history involving the 3 largest law enforcement agencies in the state consisting of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department (BCSO)  and the New Mexico State police.

In addition to the  six APD now implicated in the scandal, another nineteen (19) law enforcement officers have been implicated and have resigned, retired, been terminated or federally charged or plead guilty to charges since the FBI executed five searches in January 2024 at three APD  officers’ residences, the home of a private investigator, and the law office of prominent DWI attorney Thomas Clear III. Private Criminal  Defense Attorneys Thomas Clear and Rudy Chavez have plead guilty to federal charges and have been disbarred by the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Federal Court. Clear’s private investigator and paralegal Ricardo “Rick” Mendez also plead guilty to federal charges.

CHRONOLOGY 16 APD OFFICERS IMPLICATED, CHARGED OR PLEADING GUILTY

A total of 22 APD police officers have now been implicated.16 APD Police officers have already been implicated in the largest corruption scandal in APD’s history. One by one, the accused APD officers have turned in their badges and resigned or retired  rather than talking to Internal Affairs investigators about an alleged public corruption scheme involving DWI cases. The names and dates of the 16 officers who have resigned, placed on leave, who have been terminated, retired, charged or plead guilty are:

On February 7, 2024 Justin Hunt, who started at APD in 2000, resigned. On January 20, 2026 Hunt plead guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right.”

On February 29, 2024, Honorio Alba, who started at APD in 2014, resigned. On February 7, 2025 he plead guilty to racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)

On March 13, 2024, Harvey Johnson, who started at APD in 2014, resigned.

On March 15, 2024, Nelson Ortiz, who started at APD in 2016, resigned. On March 24, Nelson Ortiz  admitted to his role in the DWI Enterprise bribery scandal and  plead guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right. He faces 20 years in prison.

On March 20, 2024 Joshua Montaño, who started at APD January 2005, resigned. On Friday, February 8, Montaño plead guilty as charge to  racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy. (Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)

On May 2, 2024 Daren DeAguero, who started with APD in 2009, resigned.

On May 9, 2024, Matthew Trahan was placed on paid leave as the investigation played out. Trahan has been with APD since 2006, was with the DWI unit from 2014-16 and recently worked as a detective.

On July 30, 2024 APD Officer Neill Elsman, who had worked in the DWI unit within the past several years, resigned before returning to work from military leave. On February 12, 2025 Elsman plead guilty as charged  to 5  counts of  conspiracy, extortion, and bribery. (Article: February 12, 2025.)

On August 1, APD announced that it fired Mark Landavazo, the APD Commander of Internal Affairs for Professional Standards, who started with APD in  2007 and was with the DWI unit from 2008 through 2013.

On October 16, 2024 Deputy Commander Gustavo Gomez placed on paid administrative leave. Gomez was with the DWI unit from 2010 to 2013.

On January 24, 2025 APD announced they placed officers Matthew Chavez on leave.

On February 28, Kyle Curtis announced his retirement after he was placed on leave on February 24 amid being targeted in the Internal investigation involving DWI arrests.

In 2022, Timothy McCarson retired from the Albuquerque Police Department  and he has been implicated in the DWI scandal. The last week of January, 2025,  the FBI asked that he be added to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office‘s Giglio list, which classifies potential court testimony as unreliable. On December 15, 2025, McCarson plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.”

On May 12, former APD officer Steve Hindi was placed on the Giglio list of officers whose credibility is compromised after being implicated in the scandal.

On March 24, 2024the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) announce it  has placed Lucas Perez on leave as a part of its internal investigation into its DWI unit and the federal investigation. Perez has been with the department since 2016 and served in the DWI unit to become the unit sergeant. On May 27,2025 Lucas Perez plead guilty to conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.

On June 26, 2025 it was reported that former APD Officer Daniel Carr who served with APD for nearly 20 years and who then became a lateral hire and went to work for the Durango Police Department, became the 16th former APD officer to join the ranks of officers listed on the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office ‘Giglio list‘ of officers who are no longer trusted witnesses in court. He was implicated in the DWI bribery and conspiracy case to dismiss cases. Carr immediately resigned from the Durango Police Department after the Department was notified of the action. Carr has not been charged with a crime.

THREE BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERRIFF DEPUTIES IMPLICATED

The dates and names of the 3 BCSO officers who have resigned or placed on leave by Sherriff John Allen or who have plead guilty to charges are:

On February 25, 2025  BCSO Deputy Jeff Hammerel resigned from BCSO and  plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery.

On February 24, 2025, BCSO Undersheriff Johann Jareno was asked to resign by  Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen.

March 7^th, BCSO Deputy Jeffry Bartram was placed on leave on after early findings that he may have been involved in the scheme. He has been with BCSO since February 2010 and was on the BCSO DWI Unit from July 2014 to August 2020.

ONE MEXICO STATE POLICE OFFICER

On February 14, 2025 the New Mexico State Police announced it placed Sgt. Toby LaFave on administrative leave after he was implicated by the FBI as accepting bribes in the DWI Enterprise to dismiss cases. Sgt.Toby LaFave was placed on paid leave as the agency did  its own internal investigation into allegations. LaFave was featured for years in state ENDWI campaigns and was referred to as the DWI King. LaFave was officially fired for his alleged role in November, but he has not yet been criminally charged.

LaFave, who joined State Police in 2012, said in an online public service promotion video that he has made 3,000 arrests during his 20 years in law enforcement. Court records show LaFave has filed at least 1,300 felony and misdemeanor DWI cases from 2009 to February, 2025. Of the 31 DWI cases where LaFave was the arresting officer and Clear was the defense attorney, 17, or 57%, were dismissed by the courts.

The link to a quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_97483524-eb17-11ef-9c15-8320a7b16191.htm/

DWI DISMISSAL SCANDAL SCORE CARD

 Over  the last three years, federal prosecutors have secured guilty pleas from Clear, Mendez, attorney Rudy Chavez, nine Albuquerque Police Department officers and one Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputy. Other law enforcement officers, including one from the New Mexico State Police, have either been fired or retired. None have gone to trial, and all 13 defendants prosecuted on racketeering- and extortion-related charges are awaiting sentencing.

Nine APD officers and one Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy have plead guilty to federal charges of taking bribes. Additionally, two Albuquerque defense attorneys, and one private investigator have plead guilty in the ongoing federal investigation into a nearly 30-year conspiracy in which a group of DWI officers received cash, free legal services and other benefits for helping get DWI cases dismissed.

NINE  APD COPS AND ONE BERNALILLO COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF PLEAD GUILTY AS CHARGED

The nine APD officers and one Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy who have plead guilty to federal charges of taking bribes are:

1. On February 7, 2025 former APD Officer Honorio Alba plead guilty to racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy. (Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
2. On February 7, 2025 former APD Officer Joshua Montaño plead guilty as charge to  racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
3. On February 12, 2025 former APD Officer Neill Elsman plead guilty as charged  to 5 counts of  conspiracy, extortion, and bribery.  ( February 12, 2025.)
4. On March 24, 2025 former APD officer Nelson Ortiz admitted to his role in the DWI Enterprise bribery scandal and pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right. He faces 20 years in prison.
5. On April 29, 2025 former APD Police Officer Harvey Johnson plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit “Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color Of Official Right”. He is facing 20 years in jail.
6. On May 27, 2025 former APD Officer Lucas Perez plead guilty to “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.” It was on March 24, 2024 that APD announced it had placed Lucas Perez  on leave as a part of its internal investigation into its DWI unit and the federal investigation. Perez had been with the department since 2016 and served in the DWI unit to become the unit sergeant.
7. On June 23, 2025 former APD Officer Louis Henckel plead guilty in federal court, admitting to his role in the conspiracy with criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear and his employee  Ricardo Mendez to accept bribes to get DWI cases dismissed. Henckel plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.” The maximum penalty is up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
8. On December 15, 2025, retired APD Officer Timothy McCarson plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.”
9. On February 25, 2025,  BCSO DeputyJeff Hammerel resigned from BCSO and  plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery. (Took a plea deal on February 25, 2025.)
10. On January 20, 2026, former APD Lieutenant Justin Huntplead guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right.”

TWO RING LEADERS PLEAD GUILTY AS CHARGED

Former DWI Criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear III and his private  investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez  plead guilty as charged to paying bribes to law enforcement to get their client’s DWI cases get dismissed.

On January 24, Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, 53, the private investigator for attorney Thomas Clear III, plead guilty to all the charges contained in the criminal Information including racketeering, bribery of an agent receiving federal funds, aiding and abetting, interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right and to conspiracy. Mendez is facing 110 years in prison on the charges. On April 29  Ricardo “Rick” Mendez was scheduled to be sentenced connection with the DWI scandal. In a surprise move on the day of his sentencing it was simply vacated by the federal court. The  likely reason for the delay is that Mendez is providing new information about the DWI scandal and identifying more suspects to be charge.

On February 12, DWI defense attorney Thomas Clear III, 67 plead guilty as charged to nine federal charges including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, bribery, and extortion. Clear faces up to 130 years in prison and $2 million in fines. Clear has been permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Federal Court. A forfeiture action against a home Clear used as his offices has been taken as an asset and as part of the racketeering charge.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY RUDOLPH “RUDY” CHAVEZ PLEADS GUILTY

On July 10, 2025, private criminal defense attorney Rudolph “Rudy” Chavez plead guilty to a federal extortion charge admitting he bribed an Albuquerque police officer in 2023 to help get his  client’s drunken driving case dismissed. Chavez  plead guilty to one count each of interference with commerce by extortion and lying to FBI agents investigating the payoff in March 2024.

In his plea agreement, Chavez admits he contacted Clear’s assistant Recardo “Rick” Mendez after he was hired by his client who had been arrested in April 2023 by Albuquerque Police Department DWI officer Honorio Alba Jr. Through Mendez, Chavez paid Alba to intentionally not appear in court on the DWI case.  Chavez admits this in his plea agreement:

“I admit that when coordinating the scheme, I knew that Alba was a necessary witness and because Alba planned to fail to appear, I knew that the case and proceedings would likely be dismissed.”

Chavez states in his plea agreement he agreed to be interviewed by FBI agents on March 26, 2024. During his FBI interview, Chavez was warned of the potential criminal consequences of lying to federal law enforcement officers. During his interview with  FBI agents, Chavez denied knowing Alba was not going to appear in court.

In his federal plea agreement, Chavez admits he lied to  FBI agents and admits he had phone calls with Mendez ahead of the court hearings to ensure Alba would not attend. Chavez  admits  in his plea he spoke on the phone with Mendez after the dismissal “during which I thanked him and asked him to thank Alba.”

NO AGREEMENTS AS TO SENTENCINGS

Review of all plea agreements reveals there are no agreements as to sentencing, meaning it will be up to the federal judge assigned who will decide the sentences of each defendant. A pre-sentence report will be prepared by sentencing, probation and parole authorities for each defendant, and a recommendation will be made as to sentencing to the judge. Depending on the actual number of charges plead to by each defendant, they are facing jail sentences between 5 years and 20 years and as much as130 years in federal prison and could face fines  as low as $20,000 or in excess of $1 million dollars.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

There is absolutely no doubt that APD’s reputation was  trashed to a major extent because of this scandal. APD was viewed by many as again having just another bastion of “dirty and corrupt cops” who have brought dishonor to their department and their badge and to the department’s professed values of “Pride, Integrity, Fairness and Respect”.  There is little doubt that this whole DWI dismissal bribery scandal has shaken the public’s faith in our criminal justice system and APD to its core especially with the involvement of the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office BCSO and New Mexico State Police Officers.

The only way that any semblance of faith can begin to  restored and for people to begin trusting APD and law enforcement in general  is if all the police officers involved in this scandal are held accountable,  the lawyers involved are held accountable and when they are behind bars. That will only happen with aggressive prosecutions, convictions, and lengthy prison sentences for the law enforcement officers and attorneys involved in the “DWI Enterprise” scheme. Justice will not be served until all are sentenced. Sentencings delayed means Justice has not been served.

The courts need to get along with the sentencings.

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/albuquerque-police-department-dwi-investigation/dwi-corruption-scheme-sentencing-dates-set/?ipid=promo-link-block1

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/apd-places-6-officers-on-leave-in-dwi-scandal/3112763

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/six-more-apd-officers-on-leave-after-dwi-deception-investigation/

https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/albuquerque-police-department-dwi-investigation/apd-places-6-officers-on-leave-pending-investigation-into-former-dwi-unit/

https://www.koat.com/article/apd-places-6-officers-on-leave-as-part-of-dwi-investigation/73573369

https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/albuquerque-police-department-dwi-investigation/apd-places-6-officers-on-leave-pending-investigation-into-former-dwi-unit/

https://www.koat.com/article/apd-places-6-officers-on-leave-as-part-of-dwi-investigation/73573369

https://www.krqe.com/news/investigations/dwi-dismissal-scandal-306-drunk-driving-cases-dropped-did-the-drivers-reoffend/

On August 15, Mayor Keller spoke in front of an audience of upwards of 300  for a full hour to deliver his heavily publicized ninth “State of the City” address. Keller dubbed  his third term agenda as an “Abundance Agenda”.

During his State of the City address, Mayor Tim Keller boldly proclaimed this:

“Government is adding to people’s frustrations during an already turbulent time by maintaining a mindset that adds, rather than removes, barriers in day-to-day life. … When times are good, we have trouble keeping up because we cling to that scarcity mindset. … That’s what holds us back. … Government is actually reducing your freedom. … It’s reducing your set of decisions and it’s not helping in any way. It’s adding to the friction in everyday life and it’s reinforcing a scarcity mindset.”

It’s amazing that Tim Keller talked like he was just elected Mayor. These are words coming from someone who has been Mayor for eight and a half years as he channeled President Ronald Reagan who famously said “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

Keller’s State of the City address focused little on his list of accomplishments and ignored his 8 year record and lack of accomplishment as Mayor. Keller’s State of the City address focused on why Albuquerque continues to struggle with public safety, housing, economic opportunity and government bureaucracy.

The link to review Mayor Tim Keller’s August 15 State of the City Address is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/sotc

HIGHLIGHTS OF KELLER’S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

During his August 15 State of the City address, Keller gave a detailed historical background of New Mexico. Keller said New Mexico is a demonstration of resilience that was built on the foundation of a scarcity mindset, hoarding resources with the idea that the state might need them again. At a time of deep political division nationally and in New Mexico, Keller said Albuquerque has an opportunity to pursue a different path rooted in the city’s own history and identity.

Keller said this:

“We’re a city at the crossroads. We need each other’s help to transcend all that has held us back, to keep our cherished authentic cultural core, and to grow into the city of shared prosperity we are capable of.  I argue that our history is actually core to understanding who we are today and where we have to go.”

Mayor Keller said people in the state say “no” to infrastructure projects, such as  the Rail Trail and the placement of the New Mexico United stadium with both under constant scrutiny. Keller said this:

 “[This is] about a city abundance agenda that is about sharing what we have instead of protecting and hoarding it. It is about making your life a little bit easier each day and it’s about trying to reduce all those things that are causing friction that make your life difficult here in the city of Albuquerque.  … And if we can do that, we can restore some hope. We can restore a baseline of inspiration that actually says that in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this is a better place to live than anywhere else. Not just because of our amazing culture, but also because the government is helpful. … This is not about you, not about me, it’s about us together.  Let’s answer some core questions that vex us today and get to a theory of change for tomorrow.”

Keller challenged leaders across Albuquerque and New Mexico to bring the same abundance mindset to the region’s biggest decisions. Investing in people and infrastructure, supporting transformative projects, and moving beyond the tendency to repeatedly relitigate major investments rather than getting them built.

For his third term, Keller said he is challenging city government to work differently by starting with safety, removing unnecessary barriers, expanding choices, sharing resources the City already has, and making government tangibly useful in people’s everyday lives. This coming from someone who has been Mayor for eight and a half years, and it should have been done all along.

KELLER’S ABUNDANCE AGENDA EXPLORED IN DETAIL

Keller announced that his “Abundance Agenda” will be a push to open more opportunities for people to build, invest, and improve the city while reducing the bureaucratic hurdles that too often get in the way of good ideas. Keller said he wants to focus on sharing “every asset the city has to offer.”  Keller’s “Abundance Agenda” includes initiatives like making it easier to receive a commercial or residential building permit, focusing on local labor agreement and turning city land into affordable housing. With this in mind, Keller said the city will begin to take a new approach to how city resources will be shared.

Keller’s “Abundance Agenda” will focus on three key points during his third term as Mayor:

1. Public safety
2. Making the local government provide help to those in need and
3. Building our civic muscle to be able to actually get things done.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Mayor Keller proclaimed  his Abundance Agenda  will not  succeed unless residents feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods and public spaces and he said this:

“None of this strategy works if we are not safe as a community. … Crime is going down in Albuquerque. It doesn’t mean we feel safer, but we know the statistics are going in the right direction. … Folks just want the city of Albuquerque government to help them a little bit, to help ease the pain of everyday life, even if it’s in a small way. … Public safety is a precursor to any form of abundance. You can’t move from a scarcity mindset focused on survival to one of growth and abundance when you’re scared.”

Keller described safety in its broadest sense, encompassing families using parks, people riding buses or walking down the street, businesses opening their doors, and people experiencing homelessness, addiction or behavioral health crises. APD will continue working to reduce crime, Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) will continue providing an alternative response to behavioral health and other nonviolent calls, and the Gateway System of Care will continue expanding pathways from the street to shelter, treatment, and stable housing. The City will also take a stronger approach to fentanyl, addiction, and other factors driving homelessness, providing safe alternatives and clear pathways to treatment and recovery while restoring shared public spaces for everyone. He challenged the community “to commit to some clear principles, to a public compact that we can do better than leave someone on the street.”

Keller said that the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) will continue focusing on violent crime, drug houses and businesses associated with illegal drug activity. The mayor highlighted a violence-intervention program that will connect high school students with services and mentors who have lived experience, including people who were formerly incarcerated. Keller said this:

“It has shown for every kid in the program roughly an 80% increase in their grades and an 80% drop in any criminal activity.  … We just finished offering it to every high school in Albuquerque. This is going to make a difference in our city.”

Mayor Keller noted existing programs, such as Albuquerque Community Safety, the Gateway Center and the School-Based Violence Intervention Program which he claimed was the most successful program in the state.

Mayor Tim Keller announced that the Albuquerque Community Safety Department’s (ACS)  role in responding to behavioral-health, mental-health and other nonviolent calls will be expanded. He said the department has now taken 150,000 calls from the 911 system. “Those are all calls APD did not have to respond to so they could focus on violent crime.”

FENTANYL CRISIS

Mayor Keller addressed allegations made by a former Drug Enforcement Agency agent and published by the Albuquerque media that the agency had allowed tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to be trafficked into New Mexico in the name of tracing the drugs’ path to make more major arrests from 2023 to 2025, calling the actions “wrong” and “immoral”. Keller said this:

“We are at least going to honor the cost of those lives that were lost, the cost of everyone who’s working in recovery and in rehab and dealing with this issue, the cost of law enforcement to deal with this issue, and we are going to hold those accountable who made that decision. … We are going to make sure that Albuquerque is never used again by our federal government for a drug experiment.”

Staying on the subject of federal government, the mayor pledged to “stand up to ICE”  (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) following the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota, saying “we have the laws and the grit and the guts to make sure that that does not happen in Albuquerque.”

MAKING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDE HELP TO THOSE IN NEED 

Mayor Keller said responding to homelessness will again be a major priority during his third term with a focus on individualized care. He said the approach includes diversion from jail, transportation, shelter beds and assistance with personal belongings. Keller said this:

 “We have to start treating individuals like people who have their own history and their own needs instead of just by location. … We have to build our system around the actual individual.”

Mayor Keller called for a new public compact that provides meaningful help to people experiencing living homelessness or addiction while keeping shared spaces safe and accessible. Keller said this:

“Public spaces have to be for everyone.  It is not illegal to sit at a bench in a park and it’s also not illegal to walk down the street, but it is illegal to do drugs in our parks. … We have to have compassion to actually get people real help, but we also have to make sure that the public domain is there for all of us to enjoy together.”

To help address the unhoused, Keller said the Gateway System of 5 shelters is providing shelter and services to individuals, families and teenagers. Keller said the Gateway System of Care is  finally up and running, taking care of 1,200 people every night. He also said the Albuquerque Community Safety Department  is helping connect people on the streets or in emergency rooms with Gateway services. Keller boasted saying this:

“ACS is transporting almost 600 folks a month from the streets into the Gateway System. … They’re also diverting 2,000 people from emergency rooms into places like the Gateway System, where they can get the right kind of care.”

Mayor Tim Keller said one way the city can help reduce visible homelessness is to require more treatment and diversion options, as well as additional state support for the Gateway System and housing assistance. Keller said this:

“We should not have to grovel for resources for the Gateway System. It’s the single most needed right thing now in our city and we should not have to beg for housing vouchers.”

AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES

Mayor Keller spoke about housing and affordability among residents trying to buy a home or rent an apartment in the city. Keller said Albuquerque’s rules have traditionally limited people to single-family homes and he wants his administration to manufacture homes and find easier ways to build them. Mayor Keller said this:

“We’re going to start by democratizing what it means to actually decide for yourself what your home should be. … You pick what type, and you’ll have options, choices to actually decide what home means for you.”

Mayor Keller’s “Abundance Agenda” includes a new online program called the “Available City Property Program” that lists nearly 200 city-owned properties that are  vacant or underused public land to be leased, purchased or used for projects such as housing, businesses and community gardens, depending on location and zoning. (POSTCRIPT provides a link to article on “Available City Property Program”.) The city plans to offer vacant buildings to certified child care providers, expand evening and weekend rentals of community facilities and let residents  share excess home-grown produce and eggs at the city’s four Health and Social Service Centers. Mayor Keller said certified childcare providers could use underused city buildings without paying for the space. Keller said this:

“We are just going to let any childcare group that is certified and all that can use our space for free. … We’re going to give you dozens of buildings to take care of our kids for the next generation.”

Keller announced a facility rental program that will allow families to rent city-owned spaces, including community centers and theaters, for recreational use such as quinceañeras and anniversaries. Rental fees will be based on the scale and purpose of the activity for the 20 locations currently available for booking. Certified childcare groups will be able to use the facilities for free, he added. Keller said the city plans to make gyms, community centers and event spaces more accessible after normal business hours and he said this:

 “We are going to let you rent and use our facilities seven days a week and we’re going to let you use them in the evenings.”

Keller  proposed a “yes first” policy that would allow thousands of building projects to begin before inspections are complete.

Mayor Keller addressed a proposed program that would allow residents to take surplus produce and eggs to four city health and social-service centers for distribution. Keller said “So, we’re creating the Backyard Exchange. … We’re going to connect the people with extra to the people who need it. …That is demonstrating food and abundance here in Albuquerque.”

COST OF LIVING AND AFFORDABILITY

Keller said this:

“Cost of living is more than paying bills.  It’s also the time and frustration that everyday tasks take from our lives. Government should make everyday life easier, not take more of your time.”

Keller emphasized how that principle will shape work across City government. For people building or repairing homes and for entrepreneurs trying to open businesses, the City is working to shorten permitting timelines, preapprove more construction plans, use new technology for inspections, and eliminate unnecessary points of delay. For some smaller projects, the City will fundamentally reverse the traditional relationship between residents and government. Keller said this:

“We are switching the default to ‘yes”. … Instead of ‘wait for the City to start,’ it’s ‘start and the City will catch up.’”

The City will also launch a “backyard exchange” connecting excess produce and eggs from local gardens, farms and home growers with families around the city who can use them. It’s another example of the abundance principle of connecting resources that already exist with people who need them.

Keller’s abundance agenda also calls for growing Albuquerque’s economy so families have more opportunities to earn and get ahead. That means building on the city’s competitive advantages in emerging industries including quantum, fusion, and directed energy, while making sure new investment creates good local jobs and supports local businesses through tools like community benefit agreements.

REDUCING FRICTION ON FAMILIES

For families, Keller said his abundance agenda and the changes it will bring are about making it easier to live a good life in Albuquerque. A birthday party should not require navigating layers of government bureaucracy. A youth sports team should be able to find an affordable place to practice. A childcare provider should not be stopped because usable space is sitting empty. A neighborhood should not have to watch vacant public land remain fenced off for decades.

Keller said this:

“By giving people more choices, sharing what government does have and making it easier to do things, we can reduce the pain of daily living. … That is our City abundance agenda; that we all feel safer and feel better about City government because it actually is helpful in our daily lives.”

CLOSING REMARKS

Mayor Keller ended his State of the City  address by saying  the city and state have an “opportunity that we haven’t seen in generations,” noting that the University of New Mexico recently welcomed a new president just months before the state will elect a new governor. Keller said this:

“We have to push back against the scarcity mindset that is still with us from that history that was the other side of resilience because now we actually can demonstrate abundance.”

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Keller’s eight and a half year record as mayor reflects the type of leadership and failed programs we can expect over the next three and a half years. Keller’s Abundance Agenda will be more of the same approach to government and failed policies to the city’s problems.

THE KELLER RECORD AS MAYOR

Mayor Tim Keller’s did not cover his eight year record as Mayor in his State of the City address and it merits review now that he has announced his third term agenda.

THE ART BUS PROJECT

During his first term, Mayor Keller completed the $125 million dollar ART bus project down central initiated by his predecessor Mayor Richard Berry  The ART Bus budget destroyed many downtown businesses as well as historic Route 66. Keller could have easily abandoned the ART Bus project, especially when he declared it “a bit of a lemon” and was forced to sue the bus manufacturer and Keller settled the case for no damages. Keller could have restored Central, but he abandoned it ignoring the destruction of it and its historical significance.

FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONSENT DEGREE

For seven years, Keller was saddled with a Department of Justice (DOJ) consent degree over APD negotiated by his predecessor Mayor Richard Berry that mandated 276 reforms. Keller promised the consent decree would be resolved and all reforms instituted during his first four-year term, but he took seven years. The city spent millions to implement the reforms while Keller allowed the police union to undercut the reform process. APD finally instituted constitutional policing practices to prevent excessive use of force and deadly force with the DOJ consent decree dismissed, but it was not because of Keller’s leadership but because of the efforts of the Department of Justice and the Court appointed federal monitor holding the city’s feet to the fire. At one point, APD and the city almost came to being held in contempt of court with its failures.

CITY CRIME RATES

Eight years ago when Keller first ran and became Mayor, he proclaimed crime was out of control, that he could get it down and that he would increase APD sworn from the 850 under Mayor Berry to 1,200. During Keller’s entire two terms as Mayor, the number of sworn APD officers has never reached 1,000. During Keller’s first seven years as Mayor, homicides, aggravated assaults and drug crimes spiked to historical highs. Violent crime spiked so bad that Keller announced 5 separate programs, including declaring violent crime a Public Health Crises. The new programs he initiated  accomplished little next to nothing to bring down violent crime. After 8 years, historically high crime rates only began to come down in 2025 with the decline part of a national trend. The city’s ongoing homicide and violent crime rates continue to be at unacceptable highs and people simply do not feel safe in their homes as the fentanyl crisis surges.

APD TOP HEAVY MANAGMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT 

The Albuquerque Police Department is still dangerously understaffed at 913 sworn police officers with only 350 sworn police assigned to the area commands in 3 shifts to handle thousands of calls for service. APD is seriously top heavy with management. Mayor Keller added new levels of police management creating the positions of Major, Deputy Commanders and Chief Public Safety Officer. On March 24, and after over three-month national search, Mayor Tim Keller announced his appointment of Interim APD Chief Cecily Barker as the new APD Chief and Public Safety Executive Director Raul Bujanda who also oversees APD. APD Chief Barker was one of former APD Chief Harold Medina’s Deputy Chiefs, she was Medina’s own personally announce preferred replacement, and she has kept most if not all of Chief Medina’s upper command staff when they should have been replaced. Keller created the Chief Public Safety Officer position and he is  paid $180,000 a year. APD has had eight years of increased budgets, salary increases and lucrative bonus initiated by Mayor Keller yet only 350 patrol the streets and crime is still at unacceptable levels.

Mayor Keller’s mismanagement of APD during his tenure as Mayor extended all the way up to the APD Chief. Keller refused to hold APD Chief Harold Medina accountable for a vehicle crash where Medina negligently plowed into another driver putting the driver in the hospital in critical condition. Medina admitted to violating state law when he failed to have his body camera on during an incident that preceded the crash. After the crash, Keller called Medina “arguably the most important person right now in these times in our city.” Medina’s appointed Crash Review Board declared the crash as “non avoidable” even after Medina admitted to causing the crash. Medina was given a slap on the wrist with letters of reprimand. The City and Medina have been sued by the injured driver and the case is still pending and will likely result in a significant judgement being paid for Medina’s negligent driving and his running of a red light.  Medina is gone, but his philosophy and influence on the department remains firm because his management team remains in charge.

Then there is the largest bribery and corruption case in APD’s history with 14 APD Officers implicated and 3 who have been federally charged and who have plead guilty to federal bribery and conspiracy charges involving the dismissal of hundreds of DWI cases for bribes. The former APD officers face up to 130 years in prison. Not one of the defendants have been sentenced. On August 31, it was reported that another 6 APD police officers have been placed on leave after being implicated in the scandal. Mayor Keller has refused to take any responsibility for what happened under his watch as he  deflected  and blamed others. Keller blamed the Court’s, the DAs Office and the Public Defenders for the DWI dismissals.

MILLIONS SPENT TO PROVIDE UNHOUSED SERVICES THEY REJECT

Since day one of becoming Mayor in 2017, dealing with the unhoused on the streets of Albuquerque and getting the homeless off the streets and getting them services has been a major priority of Mayor Tim Keller. During Keller’s tenure as Mayor, the number of homeless has more than doubled despite his efforts as he allows the homeless to proliferate the city streets. The most recent “Point In Time” Survey of the unhoused released mid- August reports the city has 3,122 people unhoused, up from  2,960 reported in 2025. In the last 4 years, Keller has spent upwards of $300 million on 5 shelters with 125 service contracts and service programs for the homeless.

Keller has increased spending for services yearly the past four years to the unhoused to the tune of $53,901,355 (F/Y ‘26) to $85,283,471 (F/Y ’27). The biggest obstacle is that 75% of the homeless refuse city shelter and services, yet millions are being spent.  Keller has advocated allowing  upwards of 100 Safe Outdoor Spaces for 1,000  homeless to camp, scattered through out the city. Keller created the Albuquerque Community Safety Division and staffed it with upwards of 125  with social workers and mental health care professionals to do outreach to the homeless and to reduce by the thousands calls for service to APD, but the homeless still proliferate city streets.

KELLER’S UPZONING EFFORTS REBRANDED AS “DEMOCRACY” 

During his State of the City Address, Keller said this in part about housing: “We’re going to start by democratizing what it means to actually decide for yourself what your home should be. … You pick what type, and you’ll have options, choices to actually decide what home means for you.” What Keller did was simply “rebrand” his aggressive approach to make major changes to all city zoning laws. Keller wants to double or triple housing density in established neighborhoods over strenuous objections from  property owners and neighborhood associations. Keller wants to allow “upzoning” by residential property owners to increase density and allow casita and duplex development and apartment development on corners in all established neighborhoods to benefit developers and to deprive adjacent property owners the right to object and appeal. Keller erroneously believes that increased density will increase affordable housing as he  ignores market forces and the profit motive. Keller’s zoning changes will make gentrification an official city policy that caters to developers at the expense of neighborhoods and property rights.

CONCLUSION

Mayor Keller himself has contributed significantly to our frustrations during turbulent times and for the last eight years with many of his failed policies and failed management practices, especially those dealing with the unhoused, APD management and the DWI bribery and conspiracy scandal and residential zoning changes to double or triple density to benefit developers and investors. Based on his State of the City Address, we can expect the same mediocre quality of leadership Mayor Keller has bought to  the city for the last 8 and half years with little to show for it. Keller’s State of the City Address was his attempt at eloquence and inspiration, and it was neither.

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/state-of-the-city-2026-mayor-charts-a-path-from-scarcity-to-abundance

https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/state-of-the-city-2026-mayor-charts-a-path-from-scarcity-to-abundance

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-mayor-tim-keller-state-city-address-new-mexico-public-safety-housing-affordability-homelessness-behavioral-health/73444010

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/keller-pushes-abundance-agenda-in-state-of-the-city/3102741?fbclid=IwY2xjawT2eJtwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVZJV2dFN2syOWJFNFpwMWlzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeV_hA_Y8xR6kgGM7Ija9zBi6NEd-SN2eH2yh1M_kJpWUQm6Ua_6jAhPoNQXw_aem_-NL-4y3B5oU17kYH279aFg

https://abq.news/2026/08/what-mayor-kellers-new-abundance-agenda-means-for-albuquerque/

https://nm.news/2026/08/17/what-mayor-kellers-new-abundance-agenda-means-for-albuquerque/

https://www.dailylobo.com/article/2026/08/keller-introduces-abundance-agenda-during-ninth-state-of-the-city-address

https://brant.one/2026/08/16/what-is-albuquerque-mayor-tim-kellers-abundance-agenda-key-takeaways-from-his-2026-state-of-the-city-address/#google_vignette

The link to a related Dinelli article is here:

Mayor Tim Keller’s “Available City Properties Program” Viable Option To Solve Affordable Housing Crunch; Keller In State Of City Address Again Advocates Upzoning To Increase Density; COMMENTARY: Surveys Of Available Properties Reveal No Need For Upzoning In Established Neighborhoods; Keller, City Council Need To Defend Neighborhoods From Investors, Developers And Gentrification

On Sunday, August 30, with the general election for New Mexico Governor scheduled for November 3, the Albuquerque Journal Published its expected poll in the 2026 race for  Governor.

The Journal poll found 49% of likely voters surveyed said they plan to vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, who is seeking to become the first Native American woman elected governor in the nation’s history.  Meanwhile, 43% of voters said they plan to vote for Republican Gregg Hull, the former Rio Rancho mayor who would be the first Republican to win a statewide race in New Mexico since 2016. The remaining 8% of voters surveyed said they had not yet decided on who they would support in the November general election.

The overall 6-point margin separating Deb Haaland and Greg Hull in the Journal Poll mirrors the final margin of New Mexico’s 2022 gubernatorial race between Democrat Incumbent Governor Lujan Grisham and Republican Mark Ronchetti.

DEMOGAPHIC POLL RESULTS

The demographic poll results are as follows:

PARTY AFFILIATION

Both Deb Haaland and Gregg Hull received strong support from voters of their own political parties. Hull garnered 89% of Republicans and only 8% of Democrats who said they plan to vote and Haaland garnered 86% of Democrats and only 6% of Republicans who said they plan to vote.

Among Independents polled, who have seen their ranks swell and now make up more than one-quarter of registered New Mexico voters, Haaland secured  45% of Independents to Hulls 36%  and 19% of Independent voters said they had not yet decided who to support.

GENDER

Among Male voters polled, Democrat Deb Haaland received 43% support, Republican Greg Hull received 49% and 8% were undecided.

Among Female voters polled,  Democrat Deb Haaland received 54%  support, Republican Greg Hull received 37% and 8% were undecided

RACE AND ETHNICITY

Amongst Hispanics polled, 53% said they would vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 37% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull, while 10% said they were undecided.

Amongst Anglo/Whites polled, 45% said they would vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 48% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 6% said they were Undecided.

EDUCATION  

The Journal poll found notable difference among surveyed voters by education level, as voters with a college or graduate degree were far more likely to express support for Haaland than for Hull.

Amongst those with a  high school, trade  or less education, 39% said they will vote for  Democrat Deb Haaland,  49%  said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and  12% said they were Undecided.

Amongst those with some college or associates degree education, 46% said they will vote for  Democrat Deb Haaland,  44%  said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 11% said they were Undecided.

Amongst college graduates,  51% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 43% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 6% said they were Undecided.

Amongst those with a graduate degree, 61% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 34% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 5% said they were Undecided.

NEW MEXICO REGIONS

Looking at the race state wide by region, Democrat Deb Haaland has  a significant advantage over Republican Gregg Hull in the Albuquerque metro area and in north central New Mexico, a traditional Democratic stronghold. However, Republican Gregg Hull has a lead in other, less populated parts of the state, including in northwest and southern New Mexico, along with the state’s usually conservative east side.

Voters polled within the Albuquerque Metro area, 56% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 39% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 6% said they were Undecided.

Voters polled within the Northwest area of the State, 40% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 51% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 10% said they were Undecided.

Voters polled within the  North Central area of the State, 62% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 27%  said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 11% said they were Undecided.

Voters polled within the Las Cruces/Southwest  area of the State, 37% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland, 54% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 9% said they were Undecided.

Voters polled on the Eastside  area of the State, 34% said they will vote for Democrat Deb Haaland,  54% said they would vote for Republican Gregg Hull and 11% said they were Undecided.

POLL METHODOLOGY

“The Journal Poll was conducted from August 21 through August 28. It is based on a statewide random sample of 516 voters who cast ballots in the 2022 and/or 2024 general elections, and a sample of adults who registered to vote since January 2025 and who said they are likely to vote in the upcoming election.

The total sample of 516 voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples. The sample was stratified by race/ethnicity and county and weighted by party affiliation, gender and education level based on traditional voting patterns in New Mexico general elections, to ensure a more representative sample.

All interviews were conducted by live, professional interviewers based in Albuquerque, with multiple callbacks to households that did not initially answer the phone. Both cellphone numbers (96%) and landlines (4%) of likely general election voters were used.”

The link to the quoted, unedited Albuquerque Journal article with photos and graphs and written by Albuquerque Journal reporter Dan Boyd is  here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/journal-poll-haaland-leads-hull-by-closer-than-expected-margin-in-new-mexicos-race-for-governor/3111874

PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS RECALLED

On Tuesday, June 2, 2026,  the New Mexico primary election took place. It was the first semi-open primary in New Mexico history where independent voters could choose either the Democratic or Republican primary to vote in without having to register with that party. Overall voter turn out was the largest primary turnout in the last twelve years helped by the inclusion of independent voters who for the first time were allowed to vote in major party primaries. Independents voted Democratic with 28,000 and voted Republican with 10,000.

New Mexico history was made in the Democratic Primary for Governor when former Biden Cabinet Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman to be nominated for Governor of New Mexico. Deb Haaland garnered 72.3% (156,861 votes)  of the votes to Bernalillo County District Attorney  Sam Bregman’s 27.7% (60,189) cast around New Mexico. Haaland  won every single county in the state by varying percentages. In Santa Fe County she won with 80% of the Democratic vote. In Bernalillo County Haaland won with 69%. In Dona Ana County, she won with 79%. In conservative Chavez County, thought to lean moderate Bregman, she won with 73%.

On the Republican side for Governor, former three-term mayor of Rio Rancho Greg Hull  prevailed to win the Republican nomination claiming  victory over business owner Doug Turner and cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez in a three-way race for the GOP nomination. Gregg Hull secured 47% of the vote (56,412), Doug W. Turner secured 36.9% of the vote (44,319) and Duke Rodriguez secured 16.1% of the vote (19,288).

The 2026 New Mexico primary for Governor was the most expensive primary in the state’s history. According to finance reports filed with the Secretary of State, Democrats Deb Haaland raised over $12 Million while Sam Bregman raised upwards of $4 Million. Republican fundraising efforts were dwarfed by comparison. Gregg Hull raised $544,920, Doug Turner raised $703,189 and Duke Rodriquez self-financed to the tune of $1.5 Million.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Ever since Deb Haaland’s overwhelming 72.3% (156,861 votes) landslide victory over Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman’s 27.7% (60,189), politcal analysts have been predicting that Haaland would coast to an easy victory over Republican Gregg Hull who won his Republican primary 47% of the vote (56,412 vote). There is little doubt that the Albuquerque Journal poll has taken  everyone by surprise given that it found a mere 6% points difference between the two candidates. The poll results will give Gregg Hull a major boost in his fundraising efforts that will make the race even more competitive with Republicans no doubt feeling the Haaland is now considered vulnerable and the election winnable.

Notwithstanding, Republican Hull is facing an uphill battle in a Democratic leaning state. Democrat Deb Haaland is still well-positioned to win the November election even though the election will likely be closer than expected. Haaland is the former U.S. Interior secretary under President Joe Biden and a former congresswoman. Simply put, Haaland is a national figure with respect to her fundraising ability and the historical nature of her candidacy and the possibility of  being  the first native American who would  be elected a governor. Haaland also has tremendous  support among women, highly educated voters and Independent voters and all taken together they  will likely decide the election. Then there is the matter of the national political mood that clearly favors Democrats thanks in large part to President Trump’s disastrous presidency, the wars he has started and his disastrous handling of the economy. You  can expect Haaland to zero in on all things Democrat and the Independents to win the election.

The issues will also have an impact. Haaland is making Trump an issue in the race and has touted affordability as among her campaign priorities, while vowing to build more affordable housing for New Mexicans and expand tax breaks for low-income families. Hull for his part is taking the traditional Republican approach saying he would seek to make New Mexico more economically attractive, reduce tax rates, among other proposals. Gregg Hull thus far has avoided being labeled as MAGA Republican ideologue and has portrayed himself as a bipartisan pragmatist. Hull goes out of his way to  to avoid Trump and his  policies that are having an impact on New Mexico, such as Trumps Immigration and Customs policies.

Notwithstanding, with a full two months left before the November 3 election, anything can happen that could change the trajectory of the election, with the Albuquerque Journal poll being a prime  example.

On May 19, 2025 that  TXNM Energy, the parent company of Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), announced it had entered into an agreement where Blackstone Infrastructure would acquire TXNM Energy. PNM is the largest electricity provider in New Mexico serving nearly 550,000 customers.

PNM issued a press release on the sale that said in part:

“The acquisition agreement keeps PNM headquartered in New Mexico and retains local management and employees, while providing financial strength for long-term investment to support New Mexico’s transition to carbon-free electricity and to serve growing electricity demand. … Under the terms of the agreement, Blackstone Infrastructure will acquire TXNM Energy for $61.25 per share upon closing, reflecting a total enterprise value of $11.5 billion, including net debt (excluding securitization debt) and preferred stock. TXNM Energy’s stock would no longer be publicly traded.”

https://www.pnm.com/documents/d/pnm.com/news-release-blackstone-infrastructure-acquisition-05-18-2025

The key terms of the Blackstone offer to purchase PNM  are:

• PURCHASE PRICE: $61.25 per share in cash (all-cash).
• ENTERPRISE VALUE:$11.5 billion (including net debt, excluding securitization debt, and preferred stock).
• PREMIUM:23% above TXNM’s unaffected 30-day VWAP as of early March 2025.
• STRUCTURE: Troy Parent Co LLC (Blackstone Infrastructure affiliate) acquires TXNM; PNM stays headquartered in New Mexico with local management.
• INTERIM EQUITY: Blackstone bought $400 million of newly issued TXNM shares at $50/share in 2025. The PRC later ruled it illegal (no prior approval) and ordered a full reversal at shareholder expense, with penalties.
• TIMELINE: Originally H2 2026; extended to termination date May 31, 2027. Shareholder approval obtained August 2025.
• REGULATORY STATUS: Approved by PUCT, FERC, FCC, HSR. New Mexico PRC and NRC still outstanding. PRC process paused pending stock-sale compliance.
• COMMITMENTS: Keep corporate headquarters  and local management in New Meico; honor unions; minimum 10-year hold; claimed $175 million customer/community benefits (including  large rate credit); ring-fencing and continued PRC rate authority.
• TERMINATION FEES: Blackstone-side termination fee reduced from $350M to $175M in the July 2026 extension.

GUEST OPINION COLUMN

This is a second and follow-up guest opinion column to the August 26 article posted (see link in postscript)  provided  by long time reader of www.PeteDinelli.com. The reader was born and raised in New Mexico, was self-employed in the private sector, is now fully retired, and has decades of experience with New Mexico Government and politics including lobbying. The article was provided with the understanding that the author’s identity would not be disclosed and identity would remain strictly confidential to preserve privacy.

An Open Warning To New Mexico On What You Will Not Be Able To Take Back Once PNM Is Sold To Blackstone; A Public Challenge To Deb Haaland and Gregg Hull To Take A Firm Position Before November 3, 2026 Election.

If Troy Parent Co and Blackstone is allowed to close on TXNM Energy, New Mexico will still have a flag, a Public Regulation Commission, and a governor. It will not have the owner of its largest electric utility. That is the part no later statute, no later protest, and no later inauguration can quietly restore.

This is not a routine change of shareholders. It is one of the most consequential issues now sitting in front of New Mexicans and the two people asking to be governor — and it has been treated as if it were a technical filing in Santa Fe rather than a decision about who will control the grid, and how affordable that grid will be, for a generation.

The bid is $61.25 a share in cash. The enterprise value is about $11.5 billion. Texas has approved a settlement. Federal agencies have cleared their pieces. Shareholders have already voted yes. The remaining gate is New Mexico. The companies have already had to unwind a $400 million stock purchase the PRC found was completed without the prior approval state law requires, and they have already pushed the closing clock to May 31, 2027. Capital moved first. The statute caught up later. That is not a footnote. It is a preview.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s published position is not naïve. It is lame because it answers the wrong question. She is right that the PRC must do its job and that New Mexico needs private capital for reliability and the 2045 carbon-free mandate. She then treats those two truths as if they settle the ownership fight. They do not. “Let the Commission decide” is what a governor says when she does not want to say who should own the company. “We need private capital” is treated as if Blackstone were the only private capital on offer. Citizen shareholders, New Mexico institutions, and permanent-fund financing are also private capital — they simply keep the residual owner in New Mexico. Regulation after closing is damage control, not a strategy. New Mexicans are entitled to know whether the most powerful official still in the building has been influenced by the buyer while telling the state to stand back and let the process run.

THE SHORTFALLS AFTER CLOSING

You will not choose the owner again. After the merger, no New Mexico shareholder list matters. Citizens, tribes, pensions, and local institutions cannot buy the stock their rates helped build. The owner is a fund complex whose duty runs to limited partners worldwide.

You will not keep the upside your bills create. PNM’s value is not invented on Park Avenue. Monopoly territory, rate base, the Energy Transition Act, and transmission and generation New Mexicans will pay for over decades create it. Blackstone is paying a premium because it expects that future. If the bet is good, the appreciation leaves the state. If it is bad, the pressure to recover fund returns does not leave with it. Affordability and control are not separate problems. They are the same problem seen from two sides of the meter.

You will not control the clock. A promised ten-year hold is not permanence. Funds have harvest dates, successor vehicles, recapitalizations, and secondary sales. New Mexico will not vote on the next buyer. The PRC may review a later transfer. Review is not a choice.

You will face a parent that is also one of the hungriest new customers in the American power system. Blackstone already holds a 19.9 percent stake in Indiana’s NIPSCO. It owns QTS, among the world’s largest data-center platforms. It is putting billions into gas-generation joint ventures built to feed AI load. In Georgia, a QTS campus used roughly 30 million gallons of water through connections the local utility failed to bill properly. In Virginia, QTS abandoned a massive campus after years of community revolt. A parent that earns returns from data centers and from plants built for those centers will see a regulated utility as two things at once: a stable asset and a gate to electrons. Memos can forbid the worst self-dealing. They cannot forbid the incentive.

You will inherit a record, not a theory. UN housing experts accused Blackstone of aggravating a global rent crisis. Denmark passed a law people still call the Blackstone law. A Blackstone-owned plant-cleaning company was fined after the Labor Department found more than a hundred children in hazardous overnight jobs. None of that proves PNM rates will jump next year. All of it proves the parent is built to take returns from essential assets, and that communities have repeatedly discovered the limits of their leverage after closing.

DAVID AND GOLIATH WITH THE ROLES REVERSED

Call it David and Goliath — with the roles reversed. Goliath is Blackstone: $1.35 trillion under management as of June 30, 2026, and about $962 billion in fee-earning assets. David is PNM: an $11.5 billion grid that only looks big until you stand it next to the giant. That purchase is 0.85 percent of what Blackstone already runs — 85 cents of every $100 in the empire. Blackstone is 117 times the deal. New Mexico cannot live without the lights. Blackstone can live without New Mexico. In the old story, the small one wins. In this one, the small one is the prize. Blackstone’s infrastructure arm alone is on the order of $90 billion, with portfolio companies — where it owns 20 percent or more — carrying about $218 billion in enterprise value at acquisition. The firm sits above a web of funds, blockers, and special-purpose vehicles of which Troy Parent Co is the only one. New Mexico’s permanent funds total about $75 billion. A vast empire of that size, with its many subsidiaries and affiliates, will be a financial giant Santa Fe will have little to no practical influence over once the shares leave public hands. That is not an insult to New Mexico. It is arithmetic.

THE IGNORED CHOICE

The choice is not Blackstone or a state-run utility. Pure state ownership would politicize rates and capital budgets. Pure Wall Street ownership exports the residual control and the residual profit. Electricity distribution is a business. It should earn a reasonable return. That return should accrue first to New Mexicans who put capital at risk—citizens, tribes, local institutions—with permanent funds supplying patient financing that can out-earn their conservative ~7 percent targets. A conservative 8 percent on a New Mexico-held equity stake of $5–6 billion would keep about $400–480 million a year of value in-state. That path treats the grid as both a public necessity and a commercial enterprise.

THE CHALLENGE TO THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR

Democrate  Nominee for Governor Deb Haaland has said New Mexicans want a utility that puts ratepayers ahead of shareholders and that she is not convinced a private-equity merger is the best path. That is skepticism. It is not yet a plan.

Republican Nominee for Governor  Gregg Hull has not put a detailed public position on this transaction before the state. November 3 will not wait for a 2027 closing.

The next governor will either live inside the ownership structure locked in before the oath, or spend scarce capital trying to unwind what a predecessor allowed.

Before Election Day, both candidates should answer — in public, in writing, without hedging:

Do you support or oppose the Blackstone / Troy Parent Co acquisition of TXNM and PNM as now structured?

If you oppose it, will you actively champion a New Mexico alternative — citizen shareholders and local institutions, with the State as financier through the permanent funds, not as the operating owner?

If the PRC approves the sale, what specific tools will your administration use to protect affordability and keep residual control from drifting further out of state?

Have you, your campaign, your running mate, or any political committee supporting you received campaign contributions, gifts, paid travel, plane rides, fundraising events, bundled donations, or any other thing of value from Blackstone Inc., Troy Parent Co, Blackstone Infrastructure, any Blackstone fund or portfolio company, any Blackstone affiliate or shareholder, or any lawyer, lobbyist, consultant, or intermediary acting for them? If yes, disclose the dates, amounts, and nature of each. If not, say so in writing.

Will you accept a New Mexico grid whose residual owner is a $1.35 trillion global platform that also builds the data centers competing for the same electrons  or will you fight, before closing, for citizen shareholders and New Mexico financing?

New Mexicans are entitled to know whether anyone asking for the authority to shape this sale has already taken money or favors from the buyer’s orbit. Silence on that question is an answer.

Keep the lights on.  Keep the ownership in New Mexico.

Links to related blog articles are here:

Guest Opinion Column: The Case For New Mexico Ownership Of PNM Without State Government Ownership; A Direct Challenge To 2026 Candidates For New Mexico Governor Democrat Deb Haaland and Republican Gregg Hull To State Position On PNM Sale To Blackstone

Governor Lujan Grisham’s Naivete On Blackstone’s Purchase Of PNM Exposed In Answering Question “Should NM Buy Its Own Utility?”; COMMENTARY: YES! NM Can Afford To Buy Its Own Utility

On May 19, 2025 that  TXNM Energy, the parent company of Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), announced it had entered into an agreement where Blackstone Infrastructure would acquire TXNM Energy. PNM is the largest electricity provider in New Mexico serving nearly 550,000 customers.

PNM issued a press release on the sale that said in part:

“The acquisition agreement keeps PNM headquartered in New Mexico and retains local management and employees, while providing financial strength for long-term investment to support New Mexico’s transition to carbon-free electricity and to serve growing electricity demand. … Under the terms of the agreement, Blackstone Infrastructure will acquire TXNM Energy for $61.25 per share upon closing, reflecting a total enterprise value of $11.5 billion, including net debt (excluding securitization debt) and preferred stock. TXNM Energy’s stock would no longer be publicly traded.”

https://www.pnm.com/documents/d/pnm.com/news-release-blackstone-infrastructure-acquisition-05-18-2025

On Sunday July 26 and August 6, the  Albuquerque Journal published on its editorial pages 600 word “Local Columnist” opinion columns. The July 26 column is by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. The August 6 column is by Jaemes Shanley, a retired businessman and President of the Mark Twain Neighborhood  Association. Both columns were published together on August 13 in a column published on www.PeteDinelli.com entitled in part  “Governor Lujan Grisham’s Naivete On Blackstone’s Purchase Of PNM Exposed In Answering Question Should NM Buy Its Own Utility?”. (See postscript for link to read article in full.) 

GUEST OPINION COLUMN

This is the first of two  guest opinion columns was provided  by long time reader of www.PeteDinelli.com. The reader was born and raised in New Mexico, was self-employed in the private sector, is now fully retired, and has  decades of experience with New Mexico Government and politics including lobbying. The article was provided with the understanding that the author’s identity would not be disclosed and identity would remain strictly confidential to preserve privacy.

THE CASE: NEW MEXICO OWNERSHIP WITHOUT STATE GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP

The choice over PNM ownership is not between Blackstone and the State of New Mexico. A better option exists: a consortium of New Mexico investors and a public stock offering open to state citizens, with the State serving only as a sophisticated financier.

Electricity is a capital-intensive business under legal monopoly, not a pure public service. It needs patient capital, operational discipline, and reasonable returns on investment. Pure state ownership risks politicizing rates and capital decisions; distant private-equity ownership risks extracting value for outside limited partners. New Mexico already has the right public-control tool—an independent Public Regulation Commission that sets rates, enforces reliability, and can impose conditions on any owner.

The State should not purchase the utility. Doing so would put an $11-plus-billion enterprise on the public balance sheet, expose taxpayers to operating risk, and invite political interference. Instead, assemble local capital—pension funds, foundations, tribal enterprises, community banks, and individual New Mexicans—and back it with structured state financing drawn from permanent-fund liquidity.

As of late spring 2026 the State Investment Council oversaw approximately $74.8 billion in permanent, endowment, and reserve assets. The Land Grant Permanent Fund alone stood near $41 billion; the Severance Tax Permanent Fund and Early Childhood Education & Care Fund together added more than $25 billion. These funds are managed under deliberately conservative policies designed to preserve intergenerational capital and generate reliable distributions for schools and other beneficiaries.

A carefully structured financing package supporting a New Mexico-controlled utility acquisition could target a higher risk-adjusted return than the broad market indexes and fixed-income allocations that dominate the permanent funds—while still remaining far safer than pure private equity. The upside would flow back into the permanent funds or the general fund rather than to New York or overseas limited partners.

Ratepayers would become partial owners of the company whose bills they pay. Management would answer to a board with local roots rather than a private-equity hold period. The PRC would retain full regulatory authority. Value created by New Mexico’s growth and clean-energy transition would stay here.

GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM

It is worth discussing  Governor Michelle Lujan’s Grisham’s position on the sale of PNM. Critics have branded her naïve. That charge collapses under the slightest scrutiny. Michelle Lujan Grisham ranks among the most aggressive, accomplished, and politically skilled governors New Mexico has produced in generations. She has shown a rare instinct for national-scale politics, the steel to navigate complex institutional terrain, and the backbone to defend independent regulatory bodies even when the stance costs her support inside her own coalition. New Mexico has long struggled to produce leaders of genuine national stature; she remains one of the state’s few realistic prospects to break that pattern. Politics itself has always been an intense national preoccupation, followed by many with the same lifelong passion once reserved for Sunday football.

It is entirely legitimate to dislike particular leaders or policies. Disagreement is not a defect in the American system; it is one of its defining strengths. For all its excesses and current struggles for relevance, that system remains widely regarded as the best in the world. Governor Lujan Grisham’s  insistence that the PRC be allowed to do its job, and her clear-eyed recognition that substantial private capital will be required to meet reliability and carbon-free goals, reflect pragmatic judgment—not innocence about private equity. One can prefer a different ownership model for PNM without dismissing either her record or her future.

CONCERNS OVER BLACKSTONE-STYLE PRIVATIZATION

The key terms of the Blackstone offer to purchase PNM  must be reviewed and are:

• PURCHASE PRICE: $61.25 per share in cash (all-cash).
• ENTERPRISE VALUE: $11.5 billion (including net debt, excluding securitization debt, and preferred stock).
• PREMIUM: 23% above TXNM’s unaffected 30-day VWAP as of early March 2025.
• STRUCTURE: Troy Parent Co LLC (Blackstone Infrastructure affiliate) acquires TXNM; PNM stays headquartered in New Mexico with local management.
• INTERIM EQUITY: Blackstone bought $400 million of newly issued TXNM shares at $50/share in 2025. The PRC later ruled it illegal (no prior approval) and ordered a full reversal at shareholder expense, with penalties.
• TIMELINE: Originally H2 2026; extended to termination date May 31, 2027. Shareholder approval obtained August 2025.
• REGULATORY STATUS: Approved by PUCT, FERC, FCC, HSR. New Mexico PRC and NRC still outstanding. PRC process paused pending stock-sale compliance.
• COMMITMENTS: Keep corporate headquarters  and local management in New Meico; honor unions; minimum 10-year hold; claimed $175 million customer/community benefits (including  large rate credit); ring-fencing and continued PRC rate authority.
• TERMINATION FEES: Blackstone-side termination fee reduced from $350M to $175M in the July 2026 extension.

Blackstone-style privatization raises legitimate concerns about transparency and value extraction. Those concerns do not require state ownership. They require smart capital partnership and rigorous regulation. A New Mexico investor consortium, financed commercially by the State and overseen by the PRC, delivers local ownership, commercial discipline, reasonable returns, and continued ratepayer protection.

New Mexicans should not be mere customers of their electric system. They should have the chance to be owners but without turning the utility into a state budget line item or surrendering its future to the highest distant bidder.

CURRENT PUBLIC POSITIONS ON THE BLACKSTONE ACQUISITION

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham: In her July 26, 2026 Albuquerque Journal op-ed, she explicitly opposed the State purchasing PNM. She argued New Mexico needs well-regulated private capital to meet reliability and 100% carbon-free goals by 2045, that the independent PRC is the proper protector of ratepayers, and that a state purchase would strain the general fund. She does not endorse or reject the Blackstone deal itself; she insists the PRC process must run under strong independent oversight and highlighted the Commission’s order reversing the illegal $400 million stock sale.

Democratic Nominee Deb Haaland:  Haaland has expressed clear skepticism. She has said New Mexicans “want a utility company that prioritizes ratepayers, not shareholders, and New Mexicans are rightfully skeptical about who Blackstone will prioritize.” She is “not convinced a private equity merger is the best way” to update infrastructure and harness renewables. She stops short of a formal rejection or a call for state/local ownership alternatives while emphasizing strict accountability on rates, community investment, and clean energy.

Republican Nominee Gregg Hull: As of mid-August 2026, Hull has not issued a detailed, widely reported public position specifically on the Blackstone–TXNM/PNM acquisition. His campaign has focused on economic growth, public safety, and government efficiency. The absence of a clear stance on this high-profile utility transaction is notable.

WHY LOCAL, CITIZEN OWNERSHIP MATTERS

Electricity is a regulated monopoly. Ratepayers have no alternative. Private-equity ownership creates incentives for value extraction that can conflict with long-term ratepayer and public-interest goals. The illegal $400 million stock purchase is an early warning. New Mexico can do better than pure Wall Street ownership or pure state ownership.

A practical, viable alternative exists.  A consortium of New Mexico investors (pension funds, foundations, tribal enterprises, community banks, and individual citizen shareholders) supported by structured financing from the State’s permanent funds (SIC manages $75 billion). At a conservative 8% return on a New Mexico-held equity stake of $5–6 billion, annual value creation would be roughly $400–480 million — money that stays in New Mexico. Over a decade, the compounded benefit is measured in the billions, while the PRC retains full regulatory authority.

A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR

New Mexicans deserve clear answers from Deb Haaland and Gregg Hull before November 3, 2026 election for Governor. They both need to answer with a  press release or formal position paper the following questions:

• Will you support or oppose the Blackstone acquisition of TXNM/PNM as currently structured?
• Will you actively explore and advocate for a New Mexico-based ownership alternative — a consortium of local investors and citizen shareholders backed by smart permanent-fund financing — so that the value created by New Mexico ratepayers stays in New Mexico?
• What specific actions will your administration take to ensure the PRC has the resources and political backing to protect ratepayers regardless of ownership?

Electricity is the backbone of New Mexico’s future. The next Governor will shape whether New Mexicans or Wall Street own that backbone. The time for clarity is now.

On August 13, 2026, during a news conference held on a vacant city owned lot located 217 San Pablo SE off of  Zuni Road in the South East Heights, Mayor Tim Keller, accompanied by Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Director Terry Brunner, announced what Keller dubbed  the  “Available City Properties Program”. The program consists of a compilation of available City properties in a simple online list, currently numbering almost 200, offering the property for a wide range of potential uses. Depending on location and zoning, the parcels could become new homes, businesses, gardens, parks, event venues, or something entirely new for dedicated public use.

The Available City Properties website features an interactive map that allows the public to search and view properties that are either available or under contract. Currently, 14 of the 188 properties listed are under contract. The website features the following eight separate categories and lists city owned properties:

1. Housing Locations
2. Office Listings
3. Industrial Properties
4. Warehouse Listings
5. Retail Locations
6. Spontaneous or Seasonal Shop locations
7. Community Garden Land
8. Pocket Park Land

The link to the city website is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/city-offers-its-unused-properties-to-public-1

The city website includes the properties’ sizes, prices or appraised values, zoning and potential uses. Depending on the location and zoning, available properties could be used for anything from housing to commercial development, recreation or agriculture use. Through its Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA), Albuquerque has been working to simplify processes for smaller developers and put lots that no longer serve a municipal purpose toward productive new uses. Three of  the properties showcased during the news conference announcing the program are a 2-acre lot ready for commercial use on Alamo Avenue, a 1-acre lot at 3201 Corona NW that could welcome a townhome development and a half-acre lot primed for a community garden at 318 Mesilla NE.

The Available City Properties began when the city decided to lease one of its vacant lots for $1 per year to The Semilla Project which is a nonprofit that uses land-based programs to educate and empower Albuquerque youth. The community garden near the Loma Linda Community Center has produced three tons of vegetables in the past year, saving area families a combined $4,000. While properties that are for sale will require a market-rate transaction, Keller said the city is willing to take on more partnerships like the one with The Semilla Project to allow communities to lease the properties at minimal cost for uses like a community garden, event venue or food truck operation, in exchange for doing things like keeping the property secure.

The “Available City Properties Program”  is part of Mayor Tim Keller’s broader third-term “Abundance Agenda” that he announced at his August 15 “State of the City” address.  Keller’s third term abundance agenda is a push to open more opportunities for people to build, invest, and improve the city while reducing the bureaucratic hurdles that get in the way of good ideas. Keller wants to focus on sharing every asset the city has to offer.  Keller’s “Abundance Agenda” includes initiatives like making it easier to receive a commercial or residential building permit, focusing on local labor agreements and turning city land into affordable housing.

Mayor Keller said this about the objective of the Available City Properties Program:

“We have unused land all around the city, while people here have unrealized ideas. Now we’re connecting those dots instead of letting these places sit empty. This is taxpayer land, and it’s time we democratize it and give you the freedom to use it.

We see empty pieces of land all over the city … .  Often the question is, ‘Well, who owns that?’ And then the question is, ‘Why has it been vacant for 50, 60, 70 years?’ That is what we are going to try and address. We’re going to make sure that we can use every unused piece of land that people want [to use] in this city. That is our way of showing abundance [and] pushing back on scarce resources.

 [The Available City Properties program] absolutely positions us to be at the forefront of innovation with respect to how to create more housing. The timing is excellent! We’ll see.  I would hope that other cities would join us. … This is about giving our land back to Albuquerque. It’s about making sure that we will say if you can use this land and use it productively. We’ll probably put in some criteria and, like, you have to do something within 18 months or something like that, then basically we will give it to you.”

According to Mayor Keller, the Available City Properties Program has been in the works for roughly two years. The August 13 news conference launch marks the beginning of the program, which will also eventually include listing all of the city’s available buildings.  The program’s launch follows the enactment of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which among other things, authorizing federal funds for communities that are taking innovative approaches to spur housing development.

Terry Brunner, Director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, said he expects good things from the program. Last year, the city agency launched a similar program that allowed the public to use some of its vacant properties for block parties and craft fairs. Brunner said this:

“It was relatively successful, and we found that the community was looking for these opportunities to use our properties in creative ways. So instead of us … buying and holding a property for a long period of time and hoping a developer comes along and puts something on it, we’re trying to activate these properties.”

Brunner said that properties slated for development can be put to temporary use given that as it can take developers quite some time to secure financing and determine design plans. Brunner said this:

“In that [time] we could easily give that lot to the community or lease it out to somebody for a private use or a temporary weekend use. There’s no reason that lot needs to sit inactive. …We’re going to try our best to say yes and be open to all the ideas that you have.”

VACANT PROPERY SURVEY OF CITY’S MAJOR CORRIDORS

Jaemes Shanley is the President of the Mark Twain Neighborhood Association located in the mid heights. He is the Vice President of the District 7 Coalition of Neighborhoods which boasts membership of 14 neighborhood associations. Mr. Shanley first arrived in Albuquerque in 1969 to attend UNM from which he graduated in 1973. Mr. Shanley is a retired, highly successful business executive and worked in the private sector in sales, marketing, and business strategy for U.S. corporations in Australia, Japan, and the United States.  His work required extensive travel throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America, routinely on the ground in more than 30 countries.  Mr. Shanley returned to Albuquerque in September 2006 to renovate and take up residence in his parent’s Mark Twain neighborhood home where he and his wife reside.

Beginning in March, 2025 and ending January, 2026, James Shanely did a 10-month painstaking and very  time consuming “property-by-property survey”  of five of the city’s major commercial corridors from end to end. Those commercial property corridors were Central, San Pedro, Menaul, 4^th Street, and San Mateo to quantify their condition and use.  What he  found was so striking and disturbing to him that he felt compelled to continue by adding the following corridors:

• San Pedro from Gibson to Montgomery.
• San Mateo from Gibson to its end point at I-25 NE.
• Menaul from Tramway to Rio Grande Blvd. and down to Bellamah north of Old Town.
• 4^thStreet from Coal SW to Los Ranchos NW.
• The entirely of Zuni Rd. from east of Wyoming to its end at Morningside SE.
• Lomas Blvd. from Tramway to its intersection with Central east of Old Town.
• Wyoming Blvd from Trumbull in the International District to Paseo Del Norte in the far northeast heights.

Shanely’s  project involved confirming by visual inspection the nature and status of 3,816 properties of which 2,223 were commercial premises.  21%, or 626 of those premises were closed, for lease, vacant, or abandoned. Following are the results of his survey:

PROPERTY TYPE                                     COUNT           PERCENT OF TOTAL

• Apartment Complex                                 69                           1.8%
• Town Houses                                         262                            6.9%
• Mobile Home Park                                    9                             0.2%
• Single Home Lot                                    295                            7.7%
• Motel / Hotel                                            38                            1.0%
• Vacant Lot                                              118                           3.1%
• Parking Lot                                             39                             1.0%
• Construction Site                                   13                              0.3%
• Self-Storage                                            24                             0.6%
• Total Operating Businesses               2,323                           60.9%
• Closed Businesses                               626                            16.4%

• Total Properties Surveyed:   3,816           
• % businesses closed:             21%

Among the 6,050 individual properties Jaemes Shanley documented along or adjacent to these corridors were the following:

• 3,271 commercial premises, of which 740 (18%) are empty, closed, for lease, or abandoned
• 198 free-standing empty whole buildings with combined enclosed space of 1.9 million square feet
• 287 vacant lots totaling 217 acres
• 140 fast food outlets, 262 restaurants, 81 cannabis shops, but only 31 grocery stores. I can’t count high enough to include massage parlors and car washes.
• Large, paved parking lot areas underused all over the place
• Unhoused people concentrated or dispersed throughout

These quantitative and qualitative indicators were replicated as he extended his effort to other Albuquerque corridors including Juan Tabo, Eubank, Candelaria, Carlisle, 2^nd & 3^rd Streets, etc.

Long before Shanley became involved with his survey of vacant properties in the city’s commercial corridors,  he focused on the International District, where he documented huge numbers of vacant lots and abandoned houses within residential areas that have stood year after year as wasted opportunity for near term housing. On multiple sites redevelopment and refurbishment has been initiated by aggregating parcels and securing  funding from private and government sources for redevelopment of the properties.

SURVEY OF VACANT LAND OWNED BY CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE

On August 14, the day after Mayor Keller announced his “Available City Properties Program”,  Jaemes Shanely produced  a computer generated survey of the number of parcels, acreage and values of vacant land owned by the City of Albuquerque.  The survey included  Vacant Commercial Properties and Vacant Residential properties, acreage and land values. Following are the  Shanley survey results for City of Albuquerque owned property:

CITY OWNED VACANT OPEN SPACE

• NUMBER PARCELS OWNED:                                          1,128
• ACREAGE:                                                                       22,581
• ASSESSED BERNCO LAND VALUE:                         $309,539,509

CITY  OWNED  VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

• NUMBER OF PARCELS OWNED:                                  127
• TOTAL ACREAGE:                                                              7
• ASSESSED BERNCO LAND VALUE:                       $40,458,200

CITY  OWNED  VACANT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

• NUMBER OF PARCELS OWNED:                    490
• TOTAL ACREAGE:                                                4
• ASSESSED BERNCO LAND VALUE:         $18,251,798

CITY COUNCIL NARROWLY DEFEATS CITY WIDE  MANDATORY UPZONING TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE DENSITY IN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS

“Upzoning” is a land-use planning tool that changes existing zoning regulations to permit and increase population density in specific areas already zoned and developed. Zoning laws govern how property can be used, including housing density, minimum lot sizes, building heights, and parking requirements. Upzoning alters these rules to increase permitted density or intensity of use, allowing more units per acre, taller buildings, or different uses like commercial establishments in residential zones. This process does not directly create new housing but removes regulatory barriers, incentivizing new construction.

https://legalclarity.org/what-is-upzoning-and-how-does-the-legal-process-work/

On February 18, 2026  the Albuquerque City Council voted 5 to 4 to reject a series of sweeping amendments that Mayor Tim Keller sought to the city’s zoning laws known as the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO). The amendents to the city’s zoning laws known as the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO)  mandated upzoning in all established residential areas of the city. Voting NO were Democrat City Counselor Klarissa Peña and Republicans Councilors Dan Lewis, Renée Grout, Dan Champine and Brook Bassan. Voting YES were Democrat Progressive Councilors Tammy Fiebelkorn, Nichole Rogers, Joaquín Baca and Stephanie Telles.

Residential zoning covers 27% of Albuquerque’s land with 68% of the city’s existing housing being single-family detached homes with 120,000 existing residential lots having  already built homes. The goal of the land use zoning  amendments was to double or triple housing density in established neighborhoods by allowing duplex, condominium or apartment development in all 120,000 residential lots in established and built out neighborhoods.

The mandatory upzoning would have allowed development of apartment or commercial use, such as bodegas, on all corner lots in residential areas bordering main thorough fares. The proposed amendments to the IDO included a mandate for “upzoning”  to double or triple density in established neighborhoods as a permissive use requiring no city applications with no rights to contest nor appeal the upgrading development by adjoining property owners.

The two City Council Districts that would have been the most affected by the mandatory upzoning changes in city zoning laws would have been District 2 and District 6. District 2 is the city-center district encompassing downtown, old town, and includes the most historical areas of the city, part of the west mesa, and the entire valley east of the river and is represented by City Councilor Joaquin Baca.  District  6 includes Albuquerque’s Southeast Heights encompassing the University of New Mexico, and the International District and is represented by City Councilor Nichole Rogers.

Both Districts 2 and 6 have the highest concentration of minorities and lower income residents. It is these two districts that would have been the biggest targets for upzoning development by investors, speculators and developers to buy up properties from generational family’s for redevelop leading to gentrification. Both City Councilors voted for Mayor Keller’s up zoning changes believing the change in city zoning law would lead to “affordable housing” when in fact it would have resulted in the displacement of many of their constituents as investors sought to buy up residential properties for high end developments and not affordable or low income housing.

The proposed amendments by Mayor Tim Keller and the four Progressive Democrat City Councilors Tammy Fiebelkorn, Nichole Rogers, Joaquín Baca and Stephanie Telles voting to mandate upzoning was an attempt to address what they proclaimed is the city’s “housing crisis.” They argued that “flooding the market” with more housing will result in making more affordable housing available for sale or rent. They argued existing property owners wanted and could afford to build on their own properties whether they own their home outright or if there is a mortgage. Their arguments were false or very misleading.

The blunt reality is that very few existing homeowners can afford to add a 750 square foot “casita” or addition to their existing homes at the average construction cost of upwards of $175,000 to $200,000 without taking on a second mortgage. These elected officials  simply ignore market forces motivated by profits that will only benefit investment developers and that will lead to neighborhood gentrification and not lead to affordable housing.

KELLER HAS NOT GIVEN UP POLITICAL AGENDA TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE DENSITY  IN ALL ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS

In his August 15 State of the City address, Mayor Keller, as part of his third term “Abundance Agenda”, boldly proclaimed his intent to what he called “Democratizing Housing” to ensure “the freedom to choose what is your home.” Mayor Keller clearly stated that housing is a major focus of  his new Abundance Agenda. Keller stated that after the city council legalizing casitas, reducing parking requirements, and attempting other sweeping zoning changes city wide, his intent is to have city council enact sweeping  zoning  changes to enable more housing development. He said the City will continue looking for ways to give residents more freedom to decide what  their home can look like, including duplexes, cottages, condos, casitas and alternative construction methods.

In other words, Mayor Keller has not given up on his efforts to double or triple density in established neighborhoods that was so vehemently opposed by residential property owners and neighborhood associations. Zoning amendments to the Integrated Development Ordinance are allowed only every two years. Confidential sources have confirmed that Democrat Progressives intend to again reintroduce the legislation amending the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) to once again strip adjacent property owners of their rights to appeal and prevent unfettered development of adjoining property.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

It is abundantly clear from the surveys of real properties that there is no scarcity of real property in Albuquerque that can and should be used to solve the city’s affordable housing crunch. There is no need to require the rezoning of  all residential property in the city to double or triple density for affordable housing.

The term “affordable housing” is about as misleading as it gets. It is a term way too often used by elected officials and politicians to simply declare a crisis with inflated numbers that shows there is not enough housing that allows the poor or low-income people to rent or buy a home and call their own. Housing prices and rental costs never come down. The more appropriate term that should be used is “subsidized” housing where it’s clear what is needed is subsidized funding for those who cannot afford to buy outright or rent and need assistance.

The housing shortage crisis declared by Mayor Keller and City Council is related to economics, the development community’s inability to keep up with supply and demand and the public’s inability to purchase housing or qualify for housing mortgage loans. The shortage of rental properties has resulted in dramatic increases in rents. It’s clear that the City of Albuquerque and the state of New Mexico are suffering from a shortage of housing, but that does not mean it is all affordable housing.

Mayor Tim Keller’s “Available City Properties Program” is a realistic and common sense option to solve the city’s affordable housing crunch. The new program should negate all need for upzoning city wide to double or triple density in established neighborhoods as permissive uses. The “Available City Properties Program” will enable Mayor Keller and the city council to  direct their attention to the use of vacant commercial properties or buildings for conversion and development of affordable housing as opposed to forcing the doubling or tripling of neighborhood density, destroying historical neighborhoods and leading to gentrification.

Simply put, Mayor Keller, the Albuquerque City Council and affordable housing activists, investment speculators and developers  need to keep their hands off established neighborhoods to solve the affordable housing crunch with more density.

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/news/city-offers-its-unused-properties-to-public-1

https://www.cabq.gov/available-city-properties

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/albuquerque-launches-program-to-put-vacant-city-land-to-use/3102220

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/keller-pushes-abundance-agenda-in-state-of-the-city/3102741

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-launches-program-offering-nearly-200-unused-city-properties/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/albuquerque-unveils-program-to-repurpose-unused-city-land/ar-AA2a8ecZ

https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2026/08/14/albuquerque-unused-city-land-properties-program.html

https://archive.org/details/gtv16nm-City_Turns_Unused_Land_Into_Opportunity_August_13_2026

Links to related Dinelli News and Commentary  articles are here:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2026/04/06/jaemes-shanley-guest-opinion-column-albuquerque-corridors-affliction-and-opportunity-we-can-and-must-fix-albuquerque-commentary-shanley-survey-of-citys-corridors-provides-inform/

Jaemes Shanley Guest Opinion Column: Councilor Fiebelkorn’s “Opt In” Zoning Proposal Reflected Willful Ignorance Of Our City’s Obvious Needs