OPINION: Legislature should support rental legislation

According to the United States Census, between 2020 and 2024, Albuquerque’s population has declined slightly, from 564,549 to 560,326. Yet, according to Zillow, rents over the last year have increased about 3% and housing purchase prices have increased 1.5%. Typically, when a community grows, demand for housing surges. Albuquerque hasn’t been growing, but prices have been going up. It is hard to build housing in Albuquerque because of slow permitting and neighborhood opposition. Local governments often won’t stand up to this opposition. We need action at the state level.

Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, D-Albuquerque, has a suite of proposals that can get in front of future population and economic growth — both good things — before they create spikes in housing costs. These proposals have yet to be assigned bill numbers but here’s what they do and why they will help prevent higher housing costs.

• Eminent domain for metropolitan development agencies: Granting eminent domain to MRA's would help in cases where there is a need to assemble parcels for redevelopment, or to meet needs to acquire land or private property for public benefit.

• Amending the limitation on annexation: Currently in Bernalillo County, the county’s permission is required if an area wants to grow and add more housing and industry. No other city in the United States has to request permission to grow. Allowing annexation will stimulate not only the economy in Bernalillo County, but also housing supply.

• Eliminating building height restrictions: This is an important step to limit arbitrary restrictions on new housing developments that would limit supply. Upzoning and increasing density will attract more businesses, add to the housing supply, and decrease costs of those units.

• Prohibiting parking mandates: Parking is expensive to build and maintain, contributing to the cost of housing production. Not only are parking minimum requirements contributing to heat index issues, but they take up valuable space where more housing units could be placed instead. Fewer units decrease supply and increase rents in multifamily housing.

• Restricting appeals of decisions of zoning and planning authorities: This reduces the negative effect of appeals by Not in My Backyard groups, intended to bleed projects with additional process. In a time when population has decreased, and a lack of industry and housing has contributed to the decline, the property rights of one cannot override the need of many for housing and jobs.

• Allowing development of duplexes and townhomes: Increasing density, supply and diversity of housing types creates "missing middle" housing opportunities. This bill provides an exemption for historic zones from duplexes and townhome development.

• Allowing small-scale commercial uses: Live-work type neighborhoods are an excellent way to create opportunities for more economic activity, higher-density housing, walkable neighborhoods and affordable housing.

• Allowing multigenerational housing: In the continued spirit of increasing density, the development of additional detached units, or casitas, by right will allow families to stay together, and will also provide homeowners with the option to create rental spaces to generate additional income.

• Demolition fund: There is an abundance of abandoned and vacant buildings throughout New Mexico, especially in rural areas. A potential developer may desire to purchase the land, but often the costs of demolishing the abandoned building drives the cost too high for a potential project to be feasible. This proposal will eliminate that barrier.

Taken together, these proposals are revolutionary. Even by themselves, each one creates the necessary conditions for economic growth without the attendant rise in housing prices and rents. The Legislature should consider them and pass as many of them as possible.

Roger Valdez is the director of the Center for Housing Economics, a nonprofit that researches and advocates for better housing policy in New Mexico. Kaedi Sanchez is the Development and Policy associate.