OPINION: The truth about Albuqeurque 'comeback'

Mayor Tim Keller stood on stage for his State of the City address and declared that Albuquerque is “on a comeback.” But let’s be clear, that wasn’t a comeback speech, it was a cover-up speech. The facts on the ground tell a very different story. Crime continues to threaten our neighborhoods, homelessness has exploded and basic city services are broken. Families and small businesses are not seeing the recovery Keller claims.

Crime: Keller, in front of the cameras, boasted that crime is down in every category. But families know better. People are still afraid to let their kids play outside. Too many of us have neighbors who have been victims of burglary, auto theft or violent crime. Mothers tell me they don’t feel safe shopping after dark. Seniors worry about walking in their own neighborhoods.You don’t measure safety in charts and cherry-picked statistics. You measure it in whether people feel safe in their own homes, schools and streets. By that measure, Keller has failed.

Homelessness: Keller pointed to his Gateway Center as proof of progress. But the facts don’t lie. The federally mandated Point-in-Time count shows homelessness soared from 1,152 in 2021 to 2,740 in 2024, a staggering 138% increase on Keller’s watch. Nearly half of those are unsheltered, living on the streets, in tents and cars. Even the Department of Housing and Urban Development confirms the crisis is worsening in Albuquerque. And hospital records reveal the deeper truth: More than 30,000 New Mexicans were identified as homeless in the health care system between 2019 and 2023. Keller’s claim that his programs are moving “1,000 people off the streets” each day doesn’t erase the reality that far more people are falling into homelessness every single year than his system can catch.

City services: Keller bragged about $200 million in parks, libraries and housing projects, and pointed to his Community Safety Department as visionary leadership. But when you walk our neighborhoods, you see the truth. Encampments remain in parks and along roadways, businesses face break-ins, vandalism and slow response times. Meanwhile, city services are bogged down in bureaucracy. Builders wait months for basic permits. Road projects drag on endlessly, hurting local businesses and commute times. Shiny capital projects don’t fix systemic failure, and they don’t make up for a lack of leadership.

The bottom line: When you line up Keller’s words against the facts, his narrative collapses. Albuquerque is not “on a comeback.” It’s on life support. Crime continues to affect daily life, homelessness has doubled, and families are still waiting for leadership that meets the moment.

After eight years of Keller, Albuquerque deserves more than polished speeches, taxpayer-funded commercials and photo ops. We deserve results. We deserve accountability. And we deserve a mayor who puts people first.

It’s time to stop settling for survival and start demanding solutions. Albuquerque’s future depends on it.

I believe Albuquerque can be safe, strong and thriving again. But it will take leadership that works for and with the people. I’m asking for your support to help us bring accountability back to City Hall and build the future our families deserve, and that is why I am running for mayor.