Letter to the Editor: Building for the future

My Albuquerque Journal Letter to the Editor about allowing duplexes in key areas of the city.

May 03, 2024

A duplex in Albuquerque, New Mexico, designed to look like a single-family house, now with two front doors placed on opposite sides of the front of the house, surrounded by cottonwood trees. The architecture maintains the Southwestern style with stucco walls and a flat roof. The house is painted in earthy tones of beige and terracotta. The front yard features local desert plants like cacti and agave, now complemented by tall cottonwood trees, adding a lush, green touch to the scenery. The clear blue sky enhances the bright New Mexico sun, providing a vivid backdrop.

Between my day job, arranging for a year abroad in Spain, and prepping for the big Strong Towns ABQ/CityNerd collab happening later this month (more info coming soon), it’s been a busy week! I did, though, manage to squeak out a 292-word Letter to the Editor for the Albuquerque Journal about the upcoming hearing on Duplex zoning in Abq.

On the upcoming City Council hearing on duplexes, City Desk ABQ reported:

The change would allow duplexes… to be constructed from existing single-family homes located in certain areas of the metro…
Duplexes are part of middle housing, a category in short supply in many cities that already face low inventories and sky-high prices. It includes triplexes, fourplexes, courtyard buildings and townhomes — rental options somewhere inbetween a typical single family home or large apartment complex. Middle housing is typically woven into established neighborhoods that are walkable, near mass transit and more supportive of local restaurants and retail.

A similar, more extensive zoning change was considered by the Council last year but was ultimately turned down. This year, the bill’s sponsors opted for a more incremental, less expansive version of the bill - limiting the scope of the bill to the areas mapped below:

According to City Desk ABQ, “[The city’s Land Use, Zoning, and Planning Committee (LUPZ)] is scheduled to hear the proposed changes on Wednesday [April 10th] and on May 15. Fiebelkorn thinks the IDO bill could come before the full City Council as early as May or as late as June.”

As the potential zoning change still looms, Strong Towns ABQ decided to write a bunch of letters of support to the Albuquerque Journal to raise awareness of this pro-housing zoning reform. I sent the following.

Building for the future

As a resident and homeowner in Albuquerque, I see a huge need for the City Council to pass Amendment Five of the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) and allow the development of duplexes in key areas of the city. Like much of the US, Albuquerque is predominantly zoned for single-family homes leading to expensive homes, car-centric design, and more. Amendment Five is one of many upzoning initiatives the City Council should consider, and it would be an incremental step towards making Albuquerque a healthier city.

Efficient land use is proven to improve a diverse set of factors including environmental conservation, upward mobility, small business success, housing accessibility, and more. Amendment 5 is a small, approachable step the City Council should take to adopt sensible land-use practices in Albuquerque.

Duplexes, by design, are more efficient than single-family homes. They accommodate more people per unit of land, share expensive utilities and infrastructure, and put less pressure on the city to sprawl. Moreover, the construction and maintenance of duplexes require fewer resources per capita, leading to a smaller carbon footprint, and cheaper houses.

America’s housing crisis is complex, and can’t be fixed with one limited duplex policy, but Amendment Five would make it a fraction better. Duplexes offer renters and buyers a viable way to build wealth in Albuquerque, and better aligns the city with the pressing global mandate to mitigate climate change.

As home prices balloon every year, homeownership is a fleeting dream for many. “Missing middle housing” like townhomes and duplexes offer an entry point for young Burquenos to build a future in this city - there’s just not nearly enough of them. While there are many benefits, Amendment Five could at least help build a few more futures in Albuquerque.

The next LUPZ meeting is on May 15th at 5 PM in the Vincent E. Griego Council Chambers - City of Albuquerque Government Center, 1 Civic Plaza NW. If you would like to submit public comment, submit a written comment to City Council Clerk Michelle M. Montoya at mmmontoya@cabq.gov, or find the Zoom link, once posted, here to comment live at the LUPZ meeting.

If you live in Albuquerque and would like to urge your City Councilor to support Amendment 5 of the IDO, find your Councilor here.

For more information regarding the duplex amendment, visit the Strong Towns ABQ website.