Albuquerque, NM Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Section 14-3-5-12 declares substandard buildings nuisances that must be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, removal, or securing all accessible openings. When the Building and Safety Division finds a building structurally inadequate, a fire hazard, or otherwise dangerous under the Uniform Administrative Code and Technical Codes, it commences proceedings toward closing, demolition, or removal under the separate Administrative Demolition Ordinance (Chapter 14, Article 23). Before that happens, § 14-3-5-3 requires the Department to issue formal notices and orders, and § 14-3-5-4 gives the owner 15 days from that notice to file a written appeal with the City Clerk's office; an Independent Hearing Officer conducts the hearing under the IHO Ordinance (ROA 1994, Ch.

2, Art. 7, Pt. 8), and filing a timely appeal stays enforcement of the notice while it is pending. Failing to appeal within 15 days waives the right to an administrative hearing. If a building is vacated during this process, § 14-3-5-14 separately requires the owner to obtain a vacant building maintenance license 15 days before vacating and to keep the structure weather-tight and secure. Code Enforcement also coordinates with other departments under § 14-3-5-13, notifying Animal Control, Environmental Health, the Police Department, or Fire Rescue when a substandard-building inspection turns up related violations.