Bernalillo County, NM Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Bernalillo County regulates property blight under its Property Maintenance and Nuisance Abatement Ordinance (Chapter 30 of the County Code of Ordinances) and the International Property Maintenance Code adopted by reference. Prohibited conditions include deteriorated exterior surfaces, broken or boarded windows, damaged roofing, accumulated junk/debris, inoperable vehicles stored in open view, and structures unfit for human habitation. Inside the City of Albuquerque, parallel enforcement runs under the Uniform Housing Code and ROA 1994 Section 14-3 (Property Maintenance). Code Enforcement issues a Notice of Violation with a compliance window of 15 to 30 days; unresolved cases move to administrative hearing. The county may abate conditions and assess costs as a lien on the parcel under NMSA 1978 Section 3-18-5 and Section 4-37-1. Vacant and boarded buildings must be secured against trespass. In the high desert climate, peeling stucco and adobe deterioration are common blight triggers, and accumulated tumbleweeds/dry brush elevate fire risk subject to separate weed abatement enforcement.