The people of Albuquerque should be able to afford to live here. As mayor, Alex will preserve the city’s culture and build its future. He will foster a customer-service model at City hall where the goal is to get you to approval. Alex will cut red tape, incentivize smart density, and fight displacement so our families, workers, and seniors can afford to stay in the city they love.
Since 2017, rent in Albuquerque has gone up by more than 60%, but the number of available homes has only grown by about 6%. At the same time, the average price to buy a home has nearly doubled.
Across the state, there are now only half as many homes for sale as there were in 2018. As housing costs rise and options shrink, homelessness has grown sharply — increasing by 87%. Even more concerning, a growing number of people are stuck in long-term homelessness, rising from one-third to 40% of the total.
Even those who have shelter are on the brink. In Bernalillo County, 45,210 households are cost-burdened, meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing. By 2035, Bernalillo County will need to produce an additional 27,399 additional units, or 2,739 per year, in order to keep up with population and needs. (NM MFA, 2022) Although Albuquerque has added 31,400 jobs in the past three years, the city has permitted fewer than 9,000 units of housing over the same period. (PEW Research, 2025)
Our housing crisis is fueled by outdated processes, unnecessary delays, and a lack of urgency. We can grow rapidly and responsibly by maintaining our existing structures while spurring affordable and integrated new development.
Growth doesn’t have to mean losing what makes a neighborhood special.
Alex believes we can protect renters, keep longtime residents in their homes, and preserve the character of our neighborhoods—while still making room for positive change. As Mayor, Alex will support thoughtful development that keeps Albuquerque vibrant and inclusive.
The resources are already there; by using the tools we have, and building strategic partnerships, we can deliver bold results without burning working families. As Mayor, Alex will work with all partners to build an Albuquerque of the future.
Outdated zoning ordinances and obstructive land use policies, procedures, and appeals restrict density and drive up housing costs. Too many of our most connected, opportunity-rich neighborhoods are off-limits to the housing we desperately need. As Mayor, Alex will foster a customer-service model at City Hall where the goal is to get to approval, properly resource the Planning Department, and build smart density in Albuquerque.
As Mayor, Alex will invest in the heart of our city, and the transit that connects it to the rest of Albuquerque.
It's time to treat the causes of quality of life crimes and homelessness. Behavioral health and addiction touch every part of our city—from overwhelmed emergency rooms to law enforcement responses, to families trying to hold each other together. This crisis isn’t new, but it is urgent—and it will take all of us to build a system rooted in healing.
