Rental practices ordinance

A UNM economics TA who argued fee disclosure and caps lower market friction and help both renters and landlords; urged a yes vote.

A renter who asked why the ordinance wasn't passed and praised Councilor Rogers as the only councilor who cares about renters.

A South Valley renter who said SB 267 passed at the state level but isn't being enforced; urged the council to pass local enforcement.

DSA co-chair citing a Searchlight New Mexico report on weak tenant law enforcement, urging local codification.

A landlord and former apartment manager who read the bill and found nothing onerous; urged passage.

A downtown teacher and renter who described paying hundreds in undisclosed monthly fees, including a fee to pay rent, in violation of SB 267.

A housing justice organizer with OLÉ who said the council must show it cares about renters by passing the bill.

Described his family paying escalating application fees year after year without getting units; urged a yes vote.

A landlord representative who argued the bill conflicts with state law's remedy process and suggested the city fund a landlord-tenant hotline instead.

A realtor and property manager who argued the ordinance penalizes before proof and asked the council to give SB 267 time to work.

A District 6 renter with OLÉ Renters Revolution who described black mold and double-billed utilities and demanded the council protect renters.

A former legal aid attorney who said the bill is about enforcement, which tenants cannot afford to pursue privately.

Executive director of the NM Coalition to End Homelessness who said fees push households into eviction and homelessness; penalties are necessary.

GAAR government affairs chair who argued parallel enforcement creates confusion and said SB 267 has only been law six months.

GAAR president representing 4,000+ members who supported tenant protections but asked the council to let SB 267 work first.

Called 'double enforcement' a myth, saying the city cannot enforce without an ordinance, and warned that amending out the fees removes any teeth.

CEO of NM Eviction Prevention and Diversion described uninhabitable-condition complaints going uninvestigated by any agency.

Described clients hit with arbitrary, discriminatory-seeming fees after moving from Texas, where such practices are illegal.

Spoke for the realtors in opposition, thanking Rogers for collaboration but citing conflicts with state landlord-tenant law and due process concerns.

Executive director of the Apartment Association of NM (40,000 rental doors) opposed the bill over preemption, duplicative penalties, and legal risk.

District 6 constituent supporting the bill, recalling unaffordable fees as a grad student.

Thanked Rogers but opposed duplicating state enforcement and shifting costs onto the city budget.

Housing justice organizer at OLÉ supporting the bill to stop hidden fees and give renters enforcement power.

Longtime renter supporting the bill, describing significant fees she narrowly avoided.