The Keller Administration has proposed a new EDo Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA), presenting initial details in the March Board Meeting of the EDo Neighborhood Association. An MRA, under State law, gives cities the ability to invest metropolitan redevelopment funds into projects, for the purpose of economic development in areas of long-term underinvestment. There are two existing MRAs in EDo, the Albuquerque High MRA and the Railroad MRA (west of Broadway, east of railroad). Without metropolitan redevelopment funds, The Lofts at Albuquerque High and Innovate ABQ would not have become realities.
     We thank the Keller Administration for their leadership in building upon the success of those two projects, with this expanded area where many underutilized parcels could become new homes, businesses, shops, and other facilities for our growing neighborhood. The proposal first goes to the Albuquerque Development Commission. Their recommendation goes to the City Council for final approval, expected in the 2nd quarter of 2019. 

Redevelopment experts like Jeff Speck and Bob Gibbs recommend putting curb parking almost everywhere for several reasons. First, it provides convenient parking for local residents and customers of local businesses. Second, it provides a "barrier of steel" for pedestrians on the sidewalk. Third, it has a traffic calming effect on moving vehicles, increasing neighborhood safety.  Finally, it reduces the need for surface parking lots (which could have buildings on them) and very expensive parking garages.  
     There are over 1,000 on-street parking spaces in EDo and Huning Highlands, in the area from Broadway to I-25, and from Coal to MLK. The utilization of these spaces is poor, we believe for 2 reasons. First, the City's neighborhood permit program is protecting these spaces for local residents from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, when they are least needed by those residents, and most needed by visitors to local businesses and restaurants. Second, the metered parking on Central has effective hours of 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday-Saturday, the first and last hour of which is needed by local residents and not needed by local businesses.  
     The EDo Neighborhood Board has requested changes to both these policies, in the letter attached here.

City Councilor Isaac Benton has been a leader for his district (which includes EDo) since being first elected in 2007. We are pleased to hear this news, and recommend that you sign his petition to put him on the ballot, and donate $5 to the City to qualify him for public campaign financing under City law. The election is in October. Please see BentonforABQ.com for more information.

We are puzzled as to why so many of our fellow Burqueños spend their hard-earned money with Amazon, Costco, and their fellow absentee businesses, when there are great choices right here in Albuquerque.  Dollars spent with local businesses stay in our economy.  Dollars spent with the "big box crowd" fly out of town overnight, never to be seen again. One of our local heroes is Monte Skarsgard of Skarsgard Farms, delivering fresh quality produce to our doors (much of it grown here) for almost 2 decades. He's not just a great organic, local farmer, he's also a great writer. Here's what Monte has to say recently about the local food movement. Please read "Realizing a Dream" here, and please support him and all our locals!

Our neighbors to the north recently ran a test of free fares on their transit system, and attracted tens of thousands of new riders. As a transit rider is likely one less vehicle on our public streets, perhaps the savings to the taxpayers outweigh the cost of the fare? High transit ridership translates into more frequent transit service, which attracts more riders, which attracts more frequent service - you get the point. And high transit utilization attracts development of new apartments, condos, and businesses. We encourage ABQ Ride to experiment with this idea, and try and bring new riders (and their benefits) to our transit system. More here ...