New Mexico

Bernalillo County reassessing vacant properties

Published

3 months ago

August 15, 2024

Press Room

Bernalillo County reassessing vacant properties

From boarded up doors to broken windows, we’ve all seen vacant lots around town.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – From boarded up doors to broken windows, we’ve all seen vacant lots around town.

The county assessor has a list of all of nuisance properties and has a plan to clean things up.

“I quickly found out that many of the buildings that have been boarded up and sitting vacant now are actually owned by out-of-state corporations, holding companies or investment companies that are essentially using New Mexico as a write-off state to offset their real estate profits in other parts of the country,” said Damian Lara, a Bernalillo County assessor.

In the middle of a housing crisis, Lara says vacant buildings are the last thing we need. For the last year, he has been reassessing properties on the nuisance list.

“We are assessing it as it was the highest and best use. That could be a restaurant, affordable hosing, a rental property, it could be retail stores, warehouses. We are assessing it at what it should be, not what it currently is,” said Lara.

So, what does this mean for these out-of-state property owners?

“Normally, a higher evaluation for these specific properties will result in a higher tax bill,” Lara said.

Lara says that isn’t always a bad thing when trying to turn vacant buildings into something.

“Reassessing vacant properties encourages and incentivizes these property owners to invest in their properties or to sell it to someone who will,” said Lara.

There have also been some success stories, like the old Ramada Inn.

“The property owners are coming in, working with us and saying’ you know ‘We have known that this property has been boarded up and neglected for many years, and now we are renovating it, here is the cost to cure it, will you give us credit for that,’ Absolutely,” said Lara.

Lara says some business owners have protested their higher evaluations. But, for the most part, the program has been successful and there hasn’t been a lot of push back.

Source link

New Mexico

Sandoval County Sheriff's Office receives more than $1M to tackle backlog of felony warrants

Published

5 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

Sandoval County Sheriff's Office receives more than M to tackle backlog of felony warrants

The Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office is getting more than a million dollars to chip away at a backlog of felony warrants.

SANDOVAL COUNTY, N.M. – The Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office is getting more than a million dollars to chip away at a backlog of felony warrants.

“According to dispatch it is just under 500, 470 or so, and those are warrants that we are trying to target at this point,” said Sandoval County Undersheriff Joe Gonzales.

Gonzales says this is their second round of money this year. They got together with Bernalillo County, Rio Rancho police, and Corrales police to put together a taskforce to make the process easier.

“So some of these people are reoffenders and if they do not appear in court they never face the consequences of their crime. When we do these, that is what we are trying to get at, reoffenders and the most violent of the warrants that we have at this point,” said Gonzales.

The grant will give the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office the money they need to pay deputies overtime, allowing them to knock on doors and clear warrants.

“As you know, Albuquerque had a huge problem with gun violence. Rio Rancho and Sandoval County, we don’t have that big of a problem, but what we do have is property crimes,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales says as the population grows, it’s even more important to make sure everyone is safe. That means getting this backlog under control.

“These people have been charged with a crime they either failed to appear in court, or they appeared and absconded. At this point, those are the people that we want to bring back to the court and have their cases adjudicated,” said Gonzales.

Source link

New Mexico

New Mexico (NMAA) high school football playoffs: 2024 brackets, semifinal matchups, game times

Published

12 hours ago

November 19, 2024

Press Room

New Mexico (NMAA) high school football playoffs: 2024 brackets, semifinal matchups, game times

Playoff season continues in New Mexico high school football.

The postseason dwindles down this week as classes 2A-7A start the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 22, along with the 8-man championship game on Saturday, Nov. 23.

>>New Mexico high school football playoff brackets

Stick with High School on SI for all of the matchups, game times and scores throughout the 2024 New Mexico (NMAA) high school football playoffs.

7 p.m. Friday

2024 New Mexico Class 2A bracket

Championship game matchup

(1) Melrose vs. (4) Mesilla Valley Christian School

1 p.m. Saturday

2024 New Mexico Class 8-Man bracket

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

— Ben Dagg @sblivesports

Source link