The Albuquerque developers are turning some of the city’s vacant motels and homes into affordable housing. As Jack Herrera explains in High Country News, the city needs up to 30,000 new units to meet demand. “Plywood, on the other hand, covers windows in unused buildings, many of which are single-storey fake adve pueblo revival structures. In 2018, the city’s task force estimated that between 1,200 and 1,300 homes were either vacant, abandoned, or generally standard signs.”
Rehabilitation of an old home solves two problems. It has energized booming economies in some regions and devastated others. And it is a rallying cry for rarity, and the remnants of past collapse become a symbol of a new life.
Rents in some US cities have fallen from their peaks during the pandemic era, but rents in Albuquerque remain nearly 50% higher than in 2019. Last year, the city launched a $4 million program aimed at supporting adaptive reuse projects. Local developer Karina Chavez is now converting four former Route 66 motels into new homes and food halls, allowing access to fresh food and produce for nearby residents.
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