A violent 2003 in Albuquerque's Nob Hill neighborhood has prompted area residents and businesses to band together in an attempt to clean up the district's image and rid it of crime.
The historic neighborhood, which borders the UNM campus, was the site of four violent incidents between March and December, resulting in two deaths, the firebombing of an area eatery and the stabbing and attempted robbery of the owner of a baby clothing store.
Melinda Rand-Kenefic, president of the Nob Hill Business Association, said everyone who calls the area home knew they had to take steps to keep the neighborhood from being cordoned off with crime tape.
"Anywhere you live has got to belong to you," she said. "We're not different from anywhere else in Albuquerque. We just want to be safe."
The Nob Hill Business Association, the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association and the Nob Hill Renaissance Corp. devised a plan of action and took it straight to the top.
They approached Mayor Martin Ch†vez and Albuquerque Police Chief Gilbert Gallegos early this year with their desire for increased police presence in the area, money to make the area more aesthetically pleasing and the eradication of several motels known for their high crime rates.
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The mayor, who grew up in the Nob Hill district, apparently agreed with the groups, making their concerns a top priority.
He delegated city funds for the city department to keep the area free from graffiti and to clean Nob Hill's sidewalks on a regular basis.
The city has also closed several local motels in recent months, including the Zia Motel and the Royal Inn in an effort to push crime out of the area.
Deborah James, spokeswoman for the mayor, said Ch†vez understands the Nob Hill neighborhood's historic value and wants the city to do its part to keep it clean and its residents safe.
"He has put the resources in place to make sure that happens," she said.
The recently enacted Safety in Public Places Ordinance, which targets aggressive panhandling, includes Nob Hill, James said. The ordinance is still in its beginning phases, though, because of protests by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Albuquerque's Community Enforcement and Abatement Division, which is working closely with the Nob Hill coalition, has implemented new programs to crack down on transients in the area.
According to the division's Web site, hotel owners now have to perform mandatory criminal background checks on all guests. Hotel guests whose stay is going to be more than a month are also now required to sign leases.
Many UNM students, who frequent Nob Hill's many trendy restaurants, stores and boutiques, say despite the rash of violence last year, they don't feel unsafe there.
"Just about everywhere in Albuquerque has some amount of crime," said UNM junior Jennifer Gonzales. "But Nob Hill is a special place, and it's good to see that efforts are being made to keep it that way."
Rand-Kenefic said the increase in police presence in Nob Hill is going beyond just protecting the area. APD is planning in-store safety training for area business employees to empower them to fight crime.
"We are taking back our neighborhood by getting people involved," she said.
The future of the Nob Hill area and its prosperity, she said, is closely tied with UNM's. Rand-Kenefic said the two entities' relationship goes beyond their close proximity to each other.
"The safety of the area affects us all," she said. "It's something we should all make a priority."
