Barcelona Suites Shut Down by City Amid Crime, Filth, Code Violations

Albuquerque –

On May 30, 2025, City of Albuquerque officials provided an update regarding the closure of the Barcelona Suites. The closure followed a multi-agency inspection that began on Thursday and uncovered unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the property. We reported this story to you first on Thursday afternoon.

Mayor Tim Keller and representatives from the Planning Department’s Code Enforcement Division, Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS), the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), the Fire Marshal’s Office, and Animal Welfare presented the findings that led to the hotel’s shutdown.

The City of Albuquerque ordered the closure of the Barcelona Suites, located at 900 Louisiana Blvd NE. This followed an announced inspection by City Code Enforcement, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, and the Environmental Health Department that began on Thursday, May 29. The inspection revealed an array of code and fire violations that threatened the safety of tenants and the surrounding community.

Fire Marshal Jason Garcia said that since April 2021, the Abandoned and Dilapidated Abatement Property Team (ADAPT) has been working with the management of Barcelona Suites. Fire Marshal Garcia went on to say “management originally made some positive changes, but unfortunately progress has significantly slowed down again to the point that ADAPT had to start weekly fines beginning on February 27, 2025.” He also noted that “at this point, it appears that management no longer considers improving the property’s living and safety conditions a priority.”

The city stated that the hotel had 163 rooms and almost every room had some sort of code enforcement issue from mechanical, to sewage backup, to electrical.

The inspection found unsafe living conditions that lacked basic health and safety standards. Violations included:

• Numerous plumbing issues, such as non-functional toilets, sinks, and showers, leaking plumbing fixtures, unsanitary drainage conditions, and inadequate hot water with some rooms having no hot water at all.
• Inspectors identified electrical hazards throughout the building, including overloaded circuits, extension cords used in place of permanent wiring, exposed wires, uncovered electrical boxes, and damaged outlets.
• Fire code violations like expired and missing fire extinguishers, non-functional and missing smoke detectors, blocked means of egress, and hazardous waste storage.
• Unsanitary conditions like water damage, mold, and infestations of bed bugs, cockroaches, and pigeons.
• Expired permits, unpermitted construction, expired business registration, and an invalid Certificate of Occupancy.

The property had also become a magnet for law enforcement activity. In the past year alone, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) responded to 151 calls for service at Barcelona Suites. Incidents included:

• 10 calls involving assault or battery
• 30 disturbances
• 29 suspicious person/vehicle
• 10 family disputes
• 9 arrests

At the press conference, APD Commander Josh Richards, who leads the Southeast Area Command, spoke about the crime at the Barcelona Suites. He stated that calls and incidents there have increased over the past three to four years. He recalled three shootings at the hotel over the past year, including one at the back of the property that ABQRAW reported.

The City of Albuquerque stated ACS connected with 68 individuals staying at the site. ACS assisted those who sought long-term housing solutions or temporary accommodations. The Barcelona Suites charged tenants monthly rates ranging from $280 to $1,025, sometimes requiring both cash and a voucher. This occurred despite the dangerous and squalid living conditions. You can see some photo of the horrid conditions below.

“This property is yet another example of the ongoing challenges we’ve seen with many long-term stay hotels, being a breeding ground for criminal activity,” said APD Chief of Staff Mike Hernandez.

The city said two pets were voluntarily surrendered by their owners. City officials placed three other pets in protective custody until their owners secured appropriate housing.

City officials stated that the current owners can make changes and bring the dilapidated property up to code. If they do not, they may have to sell it or it could potentially be condemned.

This is the seventh hotel the City of Albuquerque has shuttered in seven months.