City shuts down Days Inn near Coors and I-40 in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — For the second time this week, the City of Albuquerque has shut down a hotel near Coors and Interstate 40.

The city shut down the Days Inn, just west of Coors and Iliff, after the hotel failed an inspection Thursday. According to the city, they found “numerous significant” issues that pose serious risks to “both the tenants and the property itself.”

Code enforcement officials found unwrapped and used syringes, non-functioning toilets, bathtubs that wouldn’t drain, room entry doors that didn’t latch and other issues.

The Environmental Health Department reportedly found “filthy mattresses, drug paraphernalia, as well as dead mice and cockroaches in multiple rooms.” In the pool and hot tub area, they reportedly found “non-functional filters and pumps,” “dead cockroaches floating in the water” and other issues.

Meanwhile, Albuquerque Fire Rescue found several fire code violations, including rooms that either “lacked smoke detectors entirely” or “had non-functioning smoke detectors.”

According to the city, they also took a dog into protective custody after their owners abandoned them.

“This is another sad example of a property owner choosing to run an operation that harms the neighborhood,” said Alan Varela, the director of the city’s Planning Department. “They let what was once a good property deteriorate to the point where it is not safe to occupy.”

According to the city, Albuquerque Community Safety met with and offered services to seven people, including a family of four that ACS assisted in transitioning from the Days Inn. All seven of them had access to alternative housing and support resources.

Earlier this week, the city shut down the Motel 6 that is next door to the Days Inn on Iliff. The Motel 6 shutdown was due to reported rampant crime there.

Last year, a person was shot and killed at the Days Inn. The year before, police found a man shot and killed in a hotel room there.

“As we red tag the fifth problem motel in six months, I hope problem property owners understand our message with absolute clarity. We will not tolerate establishments that endanger our community,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “While shuttering doors is our last resort, we will not stand by when safety is compromised, and we’ll continue to hold drivers of crime accountable.”

City leaders closed the Loma Verde Motel near Central and Louisiana in January. In February, the city closed the Bow and Arrow Lodge near Central and Wyoming. 

Code enforcement violations

• “Broken or inoperable heating and cooling units”
• “Severe plumbing issues”
  • Broken faucets and sinks
  • Non-functioning toilets
  • Bathtubs that would not drain
  • Visible water leaks
• Significant structural damage
  • Broken windows
  • Holes in walls and ceilings
  • Damaged entry doors, including several doors that could not be properly secured
• “Biohazard concerns”
  • Unwrapped, used syringes

Environmental Health Department findings

• “Room inspections found filthy mattresses, drug paraphernalia, as well as dead mice and cockroaches in multiple rooms. These conditions reflect a significant lack of sanitation, creating an environment unsuitable for human habitation.”
• “The pool and hot tub area inspection found evidence of inadequate maintenance, non-functional filters and pumps, missing drain suction outlets, missing emergency phone, and dead cockroaches floating in the water.”

AFR findings

• “Multiple fire extinguishers missing, many with outdated inspection tags”
• “Numerous exit signs on both floors were either non-functional or missing altogether which could hinder evacuation efforts in an emergency”
• “Many rooms lacked smoke detectors entirely, while others had non-functioning smoke detectors”
• “Multiple emergency exit lights were either missing or not operational”
• “The building lacked visible or legible address identification from the main entrance”
• Electrical hazards
  • Exposed electrical wiring in “numerous rooms”
  • Open junction boxes
    • These house the electrical connections for a building