Albuquerque, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Housing Design Competitions

Description: A missing-middle housing design competition will feature public charrettes and small-infill design concepts. The effort will build understanding of age-friendly housing in neighborhoods.

Albuquerque, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety

Description: To help Albuquerque residents stay physically active and access nutritious food, the Mid-Region Council of Governments repurposed an underused parking lot into a pop-up community wellness and walking hup. Volunteers repurposed wooden pallets to construct benches, tables and planters. They also planted fruit trees and added bird feeders to the site. To give residents a space to meditate, organizers also created a wellness labyrinth onsite. Using paint, they delineated a walking path across the parking lot and created an artistic crosswalk nearby. Additionally, the Council created and displayed interactive walking maps -- available in both English and Spanish -- along with pavement decals displaying QR codes. The QR codes allow smartphone users to access information online about walking and nutrition programs. Organizers say the project is a first step in larger efforts to address health disparities experienced by the community's Latino, Hispanic and Native populations.