Joe Craig, the mayor of the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, died Tuesday, May 22. Craig was known for leading the charge against high-density development in the village.
Craig, 74, was a lifelong resident of Los Ranchos and was a long-time advocate for open space in Los Ranchos. He served as the chairman of the village’s Open Space Committee and was key in acquiring several large open space properties in the village over the last 15 years.
At the beginning of May, it was announced through the Friends of Los Ranchos that Craig was sick and trustee Frank Reinrow would be acting mayor until Craig’s return.
Craig is the second Los Ranchos mayor to die while in office. In 2018, then-Mayor Larry P. Abraham, 64, died while on vacation in St. George, Utah. Then trustee Don Lopez was appointed as mayor. Lopez lost to Craig in the November 2023 election.
Up until he became mayor, Craig led the Friends of Los Ranchos, a non-profit group organized to acquire open space and to keep Los Ranchos rural. The group opposes the Palindrome project, a large mixed-use development at Osuna Road and Fourth Street. Bernalillo County put up $29 million in project revenue bonds to fund part of the project. The project is mired in litigation and controversy all while construction is being completed.
While Craig was president, the group filed several lawsuits against the village for this project. A Second Judicial District Judge ruled May 3 that the prior administration violated the state’s Open Meetings Act when it administratively approved the site plan for the 200-plus affordable housing development.
In a statement on the village’s website, Reinrow described Craig as a “dedicated public servant and beloved community member” who prioritized maintaining Los Ranchos’ rural charm.
“His passion for our community was evident in everything he did,” Reinow said. “Joe’s legacy will continue to inspire us all to work towards a better, more connected Los Ranchos. He will be deeply missed, but his spirit will live on in the work we continue in his honor.”
Craig also founded Craig & Co., a marketing company for architectural, construction and engineering companies. Funeral services have not been set.
great man!!!