ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

The city of Albuquerque is seeking to declare Quirky Used Books & More a public nuisance due to a homeless encampment on the bookstore's property.

The store, located on Jefferson Street just off Central, opened about three years ago. Owner Gillam Kerley said he has gotten to know some of the unhoused people in the area and decided to help them.

"When the city began escalating its encampment sweeps and criminalizing the presence of unhoused people on public property, we felt we needed to do something for these people who we had gotten to know, so we did allow a few people to camp at the back of the parking lot," Kerley said.

Some business owners in the area are pushing back against the encampment, claiming it is hindering their business. These claims are detailed in

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