Protect, Invest, Permit: A Housing Platform for Santa Fe’s Future
The cost of housing is displacing Santa Feans. Homelessness is on the rise. Most Santa Feans are struggling to afford rent rates and can’t even imagine buying a home. It is almost impossible to find an affordable starter home, townhouse, or condo, making it difficult for many of us to remain in the community where we have built our lives. When we lose our people, we lose the rich culture of Santa Fe.
This situation isn’t inevitable. A lack of housing is a choice that leads directly to higher prices for buyers and renters alike. Our city is not investing or responding at the scale that the housing shortage demands. City government needs to urgently address the current legal, regulatory, and implementation frameworks that are driving higher costs across all types of housing development in Santa Fe.
We urge mayoral and council candidates to embrace and commit to delivering on the following platform informed by the affordable housing community in Santa Fe:
Protect
Santa Fe must focus on increasing the supply of housing to achieve its affordability goals. Expanding the number and variety of homes available is the most effective way to ensure that people at every stage of life can find a place to live. The City needs to expedite the update of its land use code and general plan to encourage more inclusive and well-planned growth, making it easier to build new housing. By prioritizing increased supply, Santa Fe can better protect residents from displacement and create a community where everyone has access to affordable options. Additionally, we must provide support for vulnerable renters and owners through emergency rental assistance, repair funding, and enforcement of renter protections.
Permit
Addressing the housing shortage in Santa Fe requires coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors. The city must implement transparent and efficient land use processes that support the development of the full spectrum of housing—from emergency shelters and supportive housing to rentals and homeownership opportunities. Enabling the construction of new units eases competition for existing homes, giving renters more leverage to negotiate fairer rents and offering buyers greater choice in a more balanced market.
Invest
Making housing affordable is often only feasible with subsidy, as the rents or sale prices affordable to low- to moderate-income households do not cover the full cost of development—land, construction, and financing. Subsidies bridge this gap and make projects financially viable. Santa Fe must commit dedicated city funding and expand public financing tools to invest in the subsidies and infrastructure needed to close the affordability gap and ensure long-term housing solutions.