A recent state report shows that New Mexico needs at least 58,000 more housing units to fill a years-long deficit. Now a coalition has created a policy framework focused on what it calls practical solutions to increase housing and make it more attainable for New Mexicans.
Housing Abundance! is a coalition of advocates in housing, real estate, economic development, business and community organizations.
Their policy centers around four priorities. Those include removing government barriers to housing development, expanding affordability programs, reforming tax policies, and creating incentives for rural housing development.
Miles Conway, CEO of the New Mexico Home Builders Association and founding member for the coalition said different cities have different housing issues but the state as a whole has a lack of housing opportunities and affordability.
“We’re missing transitional housing for people that are experiencing homelessness, for young professionals, workforce housing. If they’re in an apartment, they can’t find that starter home that they can afford and qualify for the mortgage on,” he said.
Conway said they’re looking for New Mexico residents to participate by sharing their stories. He said his son and his son’s girlfriend are both University of New Mexico graduates and are looking for their first home.
“These are young brilliant minds of our state that want to stay here. We don’t want them to say, ‘Oh my gosh, look at all the opportunities in California or Arizona or Texas.’ We want to stay here,” he said.
The coalition will work in the next couple months with lawmakers on housing bills ahead of the January legislative session.
Jeanette Dedios is a reporter at KUNM News. She is from the Jicarilla Apache and Diné Nations and grew up in Albuquerque, N.M. She graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2022 where she earned a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism, English and film. She was a 2022-2023 New Mexico Local News Fellow at KUNM. Jeanette can be contacted at jeanettededios@kunm.org.
