New Mexico Legislature will tackle public safety and more starting Tuesday - Danielle Prokop, Austin Fisher, Patrick Lohmann, Leah Romero and Julia Goldberg, Source New Mexico
New Mexico lawmakers will convene at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 21 with a hefty 60-day agenda and a healthy budget to help fund existing and new initiatives across a spectrum of programs. Democratic leaders over the last few weeks expressed optimism that their agendas dovetail with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s. Here are a few of the top areas to watch.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Following a failed and contentious special session on public safety last summer, the governor embarked on a statewide tour of town halls, gathering public support for her agenda. “I embarked on these specific public safety town halls because I am struggling to get policymakers to help us enact new laws that we believe would make us all safer in our communities and create real accountability, by a number of populations, that I don’t think have been accountable since 2016 or before,” Lujan Grisham said at a recent town hall in Raton.
Specifically, the governor will push for updated treatment requirements for competency cases, pretrial detention and stricter penalties for violent offenses, among other bills. House leaders recently unveiled their own agenda, prioritizing public safety alongside improvements to the state’s behavioral health care system. Expect to see public safety and behavioral health take center stage during the first 30 days of the session.”
“I think the two parts of this overall package that we’ll do in the first 30 days are something certainly that the governor wants: It fits into her agenda,” Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) told Source (look for the complete interview tomorrow). “Obviously, there will be discussions about what is in the public safety agenda package – her priorities and our priorities – but I’m feeling more optimistic about a process that’s good to get us where we need to go.”
HOUSING
Lawmakers touted the 2024 session as “historic” to address the state’s housing crisis, calling it the biggest one-time investment in housing in the Legislature’s history.
That meant nearly $200 million awarded for housing and homelessness initiatives, including $125 million in revolving loans to spur affordable housing infrastructure, $50 million for down payment assistance and other subsidies, $20 million to help unhoused people and several million more for a new Office of Housing in the governor’s office.
Some of that money has been spent, but the state still lacks thousands of housing units and is experiencing a sharp increase in people living on the streets.
This year, several bills have already been filed or announced seeking to address the many challenges for New Mexicans seeking shelter.
One from Sen. Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque) would ban private equity from buying single family homes in New Mexico. Another from Sen. Linda Lopez, also an Albuquerque Democrat, would allow local communities to cap rent increases. A third from Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) would require landlords to calculate prospective tenants’ rent-to-income ratios only after subsidies like child support or Section 8 are accounted for.
Cates told Source New Mexico last Friday that she expects a big increase of housing policy bills this session over previous years. She is introducing at least two more housing bills this year, including one that she hopes will make it easier for homebuyers to get federally backed mortgages at condominium complexes and another to subsidize homebuying for medical professionals.
She said she’s joining a group of about 15 lawmakers who are mulling housing bills. That number was two or three in previous legislative sessions, she said.
“I’ve never seen that many people,” she said of her peers’ increased interest in housing policy. “And we’re all carrying more than one. So you’re gonna see a lot of housing bills.”
But it’s an open question whether lawmakers will consider spending as much this year on housing as they did last year, Cates said. She suspects the biggest funding asks will be for two other pressing concerns: behavioral health and water.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s executive budget also proposes $50 million for a housing downpayment assistance program, $50 million for homelessness programs and initiatives and $2 million for statewide housing initiatives.
ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
Lawmakers announced several climate priorities just before the opening of the 2025 legislative session, including efforts to beef up up climate and public health tracking; limit oil and gas drilling around schools, parks and daycare centers; and increase funding for water initiatives.
Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) will carry forward three bills this session. The Clear Horizons Act, which will codify Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2019 executive order to reduce 2005 level emissions by at least 45% by 2030. The bill would set the goals of reducing emissions by 50% by 2040 and 100% by 2050, and charge the Environmental Improvement Board with inventorying progress towards the goals.
Stewart called the act “bold action,” and said working to meet the state’s investments in reducing emissions can strengthen the economy.
“My top environmental priority is reducing the emissions that are polluting our air and threatening our New Mexican way of life while creating new opportunities for communities statewide to thrive in a resilient and sustainable future,” Stewart said in a statement to Source. “New Mexicans are experiencing the impacts of ignoring the climate crisis right now, from wildfire to drought.”
Additionally, Stewart is asking for a $340 million Community Benefit Fund, which if passed, would provide funding to projects that reduce emissions and assist communities. A second $10 million Innovation in Government Fund would provide money for state agencies to support efforts to reduce emissions.
The Santa Fe-based think tank Think New Mexico has focused its efforts on tackling New Mexico’s health care worker shortage. A range of proposed policies from the organization include reform of New Mexico’s medical malpractice laws; boosting support for education programs; joining other state’s health worker compacts; and a $2 billion dollar fund to pay for the reforms.
EDUCATION
Public education accounts for a hefty amount of both proposed budgets. Specifically, K-12 would see an approximate 6% budget increase to $4.69 billion while higher education is looking at $1.4 billion this legislative session, as recommended by both the governor’s office and the Legislative Finance Committee. The Legislature has allocated increasingly large amounts of funds to public education programs targeted at reading and writing, math, absenteeism and graduation rates, the LFC budget report notes, but student outcomes remain low. The report states that lawmakers will need to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs before making more long term investments.
Lawmakers plan to introduce several bills this session to increase funding for STEM education, teacher salaries and Career Technical Education. Other bills will propose changes to the capital outlay match local school districts and the Public Education Department spend on construction projects, as well as suggest an interstate teacher mobility compact.
Rep. Debra Sariñana (D-Albuquerque) prefiled a bill proposing New Mexico join an interstate teacher mobility compact which would make it easier for teachers crossing state lines to earn licensure.
Sen. Bill Soules (D-Las Cruces), who chairs the Legislative Education Study Interim Committee, said he will be sponsoring a bill providing more funding to math education throughout the state. He said the bill will also address improvements to how the subject is taught.
“Our scores from Martinez-Yazzie and that whole lawsuit indicate that our reading and writing are very poor. We’ve done a lot on improving the reading and writing side of it but not the math,” Soules said.
GOVERNMENT
While 60 days gives lawmakers time to wrangle over policy, passing a budget remains a key aspect of any session. Both the governor and the Legislative Finance Committee’s budgets propose close to $11 billion in spending, and appear to have more similarities than differences heading into the session.
While lawmakers settle in, good-government group Common Cause will advocate during the session for an Independent Salary Commission via state constitutional amendment. The ultimate goal? Paying legislators for their work.
“Allowing legislators to receive a salary would empower more New Mexicans to run for the legislature and serve the communities they love,” Mason Graham, Common Cause policy director said in a statement. “These pivotal seats shouldn’t be limited by the need to support a family, hold a full time job or financial freedom.”
At The People’s March in New Mexico, rally goers brace for second Trump presidency - Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
On the eve of President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration, speakers at a rally in New Mexico’s largest city called for a new social movement to defy Trump and confront fascism.
Hosted by the New Mexico Women’s March, The People’s March was timed in conjunction with similar protests in Washington D.C. and around the country.
New Mexico Women’s March Chair Samia Assed told the hundreds gathered at Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza the political moment demands practicing democracy and protecting the right to protest.
“A big responsibility lies on our shoulders, and we have to be up for it,” Assed said. “Come Tuesday, President Trump will have his 100 executive orders ready for us. Project 2025 will unfold. Are we going to fight back?”
Assed introduced outgoing U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the event’s keynote speaker. Haaland noted the record 60 women headed to the state Legislature this week and said there’s much more to do to support parents and working people.
Haaland said Trump is “surrounding himself with super-rich people who look down on us and our communities.”
“Our fight is not over. We will need to do the hard work of getting important things done and pushing back against an administration who couldn’t care less about regular people, about people like us,” Haaland said. “We will need to unapologetically stand up to make change to ensure that your voices are heard. We need more people with real lived experiences elected to office and serving our communities as doctors, scientists, CEOs, so that solutions reflect who we are.”
Other speakers at the rally included state Sens. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez and Harold Pope, Rep. Eleanor Chavez, Pueblo Action Alliance Executive Director Julia Bernal, Faith Roots Reproductive Action Development Director Karinna Solares and El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos Community Organizer Fabiola Landeros.
“We’re going to fight to remind people in power that they answer to us,” Haaland said.
Services set for local NAACP president - Rodd Cayton, City Desk ABQ
Funeral services for Harold Bailey, president of the Albuquerque NAACP branch, will be held later this month.
He is remembered by state and local leaders as a champion of equality who spent half a century battling bigotry in New Mexico.
Bailey died Monday at 78. State Rep. Pamelya Herndon, D-Albuquerque, who served as first vice president under Bailey, said a visitation is scheduled 8 a.m. to 5 p.m Jan. 28 at Strong-Thorne Mortuary, 1100 Coal Ave. SE.
Bailey’s funeral will take place at 11 a.m. Jan. 29 in the Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Harold Bailey, a tireless advocate and leader who dedicated over 50 years of his life to fighting for justice, equality, and the betterment of the Albuquerque community,” the organization announced on its Facebook page. “He was a beacon of hope and a driving force for change, leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations.”
The post went on to note Bailey’s various approaches to reaching his goals, often engaging with local government, schools, law enforcement and other organizations, seeking to ensure marginalized people’s voices were heard and their concerns were addressed.
Herndon said Bailey headed the local NAACP chapter in two separate stints: from 2000 to 2004, and again since 2012. Between those terms, he was director of the New Mexico Office of African American Affairs.
Herndon said Bailey was a champion for social justice and wanted to see all students get the best education possible.
She said Bailey was a strident proponent of STEM programs and that he and Rev. Charles Becknell Sr., founding director of the Africana Studies Program at the University of New Mexico, helped ensure local youth could participate in robotics competitions.
Mayor Tim Keller in a statement said he was saddened by the loss of someone who made Albuquerque better.
“Throughout the years, his advice and insight on civil rights and issues important to our Black community were invaluable to me,” Keller said. “He was a champion of so many endeavors that have enriched our city, state and our nation, from African American studies, to civil rights, to childhood development. His service leaves a lasting impact on our community. My thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Bailey’s family, friends, and the entire community mourning his loss.”
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statementpraising Bailey’s leadership on healthcare and education issues. She said she regarded his support as key to passage of the Elizabeth Whitefield End of Life Option Act in 2020.
“Dr. Bailey’s belief in empowering communities, particularly communities of color, in making informed decisions about their values and end-of-life care was instrumental in the act’s eventual passage,” she said. “I thank him for his advocacy and commitment to ensuring dignity and choice for all.”
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said Bailey was a key partner in strengthening his department through reform efforts.
“Dr. Bailey was a true trailblazer who genuinely cared about his community. He was full of ideas and was always willing to step up to the plate and support our department as we grow and evolve,” Medina said in a statement. “This is a huge loss to our community, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.”
Herndon noted Bailey earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate from UNM and chose to maintain a career in Albuquerque.
“We like to think of him as the standard for growing our own,” she said.
US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reflects on tough choices during a historic tenure - By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
It started to get real when the artwork was taken down from her office walls. The collection — all creations of Indigenous artists — had been handpicked by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland over the last four years as she guided one of the nation's most expansive federal agencies.
Then came the tears as people came and went, sharing hugs while Haaland tried to wrap up her last day at the office.
She set out four years ago on a historic journey as the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary. She came in with a series of seemingly simple but ambitious goals: address the climate and biodiversity crisis, make the outdoors accessible to more people, lift the veil on a difficult chapter in American history, and usher in a new era for Indian Country.
From energy development on public lands and securing water resources amid ongoing drought to making good on the nation's promises to Native Americans, Haaland vowed to take a balanced approach — and to listen. She told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that she feels she lived up to that vow.
Haaland believes President Joe Biden nominated her for the job because he wanted a cabinet that reflected America. As a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, Haaland brought a different perspective — one never before infused into decision-making at that level.
"I really felt like I relied on the way I was raised, on my cultural wellbeing, the traditional aspects of who I am. I'm a pueblo woman first," she said, "and I see things through that lens."
DRILL? NOT SO FAST, BABY
Even during her time in Congress, Haaland wasn't shy about voicing opposition to oil and gas and supporting the Green New Deal. She was grilled during congressional hearings about her "radical views," with Republicans suggesting the administration's distaste for drilling would cost the country jobs and compromise national security.
In his first days in office, Biden shut down oil and gas lease sales from the nation's vast public lands and waters, citing worries about climate change. Haaland's agency was charged with doing a comprehensive review. Court wrangling ensued, resulting in an indefinite delay in planned oil and gas lease sales on public lands in a half-dozen states in the West.
Despite campaign promises to end new drilling on federal lands, leasing resumed and production reached record levels during the Biden administration, with the U.S. now producing more than ever before.
Haaland acknowledged production was high during her tenure, but she noted that it came with nearly four dozen new renewable energy projects on federal lands and the conservation of more than 1 million square miles (2.7 million square kilometers).
Some federal land was taken off the board through administrative withdrawals, like that in northwestern New Mexico where some tribes advocated for greater protections for areas beyond the boundaries of Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
"As it turns out, you don't have to lease millions and millions of acres," Haaland said. "We really worked at zeroing in on where these leases should happen so that we can ensure that other land is open to conservation."
FOR THE LOVE OF BEARS AND BEYOND
Haaland co-sponsored legislation while in Congress to increase protections for grizzly bears and reintroduce them on tribal lands. It was a fight that continued while she was secretary. Just this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced continued protections for grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains despite opposition from Republican-led states.
Haaland sees threats to biodiversity and climate change as twin challenges, as rising temperatures, drought and wildfires put more pressure on endangered and threatened species and their homes.
As part of an effort to protect more species and provide more wildlife viewing opportunities, Haaland created six national wildlife refuges and expanded the boundaries of five more during her tenure. Species that made enough progress to have protections removed included the Apache trout — Arizona's state fish — and the snail darter.
For Haaland, her advocacy is deeply rooted, stemming from ancestors who served as the first stewards of the land.
"I stand on the shoulders of so many people that have spoken out for the Earth and its animals, who stood up for Indian Country, for women, for civil rights," she said.
NEW ERA FOR INDIAN COUNTRY
From the start, Haaland wanted to usher in what she called a new era for Indian Country. That meant honoring and elevating tribal sovereignty. Not with words but with actions, she said.
Native American leaders have long considered the consultation process a check-the-box exercise for the federal government. So Haaland established a tribal advisory committee within her department, while Biden issued mandates for prioritizing and standardizing consultation across federal agencies.
The administration reached 400 co-stewardship agreements with tribes, ensuring their role in land management. And new national monuments were created, setting aside ancestral lands across the western U.S., from the edge of the Grand Canyon to sandstone landscapes in Utah and palm-tree dotted deserts in California.
Haaland also pointed to record investments of nearly $45 billion for tribal infrastructure projects and social programs. This came after decades of underfunding, neglect and oppression, she said.
"You can't right every single wrong in just four years. These things are going to have to be ongoing," Haaland said, encouraging tribal leaders to stay vocal and maintain a seat at the table.
Haaland is keenly aware that Indian Country isn't a monolith, as each of the 574 federally recognized tribes has its own culture, beliefs and needs. There were times when tribal leaders spoke out, saying Haaland was ignoring concerns about the potential effects of mining or renewable energy projects on sacred places.
A PAINFUL CHAPTER OF HISTORY
One of her greatest accomplishments was shining a light on a relatively untold part of America's history — a dark period in which Native American children were ripped away from their families and carted off to boarding schools for reprogramming.
Haaland has talked about her own grandparents being victims of the campaign to erase language, culture and identity.
She launched a first-of-its kind initiative to uncover the scope of the damage done by the boarding schools. The heartbreaking work involved combing through millions of documents and holding listening sessions where community members struggling with generational trauma shared their experiences.
Haaland's department turned out major reports that identified the schools that had government support and uncovered the fates of hundreds of children who never returned home. The final volume listed policy recommendations to aid in healing.
Those recommendations were turned over to the White House, with Haaland saying she had no idea the outcome would be so profound. She didn't call the president and make a special request. Instead, Biden's team called immediately and said the president wanted to issue an apology.
Haaland joined Biden at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona for the announcement.
She reflected on that moment during a farewell address last week before a packed auditorium of employees, tribal leaders and others. She said she could feel the power of those who persevered through unthinkable odds so she and others could stand there that day.
Haaland chalks up her own perseverance to community, saying things can be accomplished only when people work together. She pointed to her pueblo ancestors centuries ago gathering millions of pounds of stone, mixing mortar and hauling water to construct one of the great houses at the Chaco park.
"I thought about the weight of their legacy," she said, "a weight that, while heavy, has motivated me to lead this department, which just a few generations ago tried to erase Indigenous peoples and our ways of life."
NMDOH reports decline in alcohol-related deaths - By Source New Mexico
Alcohol-related deaths in New Mexico declined for the second consecutive year, according to data released by the New Mexico Department of Health on Friday. The state has posted a 17.3% decline in the age-adjusted rate of 102.3 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 to 84.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, with McKinley County showing the largest decrease: 38% between 2021 and 2023.
Statewide, NMDOH reported 1,896 alcohol-related deaths, a decrease from 2,067 in 2022 and 2021’s peak number of 2,274, at which time the state’s rate was twice the national average. In 2023, males in New Mexico had an age-adjusted rate of alcohol-related death rate two and a half times higher than females, which declined between 2021 and 2023 16.1% and 20.6%, respectively.
“The decline highlights the positive impact of targeted interventions, community partnerships and policy initiatives designed to address alcohol misuse,” NMDOH Chief Medical Officer Miranda Durham said in a statement. “While this progress is encouraging, we must remain committed to expanding access to healthcare, including substance use treatment, and implementing community-based interventions that address prevention.
A news release from the health department noted the importance of sustained collaborative efforts, and cited in McKinley County “a collaboration among multiple stakeholders including the City of Gallup, McKinley County prevention programs and the Gallup Indian Medical Center” to provide case management and behavioral health services, among other resources.
Free self-help videos on alcohol and other substances can be found through the New Mexico Health Care Authority Behavioral Health Services Division’s New Mexico 5-Actions Program website.
Funding for electric school buses could be coming to a school district near you - By Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
Lawmakers are pushing to provide school districts throughout New Mexico financial support during the upcoming legislative session to replace their diesel school buses with zero emission alternative fuel ones.
House Bill 32, introduced by Reps. Debra Sariñana (D-Albuquerque) and Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe), would give New Mexico school districts the choice of replacing diesel school buses with electric or other alternative fuel buses. It would also require that the Public Education Department provide the districts with funding at least comparable to what it costs to purchase a diesel bus.
State law requires that public school buses be replaced every 12 years. Public Education Department Spokesperson Martha Pincoffs said 198 buses will need to be replaced this fiscal year.
“This is just one little thing we need to do to make sure we are helping climate change,” Sariñana told Source. “Plus our kids, inhaling diesel when you get in a bus or around a bus is not good for them.”
Kristin Graziano, a family physician and member of the advocacy organization Healthy Climate New Mexico, explained that emissions from diesel buses release toxic particulate matter, ozone and other harmful gases which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and public health. The New Mexico Environment Department reports transportation as the second largest producer of climate emissions in the state.
Children are more susceptible to the health problems these fumes pose, Graziano said. “Their respiratory rates are higher than ours, they breathe faster. Their surface area on their lungs is actually bigger than adults … Their physiology is different. Also, they can’t often get themselves out of environments. They’re dependent on adults.”
Graziano pointed to lung diseases as the most common health impacts tied to diesel emissions, but said exposure has also been linked to heart disease, cancer and possible negative effects to neurodevelopment.
“The kids I take care of, if their asthma is uncontrolled or their asthma is triggered by noxious fumes around the school, that impacts their ability to attend school, so there’s more absenteeism,” Graziano said, pointing out the ripple effect exposure can have on families. She added that if kids are unable to go to school, that could also lead to parents having to leave work to care for them.
Charles Goodmacher, lobbyist and policy advisor for Healthy Climate New Mexico, said approximately six school districts out of roughly 200 throughout the state have electric school buses so far, including Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Lake Arthur, Dulce, Dora and Albuquerque school districts.
These districts have received federal or private funding in recent years to purchase electric buses and charging infrastructure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program is currently reviewing clean bus rebate applications from around the country. Awards are anticipated to be announced in May.
According to Healthy Climate New Mexico and NMVC Action Fund, diesel school buses cost approximately $140,000 each, while electric school buses, or ESBs, cost about $400,000. However, ESBs do not require the same amount of maintenance as diesel.
ESBs can also be used as energy storage to support the local energy grid or as backup power in emergency situations, according to NMVC Action Fund. The proposed bill will allow school districts to work with local electric utilities to establish vehicle-to-grid agreements, where districts sell excess energy back to the grid. ESB supporters note that this can bring revenue to the schools and further offset the cost of the buses.
Sariñana, a retired math teacher, said she took a ride on an electric school bus in Santa Fe and found it to be very different from her past experiences on school buses.
“I remember going on field trips and you couldn’t even hear, everybody was yelling. But in this bus, it was so calm,” Sariñana said, pointing out that electric buses don’t have a traditional loud engine. “This is what our kids need and as a teacher, I think this would get them to school a whole lot calmer.”
Graziano said she thinks the proposed bill could “make a significant impact on the health and the lifelong quality of life for our kids.”
Lawmakers introduced a similar bill last year, but failed to make it on the governor’s call as an absolute budget item. Short 30-day legislative sessions focus solely on budgetary items or bills that receive special messages from the governor.
Public stream access victory for state - By Susan Morée, New Mexico Political Report
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced a victory for public access on Thursday when a federal district court judge dismissed a lawsuit to prohibit access.
Lucia Sanchez and four other landowners asked a federal district court judge last year to consider private landowner rights to try to stop the state from opening access to creeks or rivers that travel through their private land. Sanchez sought to prevent public access to a portion of Rio Tusas Creek, which runs through the Carson National Forest but also across her land in Rio Arriba County. Sanchez and the other landowners were represented by Pacific Legal Foundation, which did not respond by press time to a request for comment.
Another of the landowners involved in the suit, Erik Briones, fenced off a portion of the Pecos River upstream from the town of Pecos. But Briones entered into an agreement with the state last year to remove that barrier and signs that prevent the public from accessing the river.
Torrez argued that preventing public access to rivers and streams violates the state’s constitution by prohibiting access. The landowners argued that a New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in 2022, which reaffirmed the public’s right to fish and recreate on rivers and streams that flow through private land, violated the landowners’ private property rights.
The New Mexico Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling determined that while the public has the right to float, boat or fish in a stream or river that crosses private land, the public cannot trespass on the land to reach the water, nor can the public trespass from the water onto private property.
The state Supreme Court also said it was not creating a new public right in its 2022 decision. It noted that New Mexico’s constitution specifically says all waters in the state are public.
Torrez called the federal court’s dismissal of the landowners’ case a “decisive victory” and said the court’s dismissal affirms “the public’s constitutional right to access.”
“The court’s ruling sends a clear message: Individuals attempting to restrict public recreation in these waters are wrong on the law — both at the state and federal level. This outcome underscores the strength of our state’s constitution and the fundamental rights it guarantees to every New Mexican. We commend our exceptional legal team for their diligent and efficient work in defending these rights and ensuring that the law is upheld,” Torrez said.
New Mexico to receive $17 million in federal housing funds – KUNM News
The New Mexico Congressional delegation announced Friday more than $17 million in federal funds are coming to New Mexico to support projects providing housing assistance and services for those experiencing homelessness.
The amount is a slight boost over last year’s amount of $16 million. It comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program. The money will support homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.
The funds are also allotted for youth and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The New Mexico funds are part of a nationwide total of $3.6 billion, the largest-ever amount of Continuum of Care program funding awarded to address homelessness.
The largest recipients include the City of Albuquerque, Youth Shelters and Family Services in Albuquerque, and La Casa Inc. in Las Cruces.
KRQE-TV reported a recent federal report found the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in New Mexico reached an all-time high in 2024.
Performance Santa Fe closes after 88 years – Santa Fe New Mexican, KUNM News
Performance Santa Fe is shutting its doors after 88 years of bringing music, theater, and dance to Santa Fe.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the organization made the announcement on its website Friday, but provided no explanation of why it’s closing. All remaining performances will be canceled and ticketholders will receive refunds.
Board Vice President Natalie Beller said in a statement at the website that the closure reflects “the broader challenges facing arts organizations across the country. That includes shifting audience and entertainment choices, she said.
Performance venues and regional theaters have struggled to recover after the pandemic, according to the New York Times. A bill in the U.S. Senate, the STAGE Act, was introduced last year and is modeled on similar successful legislation during the pandemic.