New Mexico houses cost less to buy than in many other states but there's also less inventory and one data expert does not expect a building boom to return.

Ali Wolf, chief economist for the data and consulting firm Zonda, said in the three years leading up to the 2008 Great Recession, homebuilders started about 2 million homes a year. Because the pandemic followed the financial crisis, housing starts never fully rebounded.

"We are seeing reasonable levels of growth," Wolf explained. "A lot more construction in the Southeast and the Southwest but these regions are really trying to play catch-up with the amount of in-migration that they've seen."

Since 2010, builders nationwide have started about 1 million new homes a year on average, far below the 1.6 million needed to keep up with population growth. Across New Mexico, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income households with incomes at or below the poverty guideline of 30% of the area's median income.

To offer more inventory, Wolf argued builders need to feel comfortable that they can sell a home. At the same time, developers getting vacant lots ready need to feel confident that somebody's going to buy the land. Right now, she said, the number of vacant developed lots is still 40% below its pre-Great Recession level.

"The building community is saying, 'We don't want to get over our skis,'" Wolf observed. "I think that we will continue to see growth in housing starts. I just don't think we're going to see housing starts look anything similar to what we had seen before the great financial crisis."

Federal housing assistance used to focus on poverty, which helped New Mexico families where immigrants make up slightly more than 11% of the labor force. Now it is also a middle-class support program. If elected, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has promised financial assistance for both first-time homebuyers and developers who build their housing.


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The recent cold snap in St. Louis has led to a surge in demand for homeless shelters, while donations have dwindled and shelters are calling on the community to lend a hand to those in need.

Loaves and Fishes for St. Louis served 500,000 meals and welcomed more than 600 people to their shelters in 2024.

Jackie Macintosh, CEO of the organization, said recent extreme temperatures have caused heavy snow and ice, making it challenging for donation deliveries, among other difficulties.

"Individuals have not been able to get out the way that they normally do to deliver the donations or to bring donations in," Macintosh pointed out. "Then on top of it, you have the natural disasters with the wildfires in L.A. and other things that are going on in the country that are making people nervous about giving."

To help those in need, donors can visit the organization at its Concourse Drive location, or donate online through its website or Facebook page.

Macintosh emphasized the group's food pantry serves mainly fixed-income seniors, with most walk-ins being men. But the most pressing need at their shelters is for children, who represent the largest group seeking refuge. She shared the story of a young mother and her child, homeless during a snowstorm.

"About two years ago we had a young veteran mother," Macintosh recounted. "She had created a bunker in the snow. She had chiseled a hole and she had shoved her son in there with a bunch of blankets - and was using a blanket to cover the entrance of the snow drift."

In St. Louis, about 25% of the homeless population is made up of families with children in need of support and resources.


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More than half of all renters in Oregon and a third of homeowners experience a housing cost burden, according to new research. Housing advocates say investing $45 million in down payment assistance will help open the door to homeownership.

Karen Saxe, director of policy, advocacy, and strategic relationships with Dev Northwest, said Culturally Responsive Organization Down Payment Assistance funds would help lessen the gap between rising housing prices and what people can actually afford.

"Our team works with people every day that have put in the hard work and face the ongoing challenge of saving for a down payment as prices throughout their lives continue to climb," she explained.

In many cases, rent can be higher than a mortgage payment would be for a similarly sized house or condo. The down payment assistance is part of Governor Kotek's proposed budget for 2025 to 2027, and is expected to directly benefit 750 first-time homebuyers.

Challenges with buying a home are more severe for first-generation homebuyers, many of whom are people of color. Saxe explains the organizations receiving the funding, including her own, are culturally responsive, meaning they cater to the needs of the communities they serve.

"So that might be language access. That might be when classes or counseling are offered. It might be the amount of down payment assistance," she continued.

Oregon Housing and Community Services' first "state of the state's housing" report found that for every dollar Oregonians earned in wage increases, the median sales price of a home increased by over $7. Though she says there is still a long way to go, Saxe is optimistic that Oregon is heading in the right direction.

"It's exciting to see the governor's request budget, when we were seeing investments in a home ownership like we've never seen before," she said.

Saxe added that Dev Northwest's average client needs about $40,000 in down payment assistance in order to make a mortgage affordable.


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John Park, mayor of Brookhaven, joined more than 250 mayors at the 93rd annual winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.

They discussed shared challenges and innovative solutions from addressing aging infrastructure to advancing public safety technology and combating the housing affordability crisis. Park emphasized the importance of collaboration and forward-thinking strategies.

"We have infrastructure that's old that we need to replace, and those things cost money," Park pointed out. "And not only is it finding resources to pay for it but it's also doing it the right way, doing it in a sustainable way so we're not right back here in the future."

Park explained Brookhaven is already revamping its stormwater management and connectivity projects by integrating sidewalks, greenways and multiuse paths with infrastructure upgrades to improve sustainability and enhance residents' quality of life.

Park highlighted the importance of addressing the housing affordability crisis, noting it is not just a local issue but a national one. He stressed cities like Brookhaven must work hand-in-hand with federal agencies to find solutions.

"We have to find ways to fight that affordability problem," Park acknowledged. "And we can do that through policymaking and coordinate that policymaking with national resources."

Brookhaven's public safety initiatives stood out as a highlight Park shared with fellow mayors. He described the city's 911 system, which has drastically improved response times.

"When a caller dials 911, the geocoded police officer in the area can listen on the conversation," Park explained. "They can't interact with it, they can listen and understand what's going on and actually arrive before the call is completed."

Park emphasized innovative practices not only improve response times but also demonstrate how Brookhaven is leveraging technology to build safer communities. He said other ways they're using technology is through its drone programs and artificial intelligence.


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