Despite an intensive effort in New Mexico to provide more housing for those who are homeless, the number of people without a roof over their heads has continued to grow.
So says a comprehensive report just published by the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee which suggests that despite increased state appropriations for affordable housing, the dream and reality are often two different things in the Land of Enchantment.
“Since the 2022-2023 fiscal year,” says the report, Nonrecurring Appropriations for Housing, “the Legislature has made more than $700 million available for housing.”
That funding has come from a variety of sources, including capital outlay legislation, fund transfers, and special appropriations. And while housing construction has indeed increased in the past few years, “state-supported projects account for only a small share of that growth, and have not consistently targeted the lowest income households.”
The report asserts that New Mexico continues to lag in new home construction particularly when compared to other states. While the state has seen a 15% jump in such construction, Arizona has recorded an unprecedented increase of 388%, while Texas has seen its numbers jump by 161%.
In addition, new affordable housing in New Mexico has not always gone up in areas of the state where it is most needed.
The report adds that New Mexico’s housing challenges are likely to get worse before they get better, with forecasts projecting that the state, to keep up with demand, will need at least 58,000 additional housing units between now and 2045. And of that amount, around 28,500 must be affordable units.
With the state legislature scheduled to begin its 2027 session in January and lawmakers noting that affordable housing remains a top issue, the report contends that New Mexico “lacks a single system for coordinating state housing programs and tracking investments from appropriations through results.”
Adds the report: a “better alignment with greatest need and measurable outcomes could improve returns.”
September 25, 2026
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
