Santa Fe County to Consider Relaxing Affordable Housing Law

Santa Fe County officials are set to consider relaxing their affordable housing ordinance.

The County Commission agreed Tuesday to publish the title and general summary of an ordinance that would cut the county’s affordable housing requirements in half. The move essentially notifies the public a vote will be held on the proposal at some point in the future.

The county’s affordable housing law, implemented in 2006, generally requires developers to sell 30 percent of the homes in all new large subdivisions, those with more than 25 units, at prices considered affordable for qualified lower-or middle-income buyers. Smaller developments must sell 16 percent of their homes at affordable rates.

But county staffers said Tuesday they decided to come forward with the reduction for economic reasons, as well as after meeting with commissioners, realtors and other interest groups.

The measure would also expand the ways developers can meet the affordable housing requirement without actually building units in their projects. It wasn’t immediately clear what those alternatives might be.

The county is following in the footsteps of the city of Santa Fe. The City Council decided last summer decided to reduce, for the next three years, the number of affordably priced homes required in developments from 30 to 20 percent. The city’s ordinance also decreases by 70 percent the fees small builders can pay in lieu of constructing affordable units.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the County Commission will vote on the changes.