MIDTOWN QUESTIONNAIRE
-What is your vision for how a redeveloped midtown campus could be used to benefit the city of Santa Fe?
I live in Hopewell/Mann, near Midtown, where I’ve raised my son and advocated for District 2. I’ve spoken out against development plans that ignore community needs and support groups like Chainbreaker Collective that uplift neighborhood voices. My vision centers on inclusive planning, permanent affordability, and cultural stewardship. Midtown must serve everyday people, providing places to live, work, grow, and gather.
• Real homes, not just rentals: townhomes, duplexes, casitas, and ownership options • Community Land Trust: public land with resale caps and oversight • Affordability protections: income-based eligibility and long-term covenants • Priority access for elders, veterans, first responders, nurses, caseworkers, teachers, and displaced families • Spaces for art, education, and small businesses that support local talent • A community farm and farmers market to support food sovereignty and land connection • Cultural preservation: public spaces that reflect Santa Fe’s layered identities and generational memory
I respect Chainbreaker’s commitment to transparency, stewardship, and a community-led future for Midtown.
-Are you in favor of the midtown project as outlined in the midtown master plan? As a councilor, is there anything about the development you would attempt to change?
The Midtown Master Plan outlines a broad redevelopment vision but omits key protections for Santa Fe’s working families. The current plan lacks the structural changes needed to ensure lasting affordability and real public benefit. As a candidate for City Council, I will prioritize the following:
· Homeownership Options: The plan does not commit to ownership models like townhomes, duplexes, or casitas. I support equity-building housing, not just rentals.
· Permanent Affordability: No mention of Community Land Trusts, resale caps, or income-based eligibility. I advocate for lasting affordability and anti-displacement tools.
· Priority Access: Essential workers, elders, veterans, and displaced families are not prioritized. I will work to establish fair eligibility criteria.
· Cultural Stewardship: Public space design lacks guarantees for honoring Indigenous, Hispanic, and veteran histories. I support community-led cultural planning.
· Transparent Governance: Implementation is developer-driven, with no structure for ongoing community oversight. I support shared governance and accountability.
-The Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency has had two directors in under two years, with the most recent director saying he quit due to frustrations over a lack of support and bureaucratic hurdles are you concerned about the level of resources the city has allocated to this project?
Yes, I am concerned. The Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency has seen two directors resign in under two years, with the most recent citing lack of funding, staffing, and bureaucratic delays. These issues reflect broader challenges. They expose how city systems are failing to support community-centered redevelopment.
Midtown is one of Santa Fe’s most significant public land projects, but its success depends on stable leadership, dedicated resources, and transparent processes. To meet community expectations for affordability, stewardship, and real homeownership, the city must address agency turnover and bureaucratic delays that have undermined progress
Whether as a public advocate or future council member, I will continue working to assess these gaps, support structural improvements, and ensure Midtown receives the support it needs to succeed not just in vision, but in implementation. That includes asking hard questions about resource allocation, oversight, and whether current systems are equipped to meet the scale of what our community has envisioned.
-As a councilor, how much of a priority would this project be for you and how would you oversee its implementation?
Midtown would be a priority because it exposes how city systems are failing. Two directors resigned from the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency in under two years. Again, the most recent cited lack of funding, unapproved staffing, and bureaucratic delays are barriers to implementing the Midtown Work Plan. These aren’t isolated issues, they reflect structural dysfunction across departments, not just in vision, but in execution.
As councilor, I’d push for transparent oversight through a formal audit of agency capacity, stronger coordination between Housing, Planning, and Economic Development, and a Midtown subcommittee to ensure continuity. I’d convene quarterly District 2 forums and require public updates tied to clear community benchmarks.
Oversight means holding the city accountable not just to plans, but to people. Midtown must reflect real affordability, cultural integrity, and public benefit. If the systems can’t deliver that, then reform isn’t optional, it’s necessary.
-Would you support the Consuelo's Place non-congregate homeless shelter remaining at the midtown campus? Why or why not?
District 2 residents deserve the full picture when it comes to Consuelo’s Place at Midtown. It’s Santa Fe’s only non-congregate emergency shelter, serving people who can’t safely access traditional facilities due to trauma, disability, or family structure. It operates at full capacity with a long waiting list and no documented safety incidents. That matters!
I don’t see the shelter itself as a problem. It may fit within a broader Midtown vision if the city provides proper planning, integration, and public engagement. But that support is currently missing. The shelter was placed without a long-term operations plan or alignment with the redevelopment framework. These are structural gaps, not minor oversights.
As councilor, I wouldn’t make this decision alone. I’d push for transparent oversight, interdepartmental coordination, and regular public updates. Any decision about Consuelo’s Place must be rooted in community priorities. Midtown deserves thoughtful stewardship not reactive politics or top-down assumptions.
ISSUES PERTAINING TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN QUESTIONNAIRE
-What does the city currently do well to cater to families and children? As an elected official, are there services or programs for families you would work to maintain or expand?
Santa Fe invests about $1.2 million annually from its own gross receipts tax into programs for kids and families through the Children and Youth Commission. That funding supports local nonprofits focused on safety, education, and youth wellness. The Southside Library and Zona del Sol Teen Center offer strong programming, and the city runs youth sports, summer camps, and after-school activities, all locally funded. The support is real, but access still depends heavily on geography. We should also bring back beloved traditions like Community Days and the Fishing Derby events that unite families, activate public spaces, and build lasting civic pride.
-Where does the city currently fall short when it comes to serving families and children? As an elected official, how would you seek to change this?
Santa Fe falls short in serving families and children because access depends too much on geography. While the Southside has seen investment like Zona del Sol and SWAN Park, older neighborhoods such as Hopewell/Mann, Casa Solana, and Downtown lack dedicated youth spaces and safe indoor gathering areas. Parks like Alto and Fort Marcy show promise. Fort Marcy alone has $5 million allocated for upgrades and a youth center, but broken equipment and inconsistent maintenance are common citywide. With $7 million in ARPA funds still available, we can reduce barriers, expand programming, revive events like Community Days and the Fishing Derby, and restore school sports
-Many Santa Fe County residents currently use the city’s parks, libraries, and recreation facilities. Do you believe the county should be asked to increase its financial contribution to these services?
Yes, I believe we have a real opportunity to build a stronger partnership between the City and County to sustain the parks, libraries, and recreation centers that serve us all. These spaces are deeply loved and widely used across Santa Fe, and their upkeep requires shared investment. A transparent public dashboard could guide that collaboration, showing where support is needed and how it’s used. This isn’t about asking more from one side, it’s about working together to ensure these spaces remain vibrant, welcoming, and well cared for.
-Santa Feans have voiced a desire for better maintenance of city parks. How would you address this?
Santa Feans are right to demand better park maintenance. The wear and tear is visible, and the complaints are valid. But behind every clean trail and safe playground is a workforce that often goes unseen. Day-to-day parks and recreation workers are essential to our city’s health, and we need to expand and support them. That includes housing for the people who keep Santa Fe running, so those who care for our public spaces can live in the community they serve. For our parks to thrive across Santa Fe City and County, we need shared investment and a public dashboard showing where every dollar goes.
-What are your plans for the Municipal Recreation Complex Soccer Valley expansion and the SWAN Park splash pad/phase two expansion?
It’s normal for procurement and design phases to take time, especially with state appropriations, private donations, and city match requirements involved. But delays at the Municipal Recreation Complex and SWAN Park also reflect deeper issues our Parks & Open Space Division is managing multiple major projects while being understaffed. We’re facing a broader workforce shortage, and housing pressures make it harder to recruit and retain the day-to-day workers who keep our public spaces running. To move these expansions forward, the city must boost staffing capacity, streamline coordination, and provide a public dashboard showing where every dollar goes and when work begins.
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