Santa Fe’s Affordable Housing Fee Debate | Santa Fe News

Santa Fe’s mayor is proposing to triple the fee developers pay when skipping affordable housing units, aiming to either boost construction of low-cost apartments or fund the city’s housing trust — but critics fear it could stall development altogether. The “fee in lieu” policy, introduced in 2016, lets builders pay instead of including affordable units, leading to more buildings but still high rents around $2,500/month. While the mayor previously tried banning the fee for one project, now wants to make it far steeper — though some suggest payment plans to ease the burden, which the housing department warns could create bureaucratic chaos. Developers mostly choose the fee over building affordable units, with very few complexes actually including them. Experts say the fee can work — if paired with incentives and clear goals — otherwise, it risks becoming a blunt instrument that doesn’t deliver real housing solutions. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3816b1c99cbeae87