New affordable housing and public open space both matter

Many Santa Feans have followed the Homewise proposal to build 161 units on a 22-acre site on South Meadows Road, with 50% of those units designated as affordable homes. Infilling this site with much-needed affordable housing is only the latest vision for the space, however.

In 2000, Santa Fe County used taxpayer money to buy the South Meadows tract as a key part of its Open Space and Trails Program and in 2007 designated the site as a “core” for a new neighborhood unit. After the city annexed this area of town in 2014, the county offered at least twice to donate the land to the city, but the city declined take over the lot on South Meadows.

Approached by Homewise about purchasing the land in 2020, the county manager at the time recommended sale. County Commissioners shortly after voted in a closed executive session to sell the park space. There was no public announcement of the sale, simply a vague listing of “Disposition of Open Space Property” without specification of site. Only in September 2021 did area residents learn of the sale agreement for the South Meadows open space, around the time Homewise began the first of four early neighborhood notification meetings.

Homewise has come a long way with its plan, which in a previous iteration included a charter school. In its current proposal, Homewise imagines building 161 homes (50% of which would be affordable) and a 5-acre park. Homewise has requested rezoning to R-6 and R-21, which the planning commission approved Nov. 3, 2022. At that hearing, a group of citizens concerned about losing the open space pitched a rough compromise, hoping to retain some of the open space.

Following the Planning Commission, the South Meadows group developed a more formal counterproposal in coordination with several community partners to try to strike a balance between community needs for open space and affordable housing. Central to the group’s counterproposal was an 11-11 split of the 22-acre site: 11 acres of affordable housing developed by Homewise and 11 acres of open space. Taking Homewise’s financial modeling into account as best as possible, the document proposed eliminating 35 of the 161 units to allow for a larger open space. Potential savings were identified on infrastructure, park development and building costs to offset the loss of profit from the sale of the 35 homes.

Per the counterproposal, Homewise would donate 11-acres to a community nonprofit, which would take the lead fundraising and restart neighborhood engagement. The idea was that the compromise might heal some of the hurt felt by area residents who for many years were led to believe this would be an open space, as envisioned in the county’s management plan but unfortunately never realized.

The South Meadows group met with Homewise on Jan. 17. Homewise appeared receptive to some of the ideas but ultimately declined the counterproposal, stating the changes suggested would leave them unable to offer any affordable housing whatsoever.

Talk about a rock and a hard place. Homewise’s rezoning application will be heard 7 p.m. Wednesday by the City Council. The site will have much-needed affordable housing, and Homewise’s work addressing this need should be applauded. The park, though not quite the open space imagined by the group, will provide recreational space in one of the densest areas of town. Unfortunately, area residents will not soon forget the past promises of the land’s use. Going forward, we need to balance public goods: We must support affordable housing and stay committed to preserving public open spaces.