Regular Governing Body Meeting - Last Wednesday — Wed, Jul 29, 2026 · 9.a Request for Approval of the July 1, 2026, Governing Body Study Session Minutes. (Geralyn Cardenas, City Clerk; gfcardenas@santafenm.gov) Committee Review: Governing Body: 07/29/2026
Governing Body Study Session July 1, 2026 Page 1 SUMMARY OF ACTION STUDY SESSION OF THE GOVERNING BODY WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026, 4:00 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 200 LINCOLN AVENUE, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 1. Call To Order Convened at 4:07 pm 2 2. Presentations and Discussion a. Workforce and Affordable Housing Presented 2-4 4. Discussion Action Item a. Waiver of Governing Body Procedural Rule V(B)(4)(b) Not Discussed b. Next Governing Body Study Session Date and Topic Discussed 4 3. Adjourn Adjourned at 6:51 pm 4 Governing Body Study Session July 1, 2026 Page 2 STUDY SESSION OF THE GOVERNING BODY WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026, 4:00 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 200 LINCOLN AVENUE, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 1. CALL TO ORDER The Study Session of the Governing Body was called to order by Mayor Garcia at 4:07 pm, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 200 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico. MEMBERS PRESENT Mayor Michael Garcia Councilor Elizabeth Barrett Councilor Paul Bustamante Councilor Alma Castro Councilor Amanda Chavez Councilor Jamie Cassutt Councilor Pilar Faulkner Councilor Pat Feghali Councilor Lee Garcia MEMBERS EXCUSED OTHERS PRESENT Marcos Martinez, City Attorney Geralyn Cardenas, City Clerk Andrea Phillips, Deputy City Manager Marci Eannarino, Legislation Policy and Innovation Manager Christine Spiers, Legislation Coordinator Palmer Anderson, Policy Analyst Indira Nadasen-Gladstone, Legislative Administrator Faviola Chavez, Affordable Housing Director Christina Browning, Project Administrator 2. PRESENTATION A. WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING Staff presented information per the agenda attached on the status of projects in the pipeline and our community’s housing needs, along with policy models. Governing Body Study Session July 1, 2026 Page 3 Discussion primarily centered on: understanding and defining goals/needs, policy, land use/development review process in general, funding and partnerships. Data analysis, reporting and defining goals • How do we achieve the goal of 110 additional units per year/on average? Is this the real need? • Should the city create goals for each part of the housing affordability spectrum? • Do we have all the tools we need to make decisions? • Solicit developer input in defining the goal and solutions • Learn from and evaluate our historical data in Santa Fe Homes Program and use it to make plans for the future • Set defined goals! Are we looking to create more units or bring in more funds for housing? • Add missing middle income to data set • Need good data to understand history, what’s working and projections of need • Use data to set goals for a ten-year horizon • Set goals and share them at the Housing Summit-ask our community for “partnered solutions” • Do we need a housing economist to study market and policy impacts of various levers? • Root Policy assessment-update with new information Housing Policy • Can we turn vacant units into affordable housing? Vacant housing tax? Funds for rehab and return to use? • Per City Attorney, city must consult with NM Finance Authority on any changes we plan to make to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund ordinance. • Review income qualifications and enforcement in Santa Fe Homes Program • Re-sale criteria need to be revisited • Policy development within housing-align with legislative requests • Plan for housing needs from a regional and holistic approach-consider impacts of where jobs are planned, workforce commuting, traffic impacts, water and environmental concerns. Development Approval Process: • More funding/resources for Planning and Land Use Department to process reviews more quickly • More clarity around developer requirements • E-review (software in process to cut time) • Consider allowing pre-approved plan sets • Solar permitting (review to fast track?) • Develop list and attend to top ten “most mentioned” bottlenecks Funding for Housing • Analysis of planning and land use fees (fee study nearing completion)-possible Governing Body Study Session July 1, 2026 Page 4 increase to come forward for recommendations • Explore revolving loan fund • Need to provide more direction to Community Development Commission on the Governing Body’s housing goals to frame their work and the disbursement of AHTF funds • Set/update criteria for AHTF and make sure processes and criteria match our goals Other: • Develop program to incentivize housing for city employees • Consider a SWOT analysis (strengths, weakness and opportunities and threats for housing) Next steps: • August 3 (Monday): Next GB Study Session: also on housing • GB Housing Summit-discussed holding a summit at the Convention Center with breakout sessions, involve our development partners and housing agencies, service providers, state and county, etc. Councilor volunteers for planning: Bustamante, Cassutt, Castro, Faulkner 3. ADJOURN There being no further discussion before the Governing Body, the Study Session adjourned at 6:51 pm. Approved By: __________________________ Mayor Michael Garcia Attested To By: ______________________________ Geralyn F. Cardenas, City Clerk Respectfully Submitted By: ______________________________ Andrea Phillips, Deputy City Manager