On April 26 the Albuquerque Journal released a poll on the June 2  New Mexico contested primary for Governor. The Journal released its poll results only for the contested race in the Democratic Party primary between former Biden Cabinet Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman. The Journal announced that on Sunday, May 2, it would release the poll results  in the highly contested Republican primary between Republicans Greg Hull, Duke Rodriquez and Doug Turner.

The 2026 primary election is New Mexico’s first ever “semi-open” primary under the newly enacted state law that allows independent voters to cast their votes in either the Democratic or Republican primary without having to change their party affiliation. The Journal poll was taken of 470 registered Democrats and 64 Independents or unaffiliated voters likely to vote in the June 2 Democratic primary.

The sole question asked of the 470 Democrats and 64 independents who said they were likely to vote in the Democratic primary was this:

“If the Democratic primary election for Governor was held today, and the candidates were Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman, who would you vote for?”

THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR

Debra Haaland is the former U.S. Interior Cabinet Secretary under President Joe Biden and the  former Congresswoman for the Albuquerque area. She is considered to have a national base of financial support having raised $11.1 million  in her bid to succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Haaland’s  run for New Mexico Governor is historic in that if elected, she would be the first Native American female governor ever elected in the nation.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, like Haaland, is a former Democratic State Party Chair. Bregman was appointed Bernalillo County District Attorney by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2023 to fill the unexpired term of Raul Torrez who was elected Attorney General in 2022. Bregman was elected to a four-year term as DA in 2024. Prior to becoming DA, Bregman was a prominent criminal defense attorney and trial attorney and also served many years ago  as a Bernalillo County Assistant District Attorney. According to information on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website, Bregman’s overall campaign fundraising  this election cycle is upwards of $4 million.

ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL POLL RESULTS

The Journal poll found that 52% of proven Democratic and Independent voters surveyed said they planned to vote for Haaland while  30%  said they planned to vote for Sam Bregman. The remaining 18% of the total polled said they were undecided.

According to the poll, the key to Haaland  securing 52% of those surveyed was her strong support among woman, Anglos and self-reported liberal or progressive voters and with highly educated voters.

Haaland’s  support was particularly strong among women, who preferred her over Bregman by a 2-to-1 margin.

According to the Journal poll, Anglo voters were much more likely to back Haaland than were Hispanic voters, who were more narrowly divided in their views.

There was a very  notable difference among surveyed voters by education level. 59% of voters with a college or graduate degree said they planned to vote for Haaland as compared to just 25% who expressed support for Bregman.

Bregman’s support levels were higher among voters without a college degree, though he still trailed behind Haaland among such voters.

When it came to voters’ political ideology, Haaland had a commanding lead among self-described progressive and liberal voters, with the support of 65% of such voters as compared to just 24% for Bregman.

Bregman has tried to position himself as a far more moderate candidate statewide  to Haaland and he has struggled to make inroads among the Democratic Party Progressives. Bregman, who has touted his crime-fighting credentials in his TV ads, fared better among self-described moderates and conservatives who plan to vote in the Democratic primary.

According to the poll, Bregman led Haaland among voters surveyed in New Mexico’s east side which is considered far more conservative.  According to the poll, Bregman trailed behind Haaland in the more highly populated Albuquerque Metropolitan Area as well as the traditional Democratic stronghold of northern New Mexico.

Bregman, who has touted his crime-fighting credentials in his TV ads, has fared better among self-described moderates and conservatives who plan to vote in the Democratic primary.

POLL METHODOLOGY IN “SEMI-OPEN” PRIMARY ELECTION

The Journal Poll was conducted from April 17 to April 24. It is based on a statewide random sample of 470 registered Democrats who cast ballots in the 2020, 2022, and/or 2024 Democratic Primary elections, and a sample of Democrats who registered to vote since January 2025, who said they are very likely to vote in the upcoming election.

Democrats made up 88% of the Journal Poll’s sample size, with Independents who said they planned to cast a ballot in the Democratic primary making up the remaining 12% of the sample.  The Journal polled a total of 534 and included  64 independent or unaffiliated voters with proven voter history, who said they are very likely to vote in the upcoming Democratic Primary election.

Brian Sanderoff, the President of Research and Polling who does political polling exclusively for the Albuquerque Journal, said this:

“When it comes to adding independent voters for the Primary poll, we are entering a new and unknown world, due to the statutory changes. For the Democratic Primary in the Governor’s race, 12% of the sample is among unaffiliated voters who said they will vote in the Democratic Primary. Of this group, 31% said they are undecided in the Governor’s race. “

It’s unclear how many independent voters will cast ballots in the June 2 primary race, as their turnout has lagged behind Democrats and Republicans in recent election cycles. The race will likely tighten if more independents vote.

The total polling sample is 534, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples.

The sample was stratified by race/ethnicity and county and weighted by education level, based on traditional voting patterns to ensure a more representative sample.

All interviews were conducted by live, professional interviewers, based in Albuquerque, with multiple callbacks to those who did not initially answer the phone.

Both cellphone numbers (96%) and landlines (4%) of likely Primary election voters were used. The Journal polling relied on more expensive but also more accurate professional cell phone interviews.

The links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/journal-poll-haaland-holds-solid-lead-over-bregman-in-hotly-contested-gubernatorial-primary-race/3029283

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/albuquerque-journal/20260426/281479283011420

https://www.joemonahan.com/

KRQE EMERSON COLLEGE POLL  RECALLED

On April 22, with less than six weeks before the June 4 primary for Governor,  KRQE News 13 reported on an independent poll it commissioned and taken by Emerson College. The poll results are as follows:

KRQE’s Emerson College poll revealed that Deb Haaland has a commanding lead of 16% over Sam Bregman with Haaland securing  40% to Bregman’s 24%. According to the poll, 40% of Democrats and Independents polled said they plan to vote for Haaland, while 24% say they will vote for Bregman.  A whopping 36% of Democrats  say they are undecided on who they will vote for Democratic primary on June 2.

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/elections/deb-haaland-takes-commanding-lead-in-latest-new-mexico-gov-primary-race-poll/

EMERSON COLLEGE POLL METHODOLOGY

The Emerson College  poll of 1,000 likely primary voters including 250 independents who for the first time are able to vote in state party primary elections. The 250 or 25% of those polled reflects their state wide registration. Bregman does best with men and independent voters in the Emerson College poll.

A few political analysts are predicting that Independent’s turnout for the primary will be much lower at 5% to 10% of the voters but that is questionable given the amount of money being spent in campaign ads and the attention the race has generated.

The Emerson College Polling New Mexico survey was conducted April 18-19, 2026. The sample of New Mexico likely primary voters, n=1,000, has a credibility interval, similar to a poll’s margin of error (MOE), of +/- 3 percent. The Democratic Primary consists of n=564 likely primary voters with a credibility interval of +/-4.1%. The Republican Primary consists of n=436 likely primary voters with a credibility interval of +/-4.7%

RACE  HEATS UP BETWEEN HAALAND AND BREGMAN

DA Sam Bregman began his television ad campaign with highly aggressive TV ads promoting his pledge to prosecute ICE agents who violate state law.  Bregman has also repeatedly criticized Haaland for her refusal to participate in in televised debates.

Bregman has substantially increased his attacks against Haaland highlighting Haaland’s appearance in the Epstein files due to a private flight she took in 2014 while running on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket with Gary King. Haaland’s campaign has dismissed the insinuations as a “false attack,” insisting she did not know the plane was chartered by Epstein and had no relationship with the disgraced financier, who died in 2019.

Bregman has substantially  increased his criticism of  Haaland for posting information on her campaign website about properties owned by Bregman where he and members of  his family live. Bregman  confronted Haaland personally at an event asserting that Haaland endangered his life and his family lives for politcal gain, and in particular  his 88 year old mother and his daughter who live in the homes he owns. Haaland for her part denied the accusation proclaiming the information was public record, but her campaign took down the information soon after being confronted by Bregman

Haaland has vowed to push back against President Donald Trump’s policies if elected governor, with her campaign’s first TV ad saying she would “stand up to the billionaires rigging the system against us” proclaiming Bregman would not given his own wealth.

HAALAND’S COMMANDING LEAD OVER BREGMAN IN FUNDRAISING

On April 15, campaign finance reports were released that showed Haaland had raised around $4.18 million in the previous six months, outpacing the $1.21 million in contributions for Bregman in the same time period from early October of last year to early April this year. According to information on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website, Haaland’s overall earnings this election cycle are around $11 million, with Bregman’s under $4 million.

Former Secretary of the Interior and congresswoman Deb Haaland  released a report that was 12,882 pages long, filled with tens of thousands of reported donations from all over the country suggesting that she is a national figure within the Democratic party.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman released a report that was 353 pages long, covering the last six months of campaign contributions. Bregman reported raising more than $1.2 million during the reporting period. He has now received nearly $3.7 million since launching his campaign for governor. More than 80% of his contributions came from New Mexico residents.  Most of Haaland’s donations came from out of state.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/deb-haaland-leads-sam-bregman-in-new-mexico-governor-race-fundraising/

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/nm-governor-candidates-have-already-spent-10-million-on-race-with-haaland-still-outraising-rivals/3021934

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

It is abundantly clear that the manner, method and the number of Democrats and Independents polled that explains the major difference between the Emerson Poll (Deb Haaland 40%, Sam Bregman 24%, Undecided, 36%) and the Albuquerque Journal Poll (Haaland 52%, Bregman 30%, Undecided 18%). Both polls were conducted essentially at the same time. The  KRQE Emerson College Poll was conducted April 18-19, 2026 while the Journal poll was was conducted from April 17 to April 24. The Albuquerque Journal is not expected to do any more polling, but it is more likely than not others will.

Emerson college polled a total of 1,000 likely primary voters, including 250 independents,  which was almost double of the total  polled by the Journal. The Journal polled a total of 534 and included only 64 independent or unaffiliated voters while Emerson polled 250 Independents. The Journal poll relied on more expensive but also more accurate professional cell phone interviews which explains the Journal poll smaller sample. The biggest question is which of  polls is to believed? The answer to the question is both and each must be considered in their own context.

As is the case with any and all political polls they are only a  “snapshot in time” subject to rapid change and events that unfold. What polls people choose to believe must always be questioned as to accuracy. Exclusive reliance on any one poll is a mistake often made by those running for office and their supporters.

The two conclusions that can be made from both polls is that Haaland is leading Bregman, she is on a trajectory to win the Democratic Party primary, and there still remains a high percentage of undecided voters.  (Emerson poll undecideds 36%, Journal Poll 18% total poll undecides and 36% Independent undecided per Sanderoff)

The Journal poll is the first poll in the race the Journal has taken. It does not take into account the decline in support amongst Democrats for Deb Haaland over Sam Bregman over the course of many months of campaigning. Review of other polls known to have been taken  reflect that in  March  2025, Deb Haaland polled at 63% over Sam Bregman’s 14%. In October 2025, Deb Haaland polled at 54% to Sam Bregman at 22%. In February, 2026, Deb Haaland polled at 56% to Bregman’s 26%. Again in February, 2026 Deb Haaland polled at 46% to Bregman’s 25%.

The April 15 Emerson College poll released  showed Deb Haaland with a commanding 49% to Bregman’s 24%, but with a whopping 36% of Democrats  saying  they were undecided on who they will vote for Democratic primary on June 2. The April 26 Journal poll release found Haaland 52%, Bregman 30% and the Undecided still  at 18%.

The three major factors that  will decide the final outcome in the Democratic primary for Governor are:

1. The extent of independents voting and breaking for Bregman or Haaland.
2. Campaign money spent over the next four weeks.
3. Unexpected campaign mistakes.

What must be emphasized is that not a single vote has been cast. Heavy in person-early voting is over two weeks away. Sam Bregman still has time, although short as it is, to make inroads with Democrats and Independents statewide and perhaps retool and become even more aggressive to chip away Haaland’s statewide lead. Deb Haaland for her part needs to avoid at all cost making serious campaign mistakes which she seems to be prone to do as was the case with posting information on her campaign website about properties owned by Bregman where he and members of  his family live.

DA Sam Bregman has initiated aggressive TV ads promoting his pledge to prosecute ICE agents who violate state law, criticising Haaland’s refusal to debate him and pointing out he was not in the Jeffry Epstein files while Haaland was for taking a trip to a fundraiser on a plane owned by Epstein.

Bregman is now running ads promoting his policy positions on crime, health care and education. Haaland for her part has increased her media buys considerably promoting her policies and refuting Bregman’s accusations.

The bottom line is that well over a month remains in a hotly contested race. A full month in a politcal race is an eternity in politics and anything can happen that changes the trajectory of the race.

In the final analysis, the only poll that matters is the final vote in the June 2 primary election.

PLEASE VOTE!!!

 

On April 22, with less than six weeks before the June 4 primary for Governor,  KRQE News 13 reported on an independent poll it commissioned taken by Emerson College. The poll results are as follows:

DEMOCRATS

KRQE’s Emerson College poll revealed that Deb Haaland has a commanding lead of 16% over Sam Bregman with Haaland securing  40% to Bregman’s 24%. According to the poll, 40% of Democrats and Independents polled said they plan to vote for Haaland, while 24% say they will vote for Bregman.  A whopping 36% of Democrats  say they are undecided on who they will vote for Democratic primary on June 2.

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/elections/deb-haaland-takes-commanding-lead-in-latest-new-mexico-gov-primary-race-poll/

REPUBLICANS

KRQE’s Emerson College  poll revealed that Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull leads with 21%, former New Mexico Human Services Secretary and Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez secured 10%, former New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission Chair Doug Turner secured  9%. A whopping 61% of Republican voters in the poll are undecided.

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/hull-takes-early-lead-in-race-for-republican-primary-for-new-mexico-governor-poll-shows/?ipid=promo-link-block1

TRUMP AND OTHER ISSUES

The  KRQE Emerson College poll found that 56% of respondents disapprove of the job the President Trump is doing, something that will no doubt affect the Republican nominee in the November general election should he endorse. Quoting the Emerson College Poll:

“Healthcare is the top issue for both Democrats (29%) and Republicans (21%), while the economy is the top issue for independents at 23%, followed by education and healthcare at 15%, respectively.

One in two likely voters (50%) say they feel less safe today than they did one year ago, 13% feel more safe, and 37% report no difference. 

President Trump holds a 37% approval rating among likely primary voters, while 56% disapprove of the job he is doing in office.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham holds a 40% approval rating, while 42% disapprove of the job she is doing. 

Nearly half of voters (49%) disapprove of the job Governor Lujan Grisham is doing running the Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD), while 18% approve, and 28% are neutral.

A plurality of voters (46%) would vote yes on a constitutional amendment revoking the governor’s power to appoint the head of the CYFD, while 22% would vote no, and 32% are not sure.”

The link to review the full Emerson College poll can be found in the postscript.

METHODOLOGY

The Emerson poll of 1,000 likely primary voters including 250 independents who for the first time are able to vote in state party primary elections. The 250 or 25% of those polled reflects their state wide registration. Bregman does best with men and independent voters.

A few political gossip analysts are predicting that Independent’s turnout for the primary will be much lower at 5%  to 10%  of the voters but that is questionable given the amount of money being spent in campaign ads.

The Emerson College Polling New Mexico survey was conducted April 18-19, 2026. The sample of New Mexico likely primary voters, n=1,000, has a credibility interval, similar to a poll’s margin of error (MOE), of +/- 3 percent. The Democratic Primary consists of n=564 likely primary voters with a credibility interval of +/-4.1%. The Republican Primary consists of n=436 likely primary voters with a credibility interval of +/-4.7%

MILLIONS RAISED BY DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICAN FUNDRASING LAGS WAY BEHIND

HAALAND vs. BREGMAN FUNDRAISING

On April 15, campaign finance reports were released that showed Haaland had raised around $4.18 million in the previous six months, outpacing the $1.21 million in contributions for Bregman in the same time period from early October of last year to early April this year. According to information on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website, Haaland’s overall earnings this election cycle are around $11 million, with Bregman under $4 million.

Former Secretary of the Interior and congresswoman Deb Haaland  released a report that was 12,882 pages long, filled with tens of thousands of reported donations from all over the country suggesting that she is a national figure within the Democratic party.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman released a report that was 353 pages long, covering the last six months of campaign contributions. Bregman reported raising more than $1.2 million during the reporting period. He has now received nearly $3.7 million since launching his campaign for governor. More than 80% of his contributions came from New Mexico residents.  Most of Haaland’s donations came from out of state.

RODRIGUEZ vs. TURNER vs. HULL FUNDRAISING

Among the three Republicans running for governor, cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez reported making a $500,000 contribution to his own campaign and said he would likely make another similar donation before the June primary election. The $500,000 donation made up roughly 99% of Rodriguez’s total contributions.

Small business owner Doug Turner of Albuquerque also reported raising slightly more than $500,000 in contributions, though in his case the money did not come from his own bank account.  Turner’s largest donors included former state GOP chairwoman Debbie Maestas and several oil industry officials, including state Rep. Mark Murphy of Roswell and the Jalapeno Corp. that is owned by former party chairman Harvey Yates Jr.

Gregg Hull received the most support from state Republican Party delegates at the GOP’s pre-primary convention held in Ruidoso in March. Hull  reported getting nearly $145,000 in contributions. That brought his total contribution amount since launching his campaign last year to more than $474,000. Hull, who is stepping down as Rio Rancho’s mayor this year, has spent roughly half that amount, primarily on campaign consultants and TV ads.

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/deb-haaland-leads-sam-bregman-in-new-mexico-governor-race-fundraising/

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/nm-governor-candidates-have-already-spent-10-million-on-race-with-haaland-still-outraising-rivals/3021934

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

There has been a dramatic decline is support amongst Democrats for Deb Haaland over Sam Bregman, however she still has a commanding lead and the advantage in fundraising. Notwithstanding, the 36% of “undecided” Democrats is exceptionally high given the fact the primary is less than 6 weeks away.

In March  2025, Deb Haaland polled at 63% over Sam Bregman’s 14%. In October 2025, Deb Haaland polled at 54% to Sam Bregman at 22%. In February, 2026, Deb Haaland polled at 56% to Bregman’s 26%. Again in February, 2026 Deb Haaland polled at 46% to Bregman’s 25%.

The April 2026 Emerson  poll  now shows Deb Haaland with a commanding 49% to Bregman’s 24% with political analysists now suggesting  that the race will be a lot closer than originally thought. The fact that Haaland is now  below the magical 50% when at first she was at 63% and with 36% of Democrats still undecided dictates that the race is far from over and Bregman is gaining traction but to what extend he will close the gap remains to be seen.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/deb-haaland-leads-sam-bregman-in-new-mexico-governor-race-fundraising/

DA Sam Bregman has initiated aggressive TV ads promoting his pledge to prosecute ICE agents who violate state law, criticising Haaland’s refusal to debate him and pointing out he was not in the Jeffry Epstein files while Haaland was for taking a trip to a fundraiser on a plane owned by Epstein. Bregman is now running ads  promoting his policy positions on crime, health care and education.

Haaland for her part has increased her media buys considerably promoting her policies.

With respect to the Republicans in the race, there has been very little in the way money spent to promote their candidacies.

POSTSCRIPT

The link to review the Emerson College poll is here:

New Mexico 2026 Poll: Deb Haaland Leads Sam Bregman in Primary for Governor; Majority of Republicans Undecided

 

 

 

This article is an in depth review of affordable housing projects that have broken ground or expected to break ground that are designed to address the city’s affordable housing shortage. Once all the projects are completed, they will go a long way to negate the need to change the city’s zoning laws to double or triple density in established neighborhoods.

UPZONING CONTROVERSY

It was on February 18, 2026 that the Albuquerque City Council voted 5 to 4 to reject a series of sweeping amendments that Mayor Tim Keller sought to the city’s zoning laws mandating upzoning in all established residential areas of the city. The debate exposed tensions between affordable housing activists, investors and developers on one side and on the other side were existing homeowners, property owners and neighborhood associations.

Supporters wanted to double or triple density to boost housing supply in all existing neighborhoods, eliminating rights to object or appeal by adjoining or affected property owners arguing  that “flooding the market” with more housing would result in making more affordable housing available for sale or rent.

Opposing homeowners, property owners and neighborhood associations argued there was a need to preserve historical areas of the city, to preserve existing neighborhood character, tranquility and livability and to prevent gentrification and no property tax increases brought on by change in zoning, improvements or a new purchaser.

Supporters of the dramatic changes  to the city’s zoning laws did not mention and essentially ignored the millions being spent on affordable housing projects that will have impact on the city affordable housing shortage.

EXTENT  OF CITY’S  HOUSING SHORTAGE

A recent study by Root Policy Research found that Albuquerque has a significant shortage of units for low-income renters. It is  estimated that on the low side Albuquerque needs 13,000 housing units and on the high side 28,000 housing units to meet the demand. Estimates rely on the city’s growth rate which reduces affordable housing availability. The higher the population growth rate is results in the need for more affordable housing. Three years ago Mayor Keller proclaimed that the city had an immediate 55,000 housing unit shortage but he failed to disclose that figure was based on a 2% growth rate over 20 years or until 2045. The reality is that for the last 3 years the city  has lost population and that trend is expected to continue with Keller’s figure of 55,000 housing units being grossly inflated.

Albuquerque is struggling with being able to provide sufficient “affordable housing” which is a major contributor to homelessness. A 2024 Denver-based Root Policy Research report, entitled “Albuquerque Region Housing Needs Assessment” found a significant shortage of units for low-income renters. The report found that residents are spending more than a third of their monthly income on housing and that occupied units, such as apartments and single-family homes, often had more residents than rooms available.

The link to a quoted or relied upon news source is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_84d10e4c-b9a9-4c5c-8929-39740d6c09d7.html#tncms-source=home-featured-7-block

 The most recent  Point-In-Time (PIT) Report for the number of unhoused PERSONS experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque is 2,960 broken down in 3 categories:

• Emergency Shelters: 1,327
• Transitional Housing: 266
• Unsheltered: 1,367

       Total:   2,960

The link to review the entire 62-page 2024 PIT report is here:

https://568ac5c8-a616-4ffa-987e-7f77d5d1e6aa.filesusr.com/ugd/ad7ad8_0b3a57c7ce914d7f9bc94b6ea37be15c.pdf

Notwithstanding the “Point In Time” finding that the city has 2,960 unhoused, the Mayor Keller Administration estimates that there are upwards 5,000 people who are unhoused and who are living on the streets in Albuquerque.

Over the past two decades, rent and house prices have risen faster than income nationwide, meaning low-income Americans are getting priced out and spending, at times, more than 30% of their paycheck to keep a roof over their heads, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

MAJOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IDENTIFIED

Following are the major affordable housing projects approved over the last two years that once completed will reduce the city’s affordable housing shortage:

WEST MESA RIDGE APARTMENTS

On April 21, 2026, it was reported that a new kind of affordable housing broke ground which is  focused on providing more financial help for families with children. The West Mesa Ridge apartments by Coors and Fortuna on the west side will be a 128-unit affordable housing complex, with a preschool on site. The whole project will be built on a 12.5-acre plot of land, with one acre of that going to the early childhood center. The project is  a partnership between the city, county, nonprofits, and state agencies.  Construction is currently in progress after breaking ground last week, with an opening date of August 2027. Following the opening of this phase, a second phase will begin, which will have an additional 144 affordable units.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/unique-kind-of-affordable-housing-coming-to-albuquerque-westside-with-preschool-on-site/

“CASITAS DEL CAMINO”

On March 26, 2026 a ground breaking ceremony was held on the $38 million affordable housing project known as “Casitas del Camino”. The project is a prime example of  combining  millions of dollars in federal, state, city and county government funds The project is located one  block off West Central.

Over the next year, construction crews will renovate defunct public housing off West Central and 60th NW and build additional units, ultimately providing 88 new or refurbished apartments for low-income families. The project  combines  millions in federal, state, city and county government funds in an attempt to address what politicians and activists are calling a housing crisis.

Linda Bridge, the  executive director of the Albuquerque Housing Authority said Casitas del Camino will provide what she  called “truly affordable” housing for families.  Families who make 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less are eligible to live at Casitas del Camino. That amounts to a maximum of $49,000 a year for a family of three.

Forty-four units will be reserved for families earning 60% AMI or less, while 17 units are limited to families making 50% AMI or less. Twenty-seven units will be for the lowest-income residents who make 30% AMI or less. That’s approximately $24,700 a year for a family of three.  The site will also include a playground, basketball court and community building.

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/local-leaders-break-ground-on-38-million-west-central-affordable-housing-project/3010196

THE STATE FAIR REDVELOPMENT DISTRICT INCLUDES $30 Million For AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The “State Fairgrounds District” is a 7 member board created by the legislature and chaired by the Governor that has redevelopment funding authority over the existing State Fair grounds for repurposing the 236-acre tract of land. On March 14, the State Fairgrounds District Board  voted 6-1 to approve Phase 1 of the Master Plan giving  their approval  for the state to spend $114 million in appropriations from the Legislature once the fiscal year begins on July 1. The Phase 1 price tag is upwards of $200 million when combined with previously approved bonds. Phase 1 includes infrastructure maintenance for the State Fair and to add permanent retail space and housing.  The investment is expected to generate $5.7 million a year in tax earnings which is double what the State Fair currently produces. At least $30 million of the $200 million approved funding is dedicated specifically for affordable housing.

HOUSING PROJECTS FUNDED BY CITY

On August 4, 2025,  the Albuquerque City Council passed R-25-177, a measure to appropriate $7,562,000 in State Capital Outlay funding to three specific affordable housing projects in City Council District 2 represented by District 2 City Councilor Joaquín Baca. The funding, appropriated during the 2025 legislative session through House Bill 450, aims to  expand housing options for low- to moderate-income residents.

The resolution allocates Capital Outlay funding from the State to projects that are designed to increase the number of “affordable, transitional, and supportive housing” units. The projects are contingent upon being formally designated as “Qualifying Grantees” and receiving final approval from the Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) and the New Mexico Department of Finance/Local Government Division.

R-25-177, directs the funding toward three distinct projects in the Downtown and Barelas areas of the city. The largest portion, $5 million, will be used to convert the old Wells Fargo building located third and Lomas into the  Lomas Towers.  The adaptive reuse projects are expected to create between 100 and 120 rental units for residents earning up to 80% of the area median income. The conversion also includes plans for new commercial space to help revitalize downtown Albuquerque.

All three  projects required final approval by the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority and Department of Finance.

The three projects identified to receive the $7.5 Million in  funding are:

1. WELLS FARGO BUILDING CONVERSION INTOLOMAS TOWERS APARTMENTS.

A $5 million appropriation for a major adaptive reuse project that will convert approximately 85% of the 14-story former Wells Fargo Building, situated at Third Street and Lomas, into the  Lomas Towers Apartments. It will be a 100-120 workforce housing apartment complex. The project aims to address the city’s housing shortage by creating attainable housing for households earning 80% or less of the area median income while also revitalizing the downtown area with new residential and commercial spaces.

On December 19, 2025  it was reported that the sale of the Wells Fargo building, has gone through.  The acquisition closed on December 5, marking a significant step in allowing the tower’s new owners to begin their plans to redevelop the structure into mixed-use housing.  The new owners are local real estate firm Geltmore LLC and California-based affordable housing developer Lincoln Avenue Communities, a subsidiary of Lincoln Avenue Capital.

The finalized acquisition allowed the developers to access the building, seal off the ground floor and begin some interior demolition and asbestos abatement work as they secure funding and tax credits over the next several months. The structure is expected to be prepped and ready for construction by early summer 2026.

The prep work is the first tangible step in the transformation of the 13-story banking and office building into roughly 100 workforce affordable housing units.  Half of the one- and two-bedroom apartments will be priced for those who make 70% or below Albuquerque’s median income and the other half will go to those who make 50% or below the area’s median income, according to Snow.

Twelve stories of the building are dedicated to affordable housing, which will include 60 one-bedroom apartments and 40 two-bedroom apartments. The ground floor will be renovated into office and retail space.

The apartments will be priced for those who make 70% of Albuquerque’s median income and capped at 80%, which for one person stands at $51,200 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines for 2025.

The second floor will include community amenity rooms and a fitness room for residents, while the ground floor will feature publicly accessible commercial, retail and office uses.  Lincoln owns and will handle the residential portion of the project, while Geltmore owns the ground floor and land and will handle the commercial components,

2. THE ROMERO

This is a  $1,931,249 appropriation for a community-driven development in Barelas. The Portland-based developer, Palindrome Communities, estimates the total project cost to be $20.8 million. The project overlooks the Railyards at Second and Santa Fe.  A three-story apartment complex  is planned that will provide 69 units at varying rates of affordability, ranging from 30% to 80% of the city’s median income. That range means that a person who makes around $18,000 a year and a person who makes nearly three times that will be living side by side. The development will also include 7,521 square feet of commercial space and several live-work units, fostering local entrepreneurship and creating a new mixed-use hub.

3. GIZMO ARTSPACE:

The resolution allocates $630,751 for the GIZMO Artspace project.  The Gizmo building has historical significance. The building  was once a J.C. Penney, which had its grand reopening in 1949. The $630,751 appropriated is not  enough to renovate the upper floor into housing, but it’s the first step to getting the decades long-vacant building operable again.  Plans are to renovate the vacant Gizmo building on Central into a hub for artists from all walks of life.   The 53,000-square-foot, four-story building will house two galleries, 24 artist studios, a library, an art supply store, a print shop and six apartments.

Links to relied upon or quoted news sources are here:

https://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor/district-2/news/albuquerque-city-council-appropriates-over-7-5-million-for-affordable-housing-projects-in-downtown-and-barelas

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/redevelopment-of-wells-fargo-building-inches-forward-with-sale-finalized/2950837

https://www.koat.com/article/albuquerque-city-council-affordable-housing-projects/65601263

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTQqlUC9ak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTQqlUC9ak

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/over-7-5-million-appropriated-to-affordable-housing-projects-in-downtown-albuquerque-barelas/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKTQqlUC9ak

UPTOWN CONNECT

On August 19, 2025 the Bernalillo County Commission approved $46 million in revenue bonds to help subsidize the construction of two apartment buildings that will bring more than 200 affordable housing units to Uptown. The project is intended to draw low-to-middle-income residents to the Uptown area immediately South of Coronado Center that is already filled with jobs, amenities and public transit.

The Uptown Connect project is estimated to cost $115 million in total, and through a combination of federal, state, municipal and private dollars, the project is almost fully funded. Palindrome Communities development company is the firm behind the project. Palindrome hopes to break ground in the first half of 2026  and be move-in ready by mid-2028, pending funding from the state.

The Uptown Connect apartment complex will include a four-story tower and a six-story tower. It is planned around ABQ Ride’s preexisting Uptown Transit Center at Indian School and Louisiana NE. The project is expected to increase ridership on city buses and lower single-person car ownership among residents.  The neighborhood offers multiple grocery stores, banks, shopping centers and office buildings within a half mile, making it highly walkable  for those who can afford it.

When completed, Uptown Connect will be the first affordable housing complex in the neighborhood. The new complex will feature primarily affordable housing. Fifty percent will be reserved for people who make $32,000 a year or less. There will also be 36 apartments that are not income restricted and that will be rented out at market rate. In addition to housing, Uptown Connect will revamp the transit center and add 11,000 and 8,000 square feet of commercial and office space.

The Bernalillo County commission will voted on final approval for the bonds in January 2026.

The link to the quoted or relied upon news source is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/article_260971e7-5496-4884-aa59-083ff29936f3.html#tncms-source=home-featured-7-block

THE CALLE CUARTA PROJECT

On June 2, 2025, the Albuquerque City Council appropriated $2 million dollars for a transformative affordable housing development in Albuquerque’s North Valley known as the Calle Cuarta project. Located at Fourth and Candelaria, Calle Cuarta will deliver 61 affordable rental units for low-income individuals and families, ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. The development will also include ground-level retail space and four live-work units to support neighborhood vibrancy. The project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed this fall. City Councilors said that the project is now fully funded for enhancements like solar, EV charging, and landscaping.

The $2 Million investment ensures the addition of sustainability upgrades and community-focused features to benefit future residents. This includes $1.6 million in ARPA Emergency Rental Assistance funding and $380,000 in State Capital Outlay Funding. The funding  builds on a prior $3.5 million investment from the City’s Workforce Housing Trust Fund and the donation of five acres of City-owned land to make this project a reality.

Links to relied upon or quoted news sources are here:

https://www.cabq.gov/health-housing-homelessness/news/city-boosts-calle-cuarta-with-final-funding-for-sustainability-and-community-enhancements

https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/albuquerque-city-councilors-approve-nearly-2m-for-affordable-housing-development/

141 UNIT DOWNTOWN “SENDERO” AFFORDABLE HOUSING POJECT MOVES FORWARD

On January 8, 2026, it was reported that construction on a stalled housing project in Downtown Albuquerque will continue with a new developer. The project, called Sendero, was announced in 2022 under the name the Downtowner and was originally slated for completion in late 2025, though city officials said the project was delayed due to rising construction costs, financing challenges and market conditions. The Nonprofit affordable housing developer Sol Housing has now taken over the project, slated for a vacant lot on First and Silver SW, from Rembe Urban Design + Development.

The building will reserve some of its proposed 141 units for income-restricted affordable housing.  City officials hope the project will be completed in 2027.  The original development, Downtowner, had a budget of $30.1 million. City officials at the time had said the development would include 207 rental units, 11 work units and a coffee shop on its bottom floor.

Some of the units will be available for rent based on affordable housing standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Brunner said, though income restrictions have not yet been decided. The city had provided the land, a $1.8 million gap financing grant and a tax abatement valued at roughly $1.5 million over seven years for the previous project overseen by Rembe. Once complete, Sendero will include a ground-floor community space, bicycle parking, rooftop amenities and connections to the under-construction Albuquerque Rail Trail, a 7-mile loop connecting core parts of the city to pedestrians and bikers.

The link to the quoted or relied upon news source is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/downtown-affordable-housing-project-to-move-forward-with-new-developer-and-name/2954713

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONVERSIONS INTO HOUSING

There are two commercial office building being converted in to housing with city subsidized funding. Those conversions are as follows:

TWO PARK CENTRAL TOWER

On December 7, 2025,  it was reported that the City has  reached a development deal with the Houston company Silverstone Equity Partners that owns the vacant 10-story tower in the International District, a key step toward turning the building into housing.  The 10-story, 101,000-square-foot Two Park Central Tower sold in August 2023 for just under $2 million. The Two Park Central Tower property tax bill is currently $87,090, but is expected to increase to $205,238 after the apartments are developed. On  September 4, the City Council  approved a seven-year tax abatement will save the developer a total of $744,332 on its property tax bills.

The development agreement between the city of Albuquerque and Silverstone Equity Partners follows the approval of a building permit for the development in October. The company plans to renovate the property into housing, bringing 110 studios and one-bedroom apartments to the tower that sits at San Mateo and Central NE.  A groundbreaking is expected in January, 2026 with the project completion targeted for the first quarter of 2027.

The city has agreed to put $2 million into the project, which is expected to cost $23 million. The project, located at 300 San Mateo NE, will also benefit from a tax abatement the city approved in June, providing more than seven years of tax breaks valued at nearly $750,000.

As part of Silverstone’s plans for the building, 41 of the 110 units will be affordably priced for families making at or below 80% of the area’s median income. The remaining units will be market rate.

On January 8, a groundbreaking ceremony took place on the building as the  start of the Serenade at Park Central project. Preparations are being made  for full construction to begin in February. The development will feature over 100 new affordable housing units, market-rate apartments, commercial space and landscaping. City leaders believe this project will address Albuquerque’s housing shortage and safety concerns.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/__city_invests_2m_for_san_mateo_towers/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/city-of-albuquerque-finalizes-agreement-to-convert-tower-at-san-mateo-and-central-to-housing/ar-AA1RRq29

https://www.abqjournal.com/business/article_e799fed7-667d-4499-8384-da3823b8e242.html

BANK OF THE WEST TOWER

Another affordable housing development project is the old Bank of the West tower located at Central and San Mateo. Silverstone Equity Partners also owns the larger tower at the intersection. Decades ago it was originally a branch of the First National Bank. It is a 17 story a high-rise office building completed in 1963.  When it was built it was the tallest building in the city. It is now the fifth tallest building in the state, and the tallest outside of Downtown Albuquerque. The developer intends to convert the 17-story tower into 160 apartments with “high-end” features like a roof deck, a pool and pickleball court.

TAX ABATEMENTS FOR MAJOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

The City of Albuquerque offers tax abatements for projects in the city’s 22 Metropolitan Redevelopment Areas (MRA’s). The majority of MRA’s in the city are in older parts of the city including the  Downtown area or on Broadway.

How  tax abatement works is that for seven years the city  suspends or “freezes” the developer’s taxes at the amount they paid before the property gets any new buildings or upgrades. A  developer might be transforming a vacant lot into new housing, for example, which dramatically increases the value of the property. Without the tax abatement, the property tax would have a corresponding increase.

Technically, the city takes the title of the property and leases it back to the developer, exempting the property from property taxes, and the developer makes a payment in lieu of taxes to Bernalillo County that is equivalent to the pre-development property tax.  The city’s tax abatement program is relatively new, and about 10 properties have been approved for it.

After the seven years are up, the property taxes will be based on the property’s value at that moment and presumably go up. In the long term, the tax abatement program can increase city revenue because it can incentivize developers to build when they might otherwise leave the property vacant. Developers are required to get the tax abatement approved by city council before securing city building permits.

TAX ABATMENT PROJECTS OUTLINED

There are five major tax abatement projects approved by the city council in the last year. Those projects are as follows:

The 10-story Two-Park Central Tower near the corner of San Mateo and Central has been approved for a tax abatement by the City and it will now be converted into housing. Developer Route 66 Multifamily plans to turn the vacant office building into 110 apartments. Some of the apartments will be market value, and some might become affordable housing. The Two Park Central Tower property tax bill is currently $87,090.00  but is expected to increase to $205,238 after the apartments are developed. On September 4, 2024 the city council approved a seven-year tax abatement that could save the developer a total of $744,332 on its property tax bills.

The old Bank of the West Tower located at Central and San Mateo has also been approved for a tax abatement. The 17 story a high-rise office building is the fifth tallest building in the state, and the tallest outside of Downtown Albuquerque. Developer Route 66 plans to turn the commercial building into apartments.

A third and only project dedicated to affordable housing that has been approved for a tax abatement will be built at the corner of Central and Alcazar SE. The land has been vacant for almost 20 years. The 70-unit Somos Affordable Housing complex is being developed by Sol Housing. The nonprofit plans to set aside 84% of the units for income-restricted affordable housing. The tax abatement on this project will save the developer an estimated $514,376. The city already owns the land that the Somos project is being built on and will transfer ownership to Sol Housing after the abatement period ends.  Felipe Rael, the executive director of Sol Housing, said this in a statement: “With the construction of 70 apartment homes and commercial space to support local small businesses, SOMOS can achieve the vision of the international marketplace, providing much needed housing and economic benefits to the International District. … The city’s support furthers this vision as we work to stabilize housing for 70 senior households.”

Another housing development project slated for a tax abatement will be undertaken by Titan Development. Titan Development.  Titan is planning for a new long-term resident inn and food hall at the corner of Central and Cedar NE across from the Presbyterian Hospital complex. It is being proposed that the 126-unit residential development could be used by traveling nurses working across the street at Presbyterian Hospital. The tax abatement should save the developers an estimated $998,128 over seven years.

Sunlight Properties and Garfield Townhomes has also received council approval for a tax abatement for a townhome project in the University Heights neighborhood. The developers plan to build 16 townhomes on a vacant lot on Garfield.  The current property tax bill of $1,509 would increase to an estimated $25,511 after development, so approval of the abatement will save the developer $151,209 over seven years.

NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE APPROVES  MILLIONS FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS

2024, 2025, 2026 were banner years for state appropriations to expand homeless and housing projects in the City of Albuquerque.  During the 2024 and the 2025 legislative sessions, the New Mexico Legislature dedicated more than $300 million to various housing-related measures at different agencies, including revolving loans for builders, down-payment assistance and anti-homelessness programs.  The Legislature specifically earmarked $110 million in the 2025 year’s budget of the $10.8 billion budget for affordable housing and homelessness assistance programs. During the 2026 legislative session, the New Mexico legislature appropriated $175 million for statewide housing and homelessness initiatives with the lions share going to Albuquerque. 

Last year, the 2025 New Mexico Legislature approved upwards of  $140 million for housing programs during the legislative session. $83 Million of that is earmarked for  projects in the Albuquerque area for housing and the unhoused. On August 26, City, Bernalillo County and State Officials held a press conference to announce that $60 million of the $80  million will be allocated for housing and homelessness projects in the Albuquerque area that will be dedicated to getting 1,000 unhouse people off the streets by July, 2026.

More than $20 million of the funding will be used for expansion of the Gateway network of shelters and services. That includes $5 million for a 204-unit shelter for seniors; $6.5 million for Gateway West, which serves 660 people nightly; and additional funding for Gateway Young Adult.

Another $42.85  million of  funding is earmarked to be spent as follows:

• $17.85 million for the purchase of the Poblana Place apartments in Bernalillo County for an 84-unit workforce housing complex for seniors and displaced youth;
• $1.5 million for a new mixed-income development  Sombra del Oeste in southwest Albuquerque, adding 72 homes;
• $10 million to convert the iconic but vacant Wells Fargo building in downtown Albuquerque into the 13-story Lomas Tower, which will mean 100 residents for 140 people who earn less than 70% of the area median income (in Bernalillo County, that’s $44,800 for a one-person household);
• and$13.5 million for West Mesa Ridge A and B in the 700 block of Coors Boulevard, which will include 128 three-bedroom homes for residents earning from 30% to 80% of the area median income.

The link to relied upon or quoted news sources are here:

https://sourcenm.com/2025/08/26/albuquerque-area-leaders-tout-arrival-of-more-than-80-million-for-housing-and-homelessness/

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_38b5041d-c3e9-4f66-b8e5-660fa8d37a47.html

APARTMENT CONSTRUCTION ON RISE

Albuquerque’s multifamily market will soon face pressure on key fundamentals as new supply continues to enter the market.  In the first three months of 2025, occupancy stood at 95.3%, about 20 basis points below the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a Colliers market report. The occupancy rate remains stable overall: Albuquerque ranked 63rd out of the top 150 U.S. markets and improved by 1.7 percentage points during 2024. The city also holds the 17th highest occupancy rate among Western markets.

However, the influx of new supply is a growing concern. In the first quarter alone, 1,459 new apartments were delivered, increasing existing inventory by 2.6%. Even more multifamily units are expected to come online in the near term, which could further test the market’s ability to absorb new product and may lead to a modest rise in vacancy rates as the market digests this elevated supply.

At the end of the first quarter 2025, 993 units were under construction, of which 911 were  scheduled to  be completed in 2025.   The largest projected development in the city in 2025 was the MultiGreen Properties’ which is 248-unit site in the West Mesa submarket. As more supply enters the market, Colliers projects that occupancy by the first quarter of 2026 will drop to about 94.1 percent.

Another big highlight in the first quarter was that sales volume was nearly cut in half from the previous three months’ almost $200 million in sales. And the amount was down by threefold compared with the first quarter of 2024’s nearly $400 million in volume. One major first-quarter sale was Dominion buying a 288-unit property for $22.8 million.

As far as rents go, they were up 1.5 percent annually, but still well below the city’s five-year average of 7.6 percent. Colliers forecasts that rent growth will remain below five percent at least until the first quarter of 2026.

https://www.kingsbarn.com/news/news-feed-details.asp?id=13439

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The answer to the city’s affordable housing shortage is not changes to the city’s zoning laws that would  double or triple density in existing neighborhoods. The city neighborhoods are not broken!  The answer to the city’s affordable housing shortage is to allow the development of the city’s commercial corridors into housing.  

A survey of the city’s commercial corridors identified 6,050 properties documented along or adjacent to these corridors the following:

• 3,271 commercial premises, of which 740 (18%) are empty, closed, for lease, or abandoned
• 198 free-standing empty whole buildings with combined enclosed space of 1.9 million square feet
• 287 vacant lots totaling 217 acres
• 140 fast food outlets, 262 restaurants, 81 cannabis shops, but only 31 grocery stores. I can’t count high enough to include massage parlors and car washes.
• Large, paved parking lot areas underused all over the place
• Unhoused people concentrated or dispersed throughout

The survey was conducted by Jaemes Shanley, a Neighborhood Association activist,  with a link to his column and his survey in the postscript.

The term “affordable housing” is very misleading. It is a term way too often used by elected officials and politicians to simply declare a crisis with inflated numbers that shows there is not enough housing that allows the poor or low-income people to rent or buy a home and call their own. Housing prices and rental costs never come down. The more appropriate term that should be used is “subsidized” housing where it’s clear what is needed is subsidized government funding for those who cannot afford to buy outright or rent and need assistance.

The housing shortage crisis  declared is related to economics, the development community’s inability to keep up with supply and demand and the public’s inability to purchase housing or qualify for housing mortgage loans. The shortage of rental properties has resulted in dramatic increases in rents. It is clear that the City of Albuquerque and the state of New Mexico are suffering from a shortage of housing, but that does not mean it is all affordable housing.

The blunt reality is that it is not at all realistic for the City, County nor the State to try and attempt to solve the housing shortage on their own with nothing but government financing and construction. Government’s responsibility is to provide essential services, such as police protection, fire protection and utilities and not to directly compete with the housing industry. It’s the market forces that must be relied upon to get the job done when it comes to  housing of all kinds.

The approach that the City, the County  and the State has taken in the form of tax deferrals, subsidies and low interest loans to the private sector as incentives to construct housing are the reasonable and responsible approach to help solve the current housing shortage in the city and the state.

City, County and State government can further help the private sector to build more  housing by eliminating policies and zoning restrictions that unnecessarily drive-up housing costs so long as there is a preservation and respect for adjoining property owner’s rights and remedies. One area of reform to help the housing industry would be to address and reduce the states gross receipts tax on construction materials in order to bring down construction costs.

The City of Albuquerque needs to allow the redevelopment of its major commercial corridors for housing with the emphasis affordable housing.

The links to a related articles are here:

Click to access Albuquerque_Region_2024_Housing_Needs_Assessment.pdf

Jaemes Shanley Guest Opinion Column: Albuquerque Corridors – Affliction and Opportunity; We Can And Must Fix Albuquerque; Commentary: Shanley Survey Of City’s Corridors Provides Informed, Reasoned Solution To City’s Affordable Housing Crisis That Mayor Keller And City Council Need To Consider

On April 8, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez released the  224 page report on the investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice  (NMDOJ) of the New Mexico Children Youth and Family’s Department (CYFD) and its handling of abused and neglected children placed in its care. The NMDOJ investigation report was scathing. It declared New Mexico’s child welfare system is in crisis.

The investigation report is entitled “Systemic Failures: How CYFD Endangers The Children Its Meant To Protect”.  The link to review the entire 224 page report is here:

https://nmdoj.gov/publications/cyfd-report/

The reaction to the NMDOJ investigation by New Mexico lawmakers was swift and universal. State lawmakers expressed outrage at the Justice Department’s investigative report. They also expressed  ideas on how to move forward and are looking ahead to next year’s 2027 legislative session to work on possible reforms of CYFD.

Some efforts include a possible constitutional amendment that removes CYFD from control of the Governor. Some legislators suggest a Special Session. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez for his part opposes the convening of a Special Session and suggests the Legislature and the new governor should deal with the CYFD crisis during the 2027 legislative session. Torrez said leadership is a driving factor behind the agency’s systemic failures, but acknowledges it goes back decades, well before the current administration.

TWO CONFLICTING OPINIONS

On April 19 the Albuquerque Journal published two opposing opinion columns on the CYFD investigative released by the NMDOJ. One was a 600 word guest column and the other was a 300 word letter to the editor. Below are both:

LOCAL GUEST  COLUMN

OPINION: “The danger of a knee-jerk response to CYFD”

By Maralyn Beck

Since the New Mexico Department of Justice released its recent investigation into Children, Youth and Families Department failures, the idea of removing CYFD from the governor’s authority has been gaining traction. I know in theory that removing political influence from CYFD sounds good, but I caution you that this short-sighted, knee-jerk response could prove problematic.

If you seek to isolate CYFD away from political influence because you don’t trust the Cabinet secretary charged with leading the department, you are blaming the wrong person.

There are currently six candidates running to be our next governor. Fixing CYFD should be their No. 1 issue.

I agree with the Kevin S. Settlement Agreement co-neutrals who have said in no uncertain terms: do not do this. These national experts have knowledge and a proven history of turning around dysfunctional child welfare agencies. Listen to them.

No issue — nor state agency — exists in a vacuum. To improve outcomes for children in state custody, our governor must improve the entire child-serving system. Think chain-reaction machine. It’s all interconnected.

 The vast majority of children in state custody are on Medicaid, so CYFD must constantly coordinate with our Medicaid state agency: the New Mexico Health Care Authority. Treatment foster care, behavioral health services and residential hospital programs are also under HCA’s oversight. HCA and CYFD need to work as twin sisters, and to do that, they need the same parent.

 HCA is just the beginning. CYFD needs to work with the Department of Health, which currently runs Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Program navigation; the Early Childhood Education and Care Department runs home visiting and universal child care; law enforcement; the Public Education Department; General Services for reimbursements to employees and foster families; and the state’s Human Services Department and Higher Education Department for increasing and supporting the workforce pipeline.   

While ensuring our department follows modern, evidence-based and data-driven best practices, it’s worth mentioning that not one other state has removed its child welfare department from its governor’s office. Not one. Nada. Zilch.

 As a former foster parent, I know firsthand what an unconscionable failure this agency has been, and how impatient and desperate we are for something to change. But, as someone working in this space daily, I also know that the last thing this agency needs is more uncertainty and instability.

 Solutions exist — but please, this isn’t it. There is a fragile balance here, and lives are at stake. Do not be shortsighted on this. We don’t need to separate CYFD from the governor’s control. What we need is a governor who takes more control by taking to heart the chain reaction and interconnectedness of all child-serving agencies.

As the Kevin S. co-neutrals have stated, all state agencies must work together, and the most effective way to do this is to have an “engaged and committed governor, and focused and motivated agency leadership.” 

This agency needs radical transparency, immediate culture change and most importantly, experienced, committed leadership, beginning with the governor. The era of CYFD existing in a consequence-free environment must end.

The problems facing CYFD are not insurmountable. We deserve an accountable leader who understands child welfare, will address the toxic culture, professionalize the workforce, respect volunteer foster parents, and serve the children and families whose lives depend on it.

We deserve a governor who will commit to being hands-on and focused: an “engaged and committed governor.” One who will commit to reading the reports from the NMDOJ, the Legislative Finance Committee and Kevin S. co-neutrals. One who will consult with experts and take their recommendations to heart. One who will seek to learn, not to pretend to know.  

If you want to fix CYFD, elect a governor who is serious about a hands-on approach rooted in evidence-based safety science, believes that solutions exist, and has the skills necessary to kill a toxic culture. Our children deserve better. Let’s give it to them.

Maralyn Beck is a former volunteer foster parent, and the founder and executive director of New Mexico Child First Network. She is an Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellow, and a member of the AEI Child Welfare Innovation Working Group.

https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/opinion-the-danger-of-a-knee-jerk-response-to-cyfd/3022036

ABQ JOURNAL TALK OF THE TOWN “LETTER TO THE EDITOR”

HEADLINE: Report shows CYFD needs a fresh start

BY Pete Dinelli, Albuquerque Resident

 

(EDITOR’S DISCLOSURE: In the interest of full disclosure, Pete Dinelli served as an Assistant District Attorney  with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office in the  mid 1980s and was  assigned to the Violent Crimes Division by then District Attorney Steve Schiff. Dinelli was one of two prosecutors that did a grand jury presentation and investigation of the state’s negligent handling of child abuse cases and neglect cases before Children, Youth and Family Department was created.  Many years later as Chief Deputy District Attorney appointed by then District Attorney Jeff Romero, Dinelli’s duties included supervision of the “Crimes Against Children” division that prosecuted child neglect and abuse cases.)

On April 8, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez released a scathing 224-page report by the New Mexico Department of Justice of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department and the department’s negligent mishandling of child abuse and neglect children cases. The report highlights in graphic detail case studies of child abuse and child neglect. The NMDOJ’s investigation points unmistakably to one conclusion: CYFD wholly abandoned child safety as its guiding principle to preserve the family unit at all cost.

Upon release of the report, CYFD and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made excuses and claimed progress over the last seven months. The claims of progress were offensive in comparison to the preventable mental and physical damage that has been inflicted upon New Mexico’s children over so many decades because of poor performance and dereliction of duty by CYFD.

 Enough is enough. The level of corruption and dereliction of duty by CYFD to New Mexico’s children is so extensive over so many decades that it would be best to abolish the department and start all over because of the level of incompetence and physical and mental injury inflicted to so many children. All the suffering of New Mexico’s children was preventable and must be stopped immediately, and damned be the excuses by CYFD and the governor.

 New Mexico courts need to intervene with a complete takeover of CYFD with the appointment of a special master to bring the department under control until the Legislature can act. The New Mexico Legislature needs to step in and abolish the CYFD and create a new, independent agency that is overseen by a governing board, much like what has been proposed by New Mexico Speaker of the House Javier Martínez.

 Pete Dinelli, Albuquerque resident

The link to the Letter to the Editor is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/opinion-talk-of-the-town/3023296

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Maralyn Beck’s assertion that removing CYFD from the authority of the governor is a “short-sighted, knee-jerk response” is too simplistic. It is not based in reality and an attempt to discredit those who want aggressive change. Beck in essence advocates the status quo by refusing to accept the tragic reality of decades of failure that has occurred with so many governor appointed CYFD Secretaries. There is nothing knee jerk about eliminating the source of the crisis which has been  failed leadership by so many cabinet secretaries over so many decades. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham herself has appointed four secretaries over her eight years in office and things only got worse each time. Lujan Grisham even appointed a retired NM Supreme Court Justice as Cabinet Secretary of CYFD which looked good politically but in reality was a very bad fit.

The NMDOJ investigation into the CYFD identified systemic failures that have repeatedly endangered the children CYFD is sworn to protect. The investigation found the failures are not isolated and they are pervasive, deeply entrenched, and too often result in preventable harm. According to the report  released by the New Mexico Department of Justice, the rampant dysfunction within CYFD largely comes down one major issue: prioritizing reunification of children with families at the expense of the child’s safety.

The safety of any child, especially those of tender years who cannot defend themselves against physical abuse or sexual abuse by their own parents, must always take precedence over trying to preserve a family unit that in reality is none existent or so dysfunctional as being incapable providing child care and protection and that is the source of child neglect and abuse.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said he plans to work with state lawmakers to pursue legislative reforms of the child welfare system, but he believes the Roundhouse must rebuild CYFD from scratch. Torrez said this:

“I am of the view that the Legislature should start with a blank piece of paper. … Instead of trying to redesign a broken house, start with a blank sheet of paper and build what you think needs to exist from the ground up, and then see if you can map that on to the existing structure. … I’m not sure that you can, to be perfectly honest with you, in part because it’s not only a structural problem, it’s a cultural problem.”

House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, said he did not disagree with Torrez’s suggestion to rebuild CYFD from the ground up.  Speaker Martinez  has sponsored legislation in the last 3 years  to move control of the child welfare agency out from under the governor to an independent commission. He has said CYFD is spread too thin to be effective, given it manages both protective services and juvenile justice programs, a point also made by the Justice Department in its report. Speaker Martínez said this:

“The truth of the matter is, the agency has long outlived its usefulness, quite frankly. The fact that we have the same agency dealing with foster children also dealing with criminal justice is insane, and that has to change.”

On April 8 Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced that the NMDOJ filed a lawsuit against CYFD alleging the child welfare agency intentionally obstructed its investigation by improperly citing confidentiality laws designed to protect children’s privacy in abuse and neglect cases.  The NMDOJ lawsuit does not go far enough. AG Torrez in the NMDOJ lawsuit filed against CYFD should seek the complete takeover of CYFD by the courts.  The New Mexico Courts, perhaps even the Supreme Court, need to intervene with a complete takeover of CYFD with the appointment of a Special Master to begin an aggressive agenda to bring the department under control until the legislature can act. 

The suffering and abuse of New Mexico’s children is preventable and must be stopped immediately. The CYFD crisis is immediate and needs aggressive legal action by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. The New Mexico Legislature should proceed to abolish the Children, Youth and Families Department and create an independent agency separate and apart from the Governor’s office with a governing board appointed by the legislature.

Links to related Dinelli articles are here:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2026/04/13/nm-department-of-justice-finds-systematic-moral-failing-of-children-youth-and-family-department-cyfd-in-blistering-224-page-investigative-report-lawsuit-initiated-against-a/

https://www.petedinelli.com/2026/04/15/nm-lawmakers-plan-reforming-children-youth-and-family-department-during-2027-legislative-session-commentary-flirtation-with-convening-special-session-should-cease-leave-work-of-reforming-cyfd/

https://www.petedinelli.com/2026/04/16/ag-raul-torrez-rejects-special-session-talk-for-reforming-children-youth-and-families-department-urges-legislature-to-allow-new-governor-to-address-crisis-commentary-ag-torrez-should-seek-court-ap/

 

On April 8, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez released the 224 page report on the investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) of the New Mexico Children Youth and Family’s Department (CYFD) and its handling of abused and neglected children placed in its care. The NMDOJ investigation report was scathing. It declared New Mexico’s child welfare system is int crisis. The NMDOJ investigation into the CYFD identified systemic failures that have repeatedly endangered the children CYFD is sworn to protect. The investigation found the failures are not isolated and they are pervasive, deeply entrenched, and too often result in preventable harm.

The investigation report is entitled “Systemic Failures: How CYFD Endangers The Children Its Meant To Protect”.  The link to review the entire 224 page report is here:

https://nmdoj.gov/publications/cyfd-report/

According to the 224 page report released by the New Mexico Department of Justice, the rampant dysfunction within CYFD largely comes down to two issues:

1. Prioritizing reunification of children with families at the expense of the child’s safety.
2. Misusing state confidentiality laws to keep information from the public.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said this:

 “Confidentiality provisions have been weaponized by that agency, as a form of intimidation and retaliation not only against their own employees but others who have information about the failures.”

LAWSUITE FILED

During the April 8 press conference releasing the NMDOJ report, Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced that the NMDOJ also filed a lawsuit against CYFD alleging the child welfare agency intentionally obstructed its investigation by improperly citing confidentiality laws designed to protect children’s privacy in abuse and neglect cases. The Justice Department alleges CYFD used those confidentiality laws to intimidate staff and foster parents expressing concerns about its practices. The lawsuit alleges that  CYFD management threatened whistleblowers, including former employees, if they came forward.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said he plans to work with state lawmakers to pursue legislative reforms of the child welfare system, but he believes the Roundhouse must rebuild CYFD from scratch. Torrez said this:

“I am of the view that the Legislature should start with a blank piece of paper. … Instead of trying to redesign a broken house, start with a blank sheet of paper and build what you think needs to exist from the ground up, and then see if you can map that on to the existing structure. … I’m not sure that you can, to be perfectly honest with you, in part because it’s not only a structural problem, it’s a cultural problem.”

House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, said he did not disagree with Torrez’s suggestion to rebuild CYFD from the ground up.  Speaker Martinez noted  he has sponsored legislation in the last 3 years  to move control of the child welfare agency out from under the governor to an independent commission. He also said CYFD is spread too thin to be effective, given it manages both protective services and juvenile justice programs, a point also made by the Justice Department in its report. Speaker Martínez said this:

“The truth of the matter is, the agency has long outlived its usefulness, quite frankly. The fact that we have the same agency dealing with foster children also dealing with criminal justice is insane, and that has to change.”

SPECIAL SESSION SUGGESTED

During the last two legislative sessions, state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle introduced dozens of bills in an attempt to fix CYFD. During the 2025 Legislative Session, lawmakers created a watchdog group for the agency called the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA). In light of the AG’s investigation, some lawmakers say it’s time to pull the department out from under the governor’s oversight. Speaker of the House Javier Martinez, (D-Albuquerque), said this:

“We’re not going to rest until CYFD is pulled from outside of executive purview. It needs to be its own agency. It needs to answer to its own commission, and it needs to ensure that children are protected.”  

State Senator Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) said this:

“We need to come in, in a non-partisan way, very quickly and swiftly to bring massive overhaul changes to this organization, to dismantle this agency and rebuild it from the ground up. ”

With this being a gubernatorial election year, some  lawmakers are saying  it’s a critical time to get something done. Senator Brantley said this:

“I believe that some sort of change, and perhaps with the shift of a new governor, it doesn’t need to come out from underneath the governor, but it does need to have continued oversight.”

Albuquerque area Democrat State Senator Michael Padilla said the ongoing failures of CYFD detailed in the report were “unacceptable for the protection of New Mexico’s children.” However, he noted CYFD has struggled for many years and said the blame did not lie with Lujan Grisham’s administration.

Senator Padilla  said he plans to propose legislation next year that would move governance of CYFD to a board of regents rather than the governor. The panel should include people experienced in child welfare such as a behavioral health specialist and a foster parent, and that it should have an executive director to closely oversee the child welfare system who would not turn over when a new governor is elected. Padilla said this:

“I think this allows for long-range planning, budgeting, financing, goal-setting and development for the people that do this very important work. … This is a perfect time, actually, we have a new governor coming to office; they’re not going to have the battle scars if you will, of what’s happened over the past 24 years.”

Speaker of the House Martinez said that he’s open to discussions with  Attorney General Raúl Torrez and a potential Special Session to reform CYFD.  Martinez said this:

“If the governor were willing to call [a Special Session], we would be at the table, with a range of possible proposals and solutions to fix this agency.”

Speaker Martinez and Senator Padilla have  both said they plan to re-introduce proposals next session, moving CYFD to an independent state agency outside the governor’s control.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/new-mexico-lawmakers-plan-cyfd-reforms-after-lawsuit-alleges-withheld-info/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRHoi1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEyZE1WaGd2ZnJGMHF6OVRjc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoJEHLfUplZo0pj1_MwICDTzTJiZlKxSGTVz1D8mBvPoYZxX5liWNPdsQXQ9_aem_gOHU6ofU-fZ0RDbMI6WUUw

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/systematic-moral-failing-justice-department-issues-scathing-report-on-cyfd/article_b890516e-bf85-45fb-a55c-d9903567715b.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/needs-own-agency-mexico-lawmakers-011739780.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAÚL TORREZ REJECTS SPECIAL SESSION TALK

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez for his part is welcoming all ideas from state lawmakers to reform the Children, Youth, and Families Department and goes on to say that lawmakers must be on the forefront to advocate real change. However, Torrez has made it very clear that he does not want Governor Lujan Grisham to convene a Special Session of the legislature. Torrez  says that  the convening  of a Special Session is not the answer but that the legislature needs to wait for the election of a new governor in November and allow the 2027 legislature to deal with the crisis with real solutions. Torrez said this:

“I think the next governor is going to be expected to have a comprehensive plan for dealing with this in January next year. And it’s my hope that between now and then, candidates for that office and members of the legislature can really start honing in on what those ideas look like, and they can put this at the top of their agenda to act on [it in January.] … I don’t get a sense that the kind of broad restructuring of this agency that has been apparent for years now is something that is going to get traction in the current sort of climate, the current context. So I’m really focused on the future.”

Torrez said any serious candidate for Governor must have a plan to address the culture of CYFD and its lack of accountability, or they are not qualified to lead the state.

Torrez has pointed out that both political parties agree that something needs to be done and says it’s a unifying factor for New Mexicans. If issues with CYFD are properly handled, Torrez believes there will be a direct positive impact on reducing crime. He has said that during his time as the Bernalillo County District Attorney, he found that the children who do survive foster care often end up in the criminal justice system.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham  has appointed four secretaries over her eight years in office. Torrez said leadership is a driving factor behind the agency’s systemic failures, but acknowledges it goes back decades, well before the current administration.

The link to the relied upon or quoted news source is here:

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-mexico-attorney-general-pushes-for-new-governor-to-address-cyfd-issues/

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Any and all talk of a Special Session before the end of the second term of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on January 1, 2027 should cease and desist. The blunt reality is that Governor Lujan Grisham is a lame duck and her influence is waning. Lujan Grisham for the last two years has essentially resisted all reforms of CYFD and its likely she will not change her attitude and her resistance to change and reforms. The new governor should not be hamstrung with decisions made by a hastily conferred Special Session.

It is no surprise that the legislators are already talking about reforming the CYFD agency during the 2027 legislative session. The discussion no doubt will start with the recommendations contained in the NMSOJ investigative report. The recommendations made in the NMDOJ report are commendable, but the blunt reality is that they will likely take years to achieve. The level of corruption and dereliction of duty by CYFD is likely so extensive that it would be best to simply abolish the department for the level of incompetence over so many decades.

LAWSUIT FILED  DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH

On April 8 Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced that the NMDOJ filed a lawsuit against CYFD alleging the child welfare agency intentionally obstructed its investigation by improperly citing confidentiality laws designed to protect children’s privacy in abuse and neglect cases.

The NMDOJ lawsuit does not go far enough. AG Torrez in the NMDOJ lawsuit filed against CYFD should seek the complete takeover of CYFD by the courts.  The New Mexico Courts, perhaps even the Supreme Court, need to intervene with a complete takeover of CYFD with the appointment of a Special Master to begin an aggressive agenda to bring the department under control until the legislature can act. 

The suffering and abuse of New Mexico’s children is preventable and must be stopped immediately. The CYFD crisis is immediate and needs aggressive legal action by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.

CREATE INDEPENDENT AGENCY

During the 2027 legislative session, the New Mexico legislature needs to step in and abolish the Children’s Youth and Family Department as it is today and create a new, independent agency that is overseen by a governing board, much like what has been proposed by New Mexico Speaker of the House Javier Martinez.

Links to related articles are here:

NM Department Of Justice Finds “Systematic Moral Failing” Of Children Youth And Family Department (CYFD) In Blistering, 224 Page Investigative Report; Lawsuit Initiated Against Agency; COMMENTARY: Enough Is Enough! Abolish CYFD And Create New, Independent Agency With A Legislative Appointed Commission   

NM Lawmakers Plan Reforming Children Youth And Family Department During 2027 Legislative Session; COMMENTARY: Flirtation With Convening Special Session Should Cease; Leave Work Of Reforming CYFD To New Governor During 2027 Legislative Session

On April 8, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez released the  224 page report on the investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice  (NMDOJ) of the New Mexico Children Youth and Family’s Department (CYFD) and its handling of abused and neglected children placed in its care. The NMDOJ investigation report was scathing.  It declared New Mexico’s child welfare system is in crisis. The NMDOJ investigation into the CYFD identified systemic failures that have repeatedly endangered the children CYFD is sworn to protect. The investigation found the failures are not isolated and they are pervasive, deeply entrenched, and too often result in preventable harm.

The investigation report is entitled “Systemic Failures: How CYFD Endangers The Children Its Meant To Protect”.  The link to review the entire 224 page report is here:

https://nmdoj.gov/publications/cyfd-report/

According to the 224 page report  released by the New Mexico Department of Justice, the rampant dysfunction within CYFD largely comes down to two issues:

1. Prioritizing reunification of children with families at the expense of the child’s safety.
2. Misusing state confidentiality laws to keep information from the public.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said this:

 “Confidentiality provisions have been weaponized by that agency, as a form of intimidation and retaliation not only against their own employees but others who have information about the failures.”

LAWSUITE FILED

During the April 8 press conference releasing the NMDOJ report, Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced that  the NMDOJ also filed a lawsuit against CYFD alleging the child welfare agency intentionally obstructed its investigation by improperly citing confidentiality laws designed to protect children’s privacy in abuse and neglect cases. The Justice Department  alleges  CYFD used those confidentiality laws to intimidate staff and foster parents expressing concerns about its practices. The lawsuit alleges that  CYFD management threatened whistleblowers, including former employees, if they came forward.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez said he plans to work with state lawmakers to pursue legislative reforms of the child welfare system, but he believes the Roundhouse must rebuild CYFD from scratch. Torrez said this:

“I am of the view that the Legislature should start with a blank piece of paper. … Instead of trying to redesign a broken house, start with a blank sheet of paper and build what you think needs to exist from the ground up, and then see if you can map that on to the existing structure. … I’m not sure that you can, to be perfectly honest with you, in part because it’s not only a structural problem, it’s a cultural problem.”

House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, said he did not disagree with Torrez’s suggestion to rebuild CYFD from the ground up.  Speaker Martinez noted  he has sponsored legislation in the last 3 years  to move control of the child welfare agency out from under the governor to an independent commission. He also said CYFD is spread too thin to be effective, given it manages both protective services and juvenile justice programs, a point also made by the Justice Department in its report. Speaker Martínez said this:

“The truth of the matter is, the agency has long outlived its usefulness, quite frankly. The fact that we have the same agency dealing with foster children also dealing with criminal justice is insane, and that has to change.”

PLANS UNDERWAY FOR 2027 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The reaction to the NMDOJ investigation by New Mexico lawmakers was swift and universal. State lawmakers expressed outrage at the Justice Department’s findings. They also expressed  ideas on how to move forward and are looking ahead to next year’s 2027 legislative session to work on possible reforms of the CYFD.

Some efforts, including a possible constitutional amendment that removes CYFD from control of the Governor were discussed at the end of the 2026 legislative session as priorities for 2027. That effort, if passed by lawmakers and then voters, would have stripped the governor of New Mexico’s authority to appoint the agency’s cabinet secretary. Governor Lujan Grisham strenuously opposed any and all serious efforts by the legislature to reform CYFD. Governor Lujan Grisham is term limited and a new governor will be sworn in on January 1, 2027 a mere 3 weeks before the commencement of the 2027 legislative session

House Speaker Javier Martinez said this:

“[Legislation removing CYFD  departmental control from the governor was] … a piece of legislation that we pushed … [during the 2026] past session. That is a constitutional amendment, so it requires ratification by the voters. … we are already working on that legislation, and we will present it again in the 2027 legislative session.”

Although Martinez supports that notion of giving the power to appoint CYFD’s leader to an independent commission, he steadfastly denies the accusation that Governor  Lujan Grisham’s administration is solely at fault for CYFD’s troubles. Speaker Martinez said this:

“This failure of CYFD predates this governor. And I would invite folks from the other side of the aisle to remember what prior [Gov. Susana Martinez] didn’t do with CYFD.  In fact, [Gov. Susana Martinez] … actively opposed childcare and early childhood education, which are among the most effective tools to prevent child abuse.”

Republicans have pushed backed. Republicans  say Governor Lujan Grisham will be defined by CYFD’s failures. Sen. Nicole Tobiassen, a Republican representing Bernalillo County, said this:

“I think this is our current governor’s legacy, and it’s not a good legacy. … The next governor better be ready to come in and clean it up and clean it up really quickly. And if not, they’ll be hearing from quite a few of us.”

Tobiassen  said the CYFD’s problems cannot be blamed on a lack of funding, since more funding hasn’t seemed to yield many improvements, based on this latest lawsuit. Tobiassen said this:

“We more than fund this agency, especially when there are times when there’s a 24% vacancy rate in employees. They’ve got plenty of money sitting there.”

House Speaker Martinez noted that one issue that continues to plague CYFD is having to deal with too much at one time, and that fixing that issue will be one of his priorities during the  2027 legislative session. Martinez said this:

“The fact that foster children are in the same agency as the agency that deals with criminal justice issues for youth is absurd. … That should have never happened. That’s one of the many fixes we need to imagine in the next legislative session.”

SPECIAL SESSION SUGGESTED

CYFD reform has been on the agenda of legislative sessions. Last year, lawmakers created a watchdog group for the agency called the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA). However, other efforts from both parties to overhaul the agency have failed including the push to separate it from the Governor’s Cabinet.

During the last two legislative sessions, state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle introduced dozens of bills in an attempt to fix CYFD.  In light of the AG’s investigation, some lawmakers say it’s time to pull the department out from under the governor’s oversight. Speaker of the House Javier Martinez, (D-Albuquerque), said this:

“We’re not going to rest until CYFD is pulled from outside of executive purview. It needs to be its own agency. It needs to answer to its own commission, and it needs to ensure that children are protected.”  

State Senator Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) said this:

“We need to come in, in a non-partisan way, very quickly and swiftly to bring massive overhaul changes to this organization, to dismantle this agency and rebuild it from the ground up. ”

During this year’s session, the governor said new laws aren’t the answer. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said this:

“If we keep squeezing it, it does not, in my opinion, get better; it gets more challenging.”

With this being a gubernatorial election year, lawmakers said it’s a critical time to get something done. Senator Brantley said this:

“I believe that some sort of change, and perhaps with the shift of a new governor, it doesn’t need to come out from underneath the governor, but it does need to have continued oversight.”

Albuquerque area Democrat State Senator Michael Padilla said the ongoing failures of CYFD detailed in the report were “unacceptable for the protection of New Mexico’s children.” However, he noted CYFD has struggled for many years and said the blame did not lie with Lujan Grisham’s administration. Padilla  said he plans to propose legislation next year that would move governance of CYFD to a board of regents rather than the governor. The panel should include people experienced in child welfare, he said, such as a behavioral health specialist and a foster parent, and that it should have an executive director to closely oversee the child welfare system who would not turn over when a new governor is elected. Padilla said this:

“I think this allows for long-range planning, budgeting, financing, goal-setting and development for the people that do this very important work. … This is a perfect time, actually, we have a new governor coming to office; they’re not going to have the battle scars if you will, of what’s happened over the past 24 years.”

Speaker of the House Martinez said that he’s open to discussions with  Attorney General Raúl Torrez and a potential Special Session to reform CYFD.  Martinez said this:

“If the governor were willing to call [a Special Session], we would be at the table, with a range of possible proposals and solutions to fix this agency.”

Speaker Martinez and Senator Padilla have  both said  they plan to re-introduce proposals next session, moving CYFD to an independent state agency outside the governor’s control.

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/new-mexico-lawmakers-plan-cyfd-reforms-after-lawsuit-alleges-withheld-info/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRHoi1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETEyZE1WaGd2ZnJGMHF6OVRjc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoJEHLfUplZo0pj1_MwICDTzTJiZlKxSGTVz1D8mBvPoYZxX5liWNPdsQXQ9_aem_gOHU6ofU-fZ0RDbMI6WUUw

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/systematic-moral-failing-justice-department-issues-scathing-report-on-cyfd/article_b890516e-bf85-45fb-a55c-d9903567715b.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/needs-own-agency-mexico-lawmakers-011739780.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

DOJ RECOMMENDATIONS

Albuquerque area State Senator Michael Padilla said he would  welcome a set of recommendations from the AG’s Office to the legislature on how to fix CYFD and said this:

“These are the 3, or 17, or 93 things that need to change in order for us to have access to the information that helps us to make long-term decisions, and set long-term goals.”

Given the comments from Senator Padilla, the recommendation made by the NMDOJ in its report merit review. To address the systemic breakdowns undermining CYFD’s mandate, the NMDOJ made five major recommendations to reform the CYFD in its investigative report. The recommendations are:

1. BUILDING A SKILLED & SUPPORTED WORKFORCE:

• Pursue surge hiring of mission-critical staff—including investigators, PPWs, and Children’s Court attorneys—and accelerate recruitment and onboarding.
• Prioritize recruitment of social workers, establish pathways for existing staff to earn BSW/MSW degrees, and require (at a minimum) that supervisors, county office managers, and other investigations and permanency decision-makers maintain social work licensure.
• Strengthen partnerships with higher education institutions to support internship-to-employment pipelines for social work graduates.
• Implement a comprehensive retention and wellness program that pairs new hires with robust supports—such as peer buddy systems and experienced mentors—alongside accessible counseling for vicarious trauma and mental health. Leverage workforce assessment tools like the Comprehensive Organizational Health Assessment to identify root causes of turnover and shape employee development strategies.
• Tailor separate training tracks for new investigations, permanency, and licensing and support staff to enhance role clarity and competency.
• Implement mandatory, periodic training for investigators and PPWs, and leadership programs for incoming supervisors, targeted to address past performance gaps.
• Child Welfare Expert Recommendations:  Mayola Miranda’s Recommendations for Advancing the Workforce.

2. STRENGTHENING ABUSE & NEGLECT INVESTIGATIONS

• Improve investigations by adopting trauma-informed interviewing practices, corroborating witness accounts, leveraging law enforcement expertise, conducting unannounced home visits, and engaging in broader assessments of potential risks to children.
• Revise investigation finding options by adding a third, “inconclusive” category, prohibit case closures as “unsubstantiated” due to family inaccessibility or non-engagement, and apply consistent standards for investigation substantiation.
• Mandate supervisory compliance with pre-initiation and closure staffings, including escalation to COMs for repeat abuse or neglect reports. Require a critical analysis of safety and risk assessments, confirm service referrals and engagement, and consider alternative interventions if parental participation in services is lacking.
• Create a dedicated team within PSD to investigate fatalities and other critical incidents of children in state custody, with investigative findings provided to the CYFD Secretary and the Office of the Child Advocate.
• Compel CYFD to notify law enforcement upon release of a 72-hour hold, and expand information-sharing practices to support swift welfare checks and facilitate criminal investigations. Explore ways to improve CYFD–law enforcement collaboration, such as co-locating investigators with detectives and/or encouraging joint field experiences to build trust.

3. EVALUATING CHILD SAFETY & DEVELOPING SAFETY PLANS

• Retrain investigators and PPWs on proper use of SDM tools and override criteria, stressing that tools are guidance—not rigid rules—and that professional judgment and common sense must drive final decisions.
• Enforce the policy requiring completion of safety and risk assessments before child reunification, and mandate COM-level (or higher) review and approval of all assessment findings.
• Require that every safety plan is:
• Clear and specific—outline all responsibilities for both families and designated safety monitors;
• Comprehensive—address all identified safety threats and include provisions for key areas of the child’s daily life during pendency of the plan, such as education and medical decision-making;
• Explicit on consequences—define immediate responses for violations, including filing custody petitions. Prohibit use of safety plans as a means to sidestep necessary child removal from abusive or neglectful environments;
• Actively monitored—assign a dedicated staff member with a set monitoring schedule to conduct in-home visits without exception, and report immediately to law enforcement if contact is lost; and
• Closed only when safety is assured: Before plan expiration, complete new assessments and either close upon fully mitigating danger indicators or initiate additional interventions.
• Establish policy criteria for selecting safety monitors, requiring clear role expectations and rigorous background checks. Prohibit monitors with conflicts of interest, substance abuse issues, or close ties to biological parents, including anyone who previously failed to report abuse or neglect or resides in the home where it occurred.

4. CHILD-CENTERED SERVICES & PERMANENCY PRACTICES

• Treat foster families as essential partners by offering ongoing mental and emotional support, meaningful involvement in case planning, and clear communication channels with PPWs and supervisors.
• Ensure foster parents receive essential information prior to a child’s placement, including medical, behavioral, and educational details. Provide timely reimbursement and increased activity stipends to enable caregivers to meet basic needs and support extracurricular activities.
• Create a specialized CYFD team of clinicians to serve children with high needs, provide expert consultation on service recommendations to caseworkers, and ensure access to neuropsychological and other evaluations to support eligibility for appropriate programming.
• Consider legislative changes to the Children’s Mental Health and Disabilities Code to either allow mandated psychological treatment more easily, or raise the age of refusal above 14. Alternatively, create and fund youth services positions to ensure access to care for adolescents age 14 and older.
• Pursue court-ordered services when families refuse currently voluntary services and statutory criteria are met. CYFD should treat service referrals as essential to parental rehabilitation—not mere formalities—and seek custody when caregivers fail to engage with available resources and abusive or neglectful conditions persist.
• Require multidisciplinary consultation among permanency supervisors, clinicians, and attorneys—with documented approval by the CYFD cabinet secretary—before authorizing trial home visits and/or eventual reunification of a child with caregivers who have prior substantiated abuse or neglect reports, ensuring strict oversight and accountability.
• Reduce reliance on congregate care facilities and prioritize development and expansion of community-based behavioral health services—including high-fidelity wraparound services and intensive therapeutic supports—while prioritizing treatment foster care and foster parent recruitment and retention to ensure hard-to-place youth have family-based placements.
• Until the elimination of congregate care facilities:
  1. Require more frequent surveys/inspections of such facilities;
  2. Lower staff-to-child ratios;
  3. Mandate that direct care staff have relevant child welfare experience or complete rigorous trauma-informed training; and
  4. Support the Zero Suicide Initiative under the state Behavioral Health Collaborative and integrate its suicide prevention and treatment protocols into residential and congregate settings.
• Mandate the adoption and publication of clear policies for abuse and neglect investigations in congregate care facilities.
• Require that all investigative outcomes be entered into the department‑wide case management system and establish a statewide tracking process to ensure individuals who have abused or neglected children cannot work in any licensed facility.
• Maintain children in their school of origin unless a change is clearly in their best interest, preserving educational continuity and support systems to minimize instability during time in foster care.
• Establish, through policy or statute, a mandatory adoption full-disclosure process to be completed within a defined timeframe, with enforceable consequences for noncompliance.

5. ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL REFORMS

• Amend state law to require that CYFD’s Cabinet Secretary possess professional child welfare experience.
• Demand CYFD leadership complete recurring training in child welfare best practices and legal mandates, and cultivate a non-defensive culture where decisions prioritize improving outcomes for children over protecting institutional and personal reputations.
• Consider transferring licensing and certification authority for child-serving facilities from CYFD to DOH to eliminate incentives that prioritize placement availability over safety and quality in licensing decisions.
• Require CYFD’s Office of Constituent Affairs and Office of Advocacy to share all external complaints with the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA), and designate the OCA as an appellate option for complaints unresolved through CYFD’s internal processes.
• Implement youth advisory panels and foster care exit surveys to gather feedback on CYFD performance, require publication of findings, and incorporate results into policy development.
• Seek to restore public confidence through meaningful accountability practices, including the following:

1. Implementing a zero-tolerance policy prohibiting intentional misrepresentations in court proceedings or in communications with families and children;
2. Mandating that all court reports and testimony in permanency proceedings be made under oath, subject to perjury penalties for material, intentional misstatements; and
3. Enforcing a strict prohibition on retaliation by CYFD employees, with consistent application and serious employment consequences upon any violation.

• Institutionalize transparency through the following:

1. Amending state law to limit courts’ authority to sequester hearings or restrict the release of information, except when necessary to protect narrowly defined personal identifying details or in truly exceptional circumstances.
2. Guaranteeing participation in individualized planning/family centered meetings and court proceedings for every member of the child’s care team, including foster parents, therapists, educators, tribal representatives, and other essential stakeholders; and
3. Committing to prompt, accurate disclosures to oversight authorities and release of non-confidential records to the press and the public, while avoiding overreliance on confidentiality protections and providing the maximum information permissible under state law.

The link to review the entire 224 page report is here:

https://nmdoj.gov/publications/cyfd-report/

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Any and all talk of a Special Session before the end of the second term of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on January 1, 2027 should cease and desist. The blunt reality is that she is a lame duck and her influence is waning. Lujan Grisham for the last two years has essentially resisted all reforms of CYFD and its likely she will not change in attitude and resistance to reforms. The new governor should not be hamstrung with decisions made by a hastily conferred Special Session.

It is no surprise that the legislators are already talking about reforming the CYFD agency during the 2027 legislative session. The discussion no doubt will start with the recommendations contained in the NMSOJ investigative report. The five recommendations made in the NMDOJ report are commendable, but the blunt reality will likely take years to achieve. The level of corruption and dereliction of duty by CYFD is likely so extensive that it would be best to simply abolish the department for the level of incompetence over so many decades.

Enough is enough! The suffering and abuse of New Mexico’s children is preventable and must be stopped immediately. The New Mexico Courts need to intervene and order the takeover of CYFD by a special master to begin an aggressive agenda  to bring the department under control. The New Mexico legislature needs to step in and abolish the Children’s Youth and Family Department as it is today and create a new, independent  agency that is overseen by a governing board, much like what has been proposed by New Mexico Speaker of the House Javier Martinez.

The link to a related article is here:

NM Department Of Justice Finds “Systematic Moral Failing” Of Children Youth And Family Department (CYFD) In Blistering, 224 Page Investigative Report; Lawsuit Initiated Against Agency; COMMENTARY: Enough Is Enough! Abolish CYFD And Create New, Independent Agency With A Legislative Appointed Commission