Southwest City Scoop: Construction Starts in Santa Fe
Kim Shanahan Executive Officer Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association
With the Santa Fe region facing an epic drought, “Water is the focus of so much of what we’re doing,” Shanahan says. Last year, Santa Fe was the first American community to require that all new homes have a water efficiency ratings score, and there are plans for the city to host a water summit. Santa Fe’s population growth—partly accelerated by a hiring boom at Los Alamos National Laboratory—is causing a housing crisis, he says. The multifamily rental vacancy rate is less than 1%, “which is virtually unheard of,” Shanahan says.