Albuquerque is at a crossroads. Despite investing over $10 billion in poverty programs statewide, New Mexico has the nation’s highest poverty rate at 17.6%. In our city, more than half of Black and Latino renters pay over 30% of their income on housing. We’re spending money but we’re not solving the problem.
The question isn’t whether we have the resources. It’s whether we have the political courage to redirect them.
The real problem: structural traps
Research from the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee reveals a stunning paradox: When a married couple with two children earns an additional $30,000 in wages, they can lose over $29,000 in benefits, netting just $378 in actual gain. This
OPINION: Breaking the cycle: A data-driven plan to close Albuquerque’s wealth gap
