Santa Fe, New Mexico, has become the first city in the United States to directly link its minimum wage ordinance to local housing affordability metrics in a pioneering effort to counter soaring rental costs. The updated ordinance introduces a blended formula to calculate annual wage increases, using both the Consumer Price Index and fair market rental prices. This new approach aims to ensure that workers who are vital to the city’s economy can afford to live within its boundaries, according to Mayor Alan Webber. City officials view the measure as a critical tool for addressing an affordability crisis that threatens the city’s unique cultural and economic fabric.
November 27, 2025. apnews.com