Highlights from the Week of August 30, 2021
There's a lot going on in the City Different!
Santa Fe Recognized for Preventing Evictions, COVID Aid
THE CITY'S COVID-RELIEF EFFORTS of late last year are singled out in a recently-published article in Shelterforce titled “How Santa Fe Prevented Evictions with Easy Access to Rent Relief.”
 
In a nutshell, the article details how “... Santa Fe and its robust network of community organizers and grassroots advocacy groups got millions to struggling families—allowing them to buy food, keep the power on, and temporarily stave off eviction—in just a few weeks last year.”

  •  "By January, 12,462 Santa Fe households had received CARES Act money through CONNECT."

  •  “ … the combination of the moratorium and government rent relief halved the total number of evictions filed last year, dropping from an average rate of 558 per year to just 280 in 2020."

  • ·“Cities like Santa Fe ... may see fewer of their most vulnerable residents on the streets and in homeless shelters.” 
 
The article emphasizes the City's collaborations with grassroots organizations to provide direct aid as a key to the success of the mobilization: “... the city partnered with Chainbreaker Collective, immigrant justice advocacy organization Somos un Pueblo Unido, and anti-poverty community investment platform UpTogether to distribute easy-access, one-time payments of $750 to Santa Feans who were skipped over by stimulus money due to their tax status and weren’t eligible for unemployment benefits, and as much as $3,000 in rent-specific, low-barrier assistance ..."
 
Acting Director of Community Health and Safety Kyra Ochoa is quoted extensively in the article, which can be read in its entirety by clicking this link. The American Prospect recently published a report titled "To Improve Rental Assistance, Just Make It Cash Assistance," which also singled out Santa Fe's programs and policies as exemplary.
MAYOR'S NOTE:
City Leads the
Way on Wages
Today we're announcing the introduction of a resolution to raise the hourly minimum wage for employees of City government from $12.32 to $15. That means a $5,000 annual raise for employees in that category. It also comes on top of the 4% raises in the new budget that took effect on July 1.
 
We're raising wages and improving benefits because it’s the right thing to do, right now. Our City employees are our most important and valuable asset. We believe in taking care of the workers who take care of the city—everyone who works for the City should be able to raise their families in the city. 
 
We're also doing it to retain and recruit capable employees so we can continue to deliver services that residents expect and deserve. The labor market is competitive and this policy demonstrates that the City is a great place to work.
 
Raising wages has broad implications not just for Santa Fe, but statewide and even nationally. Money in your pockets will stay in Santa Fe. It’s good for our whole community. In addition, wage increases can help reverse gender- and race-based inequities. We’re part of a national conversation about what has to happen for working men and women in this country to make ends meet. By taking a leadership role, we’re setting the standard for our community and the state of New Mexico. 

Read today's announcement of the proposal and our history of wage increases here.
Waterwise Restaurant Options
Our Water Conservation Office has partnered with a growing number of restaurants that are committed to reducing their water usage footprint. Diners are encouraged to choose waterwise establishments when eating out. Help spread the word to your favorite Santa Fe restaurant so we can get all of them on board to help reduce water use. Click for a list of City Certified Waterwise restaurants. If you’re a restaurant owner or manager, visit Make a Reservation to Save Water to join the program.
Keep Fort Marcy Beautiful
Our Environmental Services Division will once again partner with non-profit Keep Santa Fe Beautiful to help make the annual burning of Zozobra a litter-free event. If you're joining the festivities, be sure to look for the recycling and trash stations located around the park when disposing of an item – it's up to all of us to put waste in its place.
Angels Helping Archangels
 Another one of the Seven Archangels that stand along the East Alameda River Trail has fallen over due to rot in the wood. The Arts & Culture Department has an ongoing Angel Fund campaign to raise funds for santero Jose Lucero to replace an angel a year. Learn more about the program and how to donate here.
Next Week: Links de Santa Fe Maintenance Work
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe will be closed from Tuesday, Sept. 7, through Thursday, September 9, to complete yearly aerating and topdressing maintenance. This annual process causes a temporary disruption on the top layer of the turf and putting surface, making greens, tees, and fairways temporarily sandy, but with long-term gains in overall turf health. Read the full maintenance schedule here.
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