Community Development
Our community development work strengthens neighborhoods in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe, using different strategies tailored to the strengths and challenges of each place. For example in Santa Fe, where the housing market is extremely tight, we build new developments that include both homes and businesses to increase proximity, walkability and neighborhood vibrancy. In Albuquerque, we buy and restore empty residential and commercial buildings and then get homeowners and businesses back into them. Our redevelopment efforts have a catalytic impact, attracting new investment into neighborhoods that have experienced decades of disinvestment.
Our Community Programs
Home Renovation Program
We buy empty houses through our home renovation program and renovate them so that individuals and families can live in them again. These are homes that may have been foreclosed on or are problem properties contributing to neighborhood distress. As we renovate them, we increase the comfort and energy efficiency of the home, thereby ensuring that future homeowners can save money and help the environment at the same time.
Buildwise
Get over $850 of business consultation services for FREE. Buildwise offers individual consulting and networking events with others in your industry to help you develop the skills and resources you need to build a successful business.
Our Community Spaces
The Orpheum Community Hub
The Orpheum–originally a vaudeville theater–had become a mix of studio spaces and apartments when we purchased the building in 2017. After a robust renovation, we reopened the building as our Albuquerque Homeownership Center in the summer of 2019. The Orpheum is also home to our Community Hub (a theater space available for rent) where we host classes, workshops, performances and community events.
The Ruppe
The Ruppe Drugstore is the oldest drugstore in Albuquerque—operational from 1883 to 2017. We purchased the building in 2017 and re-opened it in the fall of 2019. Currently The Ruppe is open for a period of free community use while we find a long-term tenant.
