ABOUT
Residents thrive in neighborhoods that are bustling with opportunities to work, play, and learn. For this reason, Homewise complements our core work of building wealth through homeownership with strengthening neighborhoods in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
We always start by listening to and partnering with residents to understand the needs and perceptions of the community through the eyes of its residents. With a focus on increasing walkability and neighborhood vibrancy, we develop commercial projects, partnering with tenants who respond to the needs and desires expressed by residents. Our redevelopment efforts have a catalytic impact, attracting new investment and activity into neighborhoods that have experienced decades of disinvestment.
We support businesses and operators with affordable leases and commercial lending, creating stability for owners and employees alike. We also engage in commercial development work with an eye towards the past, preserving and celebrating culture in the places we work. Finally, we aim to be a trusted and community hub where residents and stakeholders can source best practices, join advocacy efforts, and learn.
SANTA FE
ESCONDIDO
Chef Fernando Ruiz, who has worked in kitchens in Santa Fe for over 20 years, has opened his first restaurant, Escondido, in the diverse and fast-growing neighborhood of the Siler Rufina District. Escondido features Mexican coastal food, the cuisine of Ruiz’s childhood, in an imaginative space featuring wraparound decking, a rooftop, custom artwork, and an immersive sound experience.
The restaurant, now open for business, frames the El Camino Crossing community, a truly unique 8-acre model infill and mixed-use development in Santa Fe. The community includes 40 single family homes, 13 condominiums and 20 live-work units.
Escondido brings economic opportunities that amplify the creative economy in one of Santa Fe’s major employment centers – the Siler Rufina District neighborhood. This diverse and fast-growing neighborhood is recognized for its commercial and residential mix. The district has a handful of artistic and cultural resources that have spurred new development, including the internationally renowned Meow Wolf. Zane Fischer, co-founder and board chair of MAKE Santa Fe, Santa Fe’s premier makerspace, said of the neighborhood, “The Siler-Rufina Nexus has been home to artists and entrepreneurs for a long time. It’s not just the place you come to have your car fixed or to pick up some plumbing supplies, it’s also Santa Fe’s theater district and a great place to catch a band, grab a beer, meet for coffee, and more.”
In a 2020 neighborhood-wide survey conducted by Homewise, economic and substance abuse challenges have led to a sharp increase in the unhoused population, generating concerns about safety in the neighborhood. We see the introduction of nighttime economy uses as activating the neighborhood and consequently improving perception of safety.
THE PROJECT
• 1,984 SQFT of interior space
• 674 SQFT of patio seating
• 700 SQFT of rooftop area
PROJECT TEAM
• SCOUT Architecture + Design
• Insight Construction
PROJECT FUNDERS
• New Mexico Small Business
Investment Corporation
ALBUQUERQUE
4TH & BARELAS
4th & Barelas (1411 4th Street) is a historic commercial property located on Fourth Street in the Barelas neighborhood, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Albuquerque. Fourth Street was once an arterial road and part of the original Route 66 (pre-1937). In the 1920s through the 1950s it was known for roadside businesses such as First American Camp, a tourist cabin business and El Coronado Café, a popular New Mexican restaurant. In the last 25 years the property has become known for its history of do-it-yourself art galleries and experimental art spaces.
Through a neighborhood-wide survey conducted in 2020, Homewise found that Barelas residents are looking for more food options, more public space, and job training opportunities.
Today, 4th and Barelas is a creative community, home to Street Food Institute and affordable rental spaces for creatives and food entrepreneurs. The Street Food Institute is a local non-profit dedicated to supporting a healthy, creative, and sustainable food future in New Mexico.
TENANTS
- Street Food Institute
- Fourteenfifteen Gallery/Alpaca Gallery
- La Michoacana Del Norte Ice Cream
- Together for Brothers
- Flaming Brush Studio
- 2540 Group
THE PROJECT
• 5700 sf commercial kitchen 3400 sf of second floor office/studio space
• 4500+ sf of retail space
• 5000 sf of light industrial space
PROJECT TEAM
• Scout Architecture + Design
• Richardson and Richardson Construction
PROJECT FUNDERS
• Enterprise Bank and Trust
• Congressional Project Funding Award, sponsored by New Mexico Senators Lujan and Heinreich
• Albuquerque Community Foundation
ALBUQUERQUE
KOALA CHILDREN’S ACADEMY
Sitting at the entrance of Albuquerque’s historic Railyards in the Barelas neighborhood, Koala Children’s Academy provides bilingual, high-quality early education to 60 children from infancy through five years old.
In 2020, Homewise conducted a survey of Barelas residents, who overwhelmingly called for greater access to high-quality education and care for young children. With an understanding of the critical role that childcare plays in human development and participation in the workforce.
Homewise partnered with Koala Children’s Academy to bring a state-of-the-art, culturally responsive childcare center to Barelas.
Founded by Dayna and Silvia Vasquez, this state-of-the-art facility features interactive classrooms where children can engage in play-based learning, multicultural experiences, and enjoy home-cooked meals and family-style dining. The Academy promises not just an education but a nurturing space where children can thrive.
“Every child deserves a nurturing environment where they’re encouraged to explore, learn, and grow. At Koala, we’re building not just an Academy but a community that cherishes bilingualism, celebrates diversity, and prioritizes the holistic development of each child. This is our dream.”
– Dayna Vasquez, co-founder
THE PROJECT
• 3400+ sf building
PROJECT INVESTORS
• Albuquerque Community Foundation
• Private Donors
PROJECT TEAM
• SCOUT Architecture + Design
• Richardson and Richardson Construction
PROJECT FUNDERS
• Enterprise Bank and Trust
• McCune Foundation
• New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department
ALBUQUERQUE
B RUPPE DRUGSTORE
THE PROJECT
• 3,000+ total sf
• Includes a community hall, an open office with conference room and three office / studio spaces
PROJECT FUNDERS
• Enterprise Bank and Trust
• Congressional Project Funding Award, sponsored by New Mexico Senators Lujan and Heinreich
• Albuquerque Community Foundation
ALBUQUERQUE
ORPHEUM COMMUNITY HUB
The Orpheum is a historic, three-story, mixed-use office and multi family property in the Barelas neighborhood. The Orpheum building was constructed in 1898. It was first known as the Futrelle building, owned by W.V. Futrelle and home to the Futrelle Furniture Company. The Hotel Denver was located on the second floor.
In 1911, most of the building was destroyed in a fire, but it was rebuilt as the Orpheum Theater, featuring motions pictures and vaudeville acts. The building operated as a theater for only a few years, but it saw many incarnations afterwards: it was a dancehall, the Viaduct Garage, a skating rink, Inter-City Bus Depot, and Superior Furniture. Superior Furniture remained open from 1952 to 1977. After the store’s closure, the lower level of the building remained vacant for three years while the apartments above remained occupied.
By 1980, the building began operating as an artist community, and it became known as “Five Hundred-Second Street.” It contained living and studio space, art galleries and a performance space for many years.
Homewise purchased the property in 2017 and renovated it. The building now serves as our Albuquerque Homeownership Center and Orpheum Community Hub. The renovation included performance space in the rear of the building, upgrades to the eight affordable apartments and offices on the second floor, and a conference room/gallery space.
THE PROJECT
• 21,480 total sf
• First level contains office space, conference room and multi-purpose space
• 2nd and 3rd levels contain affordable residential apartments and office space
PROJECT TEAM
• Architect: Sam Sterling Architecture
• General Contractor: Insight Construction
PROJECT FUNDERS
• NeighborWorks
• Albuquerque Community Foundation
• Fidelity Foundation
• McCune Charitable Foundation
Many of Homewise’s development projects are located within historic communities such as the Barelas neighborhood in Albuquerque. Barelas is a predominantly Hispanic community located adjacent to downtown Albuquerque. Our work in Barelas has balanced a commitment to development that is responsive to needs and wants of current residents with an eye towards cultural preservation, honoring the community’s history and preventing cultural erasure.
In our development work, we have launched several placemaking projects such as the Barelas Walking Tour; a 20-site, self-guided walking tour project that includes an oral history of current and former Barelas Residents and the B Ruppe Drugstore Museum; a museum dedicated to the history of the B Ruppe Drugstore and the legacy of former owner and yerbera, Maclovia Zamora to maintain a strong sense of place and social cohesion in the community.
CREATIVE PLACEMAKING PROJECTS
BARELAS WALKING TOUR
B RUPPE MUSEUM
ABOUT
Homewise’s Commercial Loan Program creates opportunities for small businesses and non-profit organizations to own their own facilities in priority neighborhoods in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque. In alignment with our focus on wealth creation through homeownership, this loan product is designed to stabilize small businesses and non-profits, increasing the rate of owner-occupants in commercial buildings.
HOMEWISE OFFERS A COMPETITIVE COMMERCIAL LOAN
Lower down payment
than most commercial
mortgages
Single close for
acquisition and
improvements
Longer terms than most
commercial loans
Competitive
interest rates
LENDING TERRITORY MAPS
We offer loans to support development and growth in Albuquerque communities with limited economic opportunities, fostering vibrant, mixed-use areas that benefit local businesses and residents. We focus commercial lending in the Siler-Rufina District to support the area’s continued vibrancy that fosters local businesses, arts, affordable housing, and a healthy nonprofit sector.
GET STARTED
EDUCATION
LIVABILITY SPEAKER SERIES
The Livability in the Land of Enchantment Speaker Series is a community education program created in 2023 that brings local and national speakers to venues across Santa Fe to foster learning and dialogue about the ways land use decisions can make Santa Fe a more affordable, sustainable, and livable city. In the face of an unprecedented housing affordability crisis and following a series of contentious land use battles over proposed affordable housing projects, Homewise, with many other partners and leaders at the City, wanted to engage the public in land use discussions outside of heated conversations about individual development projects.
A coalition of partners led by residents, housing organizations, and Santa Fe City Councilors Jamie Cassutt and Carol Romero-Wirth, have committed, through the Livability Series, to raise the level of dialogue about affordable housing, empowering both residents and public officials to act in defense of our entire community
ALBUQUERQUE
LIVABILITY FELLOWSHIP
Homewise regularly hears from community residents interested in learning how to effectively influence land use decisions and affordable housing policy. In response, we launched the Livability Fellowship in tandem with the Livability Speaker Series. In addition to attending each session of the Livability Speaker Series, fellows attend trainings on topics such as:
• Housing in Santa Fe: The history of affordable housing, current challenges, and potential solutions.
• Opportunities for Public Engagement in Housing and Land Use: Fellows review a rezoning process for a particular development and analyze letters to the editor and media coverage, and city and county meetings.
• Action Steps: participants brainstorm plans of action related to issues on which they are most interested in working.
Fellows increase their confidence in using community organizing tactics to promote housing affordability, livability, and sustainability and are further equipped to help shape the future of Santa Fe. The 2023 cohort played a significant role in the passage of the high-end excise tax for affordable housing.
RESEARCH
HOMEWISDOM
Homewisdom is a research and public policy initiative, established by Homewise, to provide data, insights, and policy recommendations to help advance homeownership strategies. Homewise delivers thought leadership on how we can create positive change in New Mexico and the nation. Homewisdom research is focused on key issues such as closing the racial wealth gap through homeownership, and developing potential policy solutions for national, state and local lawmakers to consider. Our actionable solutions are grounded in decades of experience and current research.
EDUCATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
WORKSHOP SERIES
At Homewise, the foundation of our work is education; we provide free financial literacy classes, Homebuyer Education, and our New Home, Now What? post-purchase class. Our clients receive intensive coaching services with the goal of making homeownership more sustainable. The Energy Efficiency Workshop series supports the ongoing education of Homewise homeowners and the general public about ways to improve their homes’ energy efficiency and help reduce utility costs.
Below is the list of workshops in 2023/2024:
Energy Efficiency 101:
Attendees learned about small changes they can make to their home to make them more energy efficient.
Home Energy Rebate Program Information Session:
Attendees learned about home rebates available under the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022.
Solar Energy 101:
Solar energy basics including home-solar rebate programs and information on Community Solar.
Below is the list of workshops coming soon:
Water Conservation 101: Attendees learn about indoor and outdoor water conservation. Topics include water saving features (i.e. low flow toilets), xeriscaping, and water harvesting.
Electrify Your Life: Electric car rebates, electric bicycle infrastructure, and home electrification.
RESEARCH
CHILDCARE FACILITIES REPORT
High quality early learning opportunities are the foundation upon which lifelong educational gains are built. However, more than half of New Mexican children aged zero to three cannot benefit from this important foundation because there are insufficient high quality affordable slots available to them. As Homewise embarked on a commercial redevelopment project to bring a high quality bilingual early learning center to Barelas, we dug into the early childhood funding environment and surveyed providers across the state to learn about the barriers they face to expansion. Read more here.
On October 27th, 2022, Homewise, Santa Fe Community College’s Early Childhood Center of Excellence, NMAEYC, and Deloitte presented a panel conversation at the Violet Crown about the financing and technical assistance required to move the needle on childcare facilities development and financing. Watch the conversation here.
RESEARCH
COMMUNITY IMPACT MEASUREMENT SURVEY REPORTS
With the goal of engaging in commercial development projects that are responsive to the needs and wants of residents, Homewise uses the Community Imapct Measurement Survey to understand perceptions of the community through the eyes of its residents. The survey covers topics such as quality of life, safety, available services, and what people think about the future of the neighborhood.
The confidential survey provides an opportunity for residents to share their opinions about the community, and residents are offered the opportunity to participate via mail, email or phone.
Read the short and long versions of our reports below:
ADVOCACY
COMMON GROUND NEW MEXICO
In 2022, Homewise partnered with several schools, organizations, and businesses to launch Common Ground New Mexico. Common Ground New Mexico is committed to improving the lives of New Mexicans by bringing together diverse institutions to act together on common values and effect positive change in our local communities and across the state. We envision a state in which all New Mexicans have access to high-quality schools, employment opportunities, economic development, childcare, healthcare, affordable homes, safe streets and parks, healthy food, sustainable environments, and more. Thus far, Common Ground New Mexico has been collaborating with other groups to:
• Increase education data transparency
• Expand childcare
• Increase affordable housing, such as passage of the high-end excise tax for affordable housing in Santa Fe
© 2026 Homewise, Inc. NMLS #188231
