City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County Build Regional Collaboration Following Joint Governing Body Meeting

The Santa Fe City Council and the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners met jointly Thursday for the first formal meeting between the two governing bodies in nearly a decade, reaffirming their shared commitment to regional collaboration on issues affecting residents throughout the community.

The meeting focused on several of the region's most pressing shared priorities, including affordable housing, senior services, homelessness, and planning and land use coordination. City and county leaders discussed opportunities to strengthen partnerships, align long-term strategies and improve coordination on challenges that extend beyond jurisdictional boundaries.

A major outcome of the meeting was the creation of joint working groups made up of city and county elected officials and staff. Each group will focus on one of the priority areas and develop recommendations, action plans and implementation strategies for consideration by both governing bodies.

The working groups will begin meeting soon and will present preliminary findings and recommendations during a follow-up joint meeting planned for October.

Mayor Michael J. Garcia said the meeting marked an important step toward building stronger regional partnerships and delivering better results for residents. "Today's meeting demonstrated that the City and County are committed to working together on the issues that matter most to our community," Garcia said. "Affordable housing, homelessness, senior services and responsible growth require coordinated leadership. By establishing these working groups, we've moved beyond conversation and taken meaningful action to develop practical, long-term solutions that will benefit our entire region."

Santa Fe County Commissioner Lisa Cacari Stone said the renewed collaboration reflects a shared commitment to serving the community more effectively. "This meeting reinforced that the City and County have many common priorities and a shared responsibility to address them together," Cacari Stone said. "The working groups we've established will allow us to build on our collective expertise, improve coordination and develop thoughtful recommendations that strengthen our community and improve the quality of life for our residents."

Discussion during the meeting centered on:

• Affordable housing strategies and development opportunities.

• Regional approaches to addressing homelessness.

• Expansion and coordination of senior services and childcare as a continuum.

• Planning and land use coordination to support sustainable growth.

• Creation of joint working groups and a framework for ongoing collaboration.

The meeting established a renewed framework for regular collaboration between the City and County, with both governing bodies expressing a commitment to continue working together on regional priorities. The next joint City Council and County Commission meeting is being planned for October 2026, when the working groups will report on their progress and present recommendations for consideration by both governing bodies.

Peter Olson

City of Santa Fe

Communications Director
(505) 819-1062