Statewide Listening Sessions Aim to Strengthen Housing Partnerships and Expand Access to Justice
New Mexico Legal Aid launches “Mapping the Gaps” community listening sessions to unite organizations tackling New Mexico’s housing challenges
Santa Fe, N.M. — [October 30, 2025] — New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) invites community organizations, local governments, and housing service providers to participate in a new series of regional listening sessions titled, Mapping the Gaps: Housing & Legal Access Forums. These conversations are designed to strengthen partnerships and address New Mexico’s growing housing crisis and legal access needs.
Sessions will be held in Albuquerque (Nov. 13), Las Cruces (Dec. 1), and Santa Fe (Dec. 3). Each forum is limited to 30 participants and open to representatives from organizations working on housing, homelessness prevention, domestic violence support, veterans’ services, legal services, and related community initiatives.
For more than two decades, NMLA, the state’s largest civil legal aid organization, has provided critical legal support in economic security cases of all kinds including housing-specific areas of residential evictions, termination of housing subsidies, rent-to-own and seller-financed housing contracts, mobile home park disputes, and landlord-tenant conflicts involving domestic violence survivors.
Since COVID-19, eviction rates and housing-related legal issues have increased dramatically within the state. With only one legal aid attorney for every 13,999 income-eligible New Mexicans, NMLA hopes these sessions will help set collective priorities, strengthen partnerships, and highlight the urgent need for greater coordination and resources across the state. With federal funding reductions expected in the coming year, strengthening collaboration across agencies and communities is not just important — it’s imperative.
“New Mexico Legal Aid has long been a critical resource for tenants, families, and individuals in crisis — but we cannot meet the demand alone,” said Sonya Bellafant, Executive Director of New Mexico Legal Aid. “We’re using these sessions to listen, to collaborate, and to chart a collective path forward that strengthens how we all respond to housing challenges in our communities.”
Each session will be facilitated by Cathryn McGill, Executive Director of the New Mexico Black Leadership Council, who will guide a structured conversation about New Mexico’s housing landscape, systemic barriers to stability, and collaborative solutions to improve access to justice and housing security.
“This is all about building understanding,” said McGill. “When we listen to each other across sectors, we can move toward real solutions that benefit tenants, landlords, and the broader community.”
“Our goal is transparency,” added Bellafant. “We’re opening our doors — in person, online, and by phone — and inviting partners to help shape how we move forward as a statewide network.”
Session Details
Albuquerque
November 13, 2025 | 9:00–11:00 a.m.
New Mexico Black Leadership Council
1314 Madera SE, Albuquerque, NM
Las Cruces
December 1, 2025 | 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Location to be announced.
Santa Fe
December 3, 2025 | 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Geneva Chavez Community Center
3221 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, NM
Register for sessions HERE (https://forms.gle/8EFN6EuJEnu9Ttap8)
Media Contact: Meredith Schweitzer / schweitzermeredith@gmail.com / 347-698-9196
About New Mexico Legal Aid
New Mexico Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) and is the state’s largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income individuals, seniors, and victims of violence. With programs in housing, family law, consumer protection, veterans’ advocacy, and more, NMLA ensures equal access to justice for New Mexicans regardless of income. Learn more or apply for assistance at www.newmexicolegalaid.org or by calling 833-LGL-HELP (833-545-4357).
