IN THE NEWS: Deb Haaland Announces Affordability Agenda Focusing on Lower Costs and Higher Pay

February 27, 2026

Albuquerque, New Mexico – In case you missed it, Deb Haaland, who is running to be the next governor of New Mexico, shared her full affordability agenda on Wednesday. Haaland’s plan lowers everyday costs for families, increases pay for workers, and makes bold investments in New Mexicans ready to build businesses, create good-paying jobs, and expand the industries that power our state’s future.

Pulling from Haaland’s experience running her own salsa company, Haaland announced bold initiatives at a shared kitchen that helps businesses get off the ground with fewer start-up costs. Haaland’s policy plan was written in collaboration with families, workers, experts in housing, energy, and tech, small business owners, lawmakers, and unions. It addresses cutting costs in areas that New Mexicans have seen skyrocket in recent years, while also doubling down on investments in growing industries such as renewable energy, aerospace, film, tech and outdoor recreation.

Haaland went over several ideas to bring down housing costs, including encouraging municipalities to speed up the approval process for new housing, banning the use of artificial intelligence algorithms to set rents, and banning corporate landlords and private equity firms from buying homes to turn into short-term rentals.

“It’s time we stopped Wall Street from taking over our Main Street,” she said.

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Source New Mexico: Deb Haaland announces ‘affordability agenda’ in campaign for NM governor

Haaland’s affordability agenda is part of a multi-faceted plan, which her campaign has dubbed “Deb’s Plan,” which so far includes four tenets: education, affordability, health care and public safety. It contains a number of campaign promises, including raising the state minimum wage; launching a multilingual calculator that lets New Mexicans see which tax credits they qualify for; and creating long-term savings accounts for babies born in the state.

During the news conference, Haaland said she would ban the practice of rent fixing, in which landlords use artificial intelligence programs to change the cost of a monthly lease on a regular basis. She also said she would restrict the amount of housing across the state that private equity firms can own. And she said she would outlaw predatory lending and “cut red tape” around homebuilding.

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Albuquerque Journal: Deb Haaland announces affordability policies as gubernatorial race heats up

During the news conference, Haaland garnered an endorsement from the Communications Workers of America, which represents public workers at the University of New Mexico, UNM Hospital, Albuquerque Community Safety and other public institutions.

“We need leaders who value each public servant and the work they do for our state,” said CWA president Megan Green. “And we know Deb is going to be that leader.”

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Native News Online: Deb Haaland Rolls Out Affordability Agenda in Albuquerque

The Street Food Institute was an appropriate setting as an example of the type of small business programs Haaland’s plan would support. There, the local nonprofit teaches college students and community members two courses in food entrepreneurial management and food safety certification, along with support to establish a small business with things like licenses and permits. The goal is to build a network of small businesses that meet community food needs.

“There are food deserts across New Mexico,” Haaland said. “That’s a sad fact, and there are food deserts very near to cities. So we have to remember that not everyone has a car. Transportation is an issue also for folks and why they may not be able to get to a grocery store.”