SANTA FE, N.M. — The City of Santa Fe’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with MASS Design Group, Chainbreaker Collective, Santa Fe Indigenous Center, and Ideas & Action, is launching a major new initiative to protect and strengthen the Hopewell Mann neighborhood as Midtown development moves forward.
On August 13, the project team will host a press conference alongside City leaders and community partners to share details of the Midtown Neighborhood Stabilization Plan — a year-long effort to ensure that future development in and around Midtown happens equitably, fairly, and affordably while minimizing gentrification and displacement in the adjacent Hopewell Mann neighborhood.
Background
In April 2025, the City of Santa Fe released a Request for Proposals (RFP # 25128) for the “Midtown District – Hopewell Mann Neighborhood Stabilization Plan.” After a competitive review process, the City awarded the contract to a collaborative team led by MASS Design Group (Model of Architecture Serving Society), in partnership with Chainbreaker Collective, the Santa Fe Indigenous Center, and Ideas & Action. MASS, Chainbreaker, and SFIC are all headquartered in the Hopewell Mann neighborhood and are deeply committed to working alongside residents to preserve the neighborhood’s character, strengthen its cultural and economic vitality, and ensure that community voices drive decisions about future growth. The team brings together expertise in equitable planning, grassroots organizing, Indigenous advocacy, and community design — to anchor the Plan in the lived experiences of the people who call Hopewell Mann home.
The Midtown Community Development Plan identified the historic Hopewell Mann neighborhood for stabilization prior to the designation of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area, along the St. Michael’s commercial corridor. Community-led strategies are now more important than ever and benefit adjacent neighborhoods by serving as a foundation for future neighborhood planning and stabilization efforts as the Midtown Site is further developed.
How to Get Involved
A cornerstone of this initiative is deep, inclusive neighborhood engagement led by Chainbreaker Collective. Past, present, and future residents, business owners, and community members in Hopewell Mann will have multiple opportunities — online, virtual, and in-person — to share their experiences and help shape planning recommendations for the neighborhood’s future. The project team encourages all interested community members to get involved and learn more:
- Chainbreaker Collective – Cathy Garcia, cathy@chainbreaker.org, (505) 577-6874
- Santa Fe Indigenous Center – Caren Gala, sficdirector@gmail.com, (505) 660-4210
- MASS Design Group – Mayrah Udvardi, mudvardi@mass-group.org, (505) 634-9200
- City of Santa Fe – Carly Venditti, cavenditti@santafenm.gov, (505) 795-0675
- To navigate to the official site, visit: https://santafenm.gov > Community Development > Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency >The Midtown District Santa Fe
- URL linking to page directly: <https://santafenm.gov/community-development/midtown-district-santa-fe/the-midtown-district-santa-fe>
In addition, Chainbreaker will soon release its Midtown Voter Guide, asking all City Council candidates to share their plans for equitable Midtown development.
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