Santa Fe is changing rapidly
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4/9/2007
I first moved to Santa Fe, NM in '92 and found a delightful close-knit community with a bouyancy and delight in itself. We just walked down the street smiling at each other. The sense of humor was evident in the city's ability to laugh at itself and we at ourselves and each other. I returned to the city in 2004 to find almost all of the above characteristics gone. While there are still people here who are trying to pretend that atmosphere still exists, I can see the handwriting on the wall. I am so sad that my beautiful city has succumed to greed and out-of-control growth and all of the problems that brings. Humor has been replaced by anger and hostility is seen often. We are having approximately 40 break-ins a week and that doesn't count what's happening to cars. The city police department is down by 20 officers and no one is applying. Gangs have begun spilling over into the general population. Drunk driving is epidemic and deadly. Graffitti is everywhere. Developers have gone wild building subdivisions south of the city while the water availability situation continues to worsen. I don't know what went wrong and when, but I've been shocked and heartbroken by the changes. It is difficult to find the middle class here. Extremely wealthy people are building gigantic homes on the ridgelines of our beloved and sacred hills. And nobody seems to be able to do anything about it...or seems to care.
We still have the best weather on earth, the most beautiful skies and sunsets and the outdoor sports are fantastic. Perhaps I hoped for a continuity of such delight. Perhaps I expected too much. But this beautiful city is facing tough times. So sad.
elizabeth | Santa Fe, NM