A single mom earned $300,000 but felt California was still unaffordable. Now, she owns a home while still sending her daughter to private school.

Ebonye Zeno with her daughter at a New Mexico Music Educators Association event.

Ebonye Zeno

• Ebonye Zeno left Los Angeles for Albuquerque, seeking affordable housing and cleaner air.
• Zeno was among a wave of people who left California during the pandemic in 2020.
• Albuquerque has a climate action plan, lower housing costs, and better air quality.

Ebonye Zeno spent four hours a day commuting in Los Angeles traffic to get her daughter to private school.

Then the pandemic hit...