Arizona ranks first among U.S. states for business and management friendly policies related to the construction industry. Neighboring New Mexico is dead last, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. In the last 30 years, the growth of Arizona’s metro areas and the amount of its housing stock has dwarfed that of New Mexico. Some say that the different way each state handles the building industry (low versus high red tape and regulation) could be one reason for that discrepancy.
