Lawmakers approved $46 million for new housing projects across New Mexico

Lawmakers across New Mexico approved at least $46 million to spend on new housing or housing-related projects, according to a new database of capital outlay requests.

Rural and urban parts of the state are facing issues with deteriorating housing stock, housing shortages and homelessness. Over the last two years of the pandemic, home and rent prices soared. 

A recent analysis by the Housing New Mexico Advisory Committee found the state needs 32,000 more affordable housing units to meet demand. More than 200,000 New Mexicans spend more than 30% of their incomes on housing, according to the committee.

But lawmakers did not appear to make housing a priority in the cash they pulled down for housing-related construction, according to a new database created by journalist Chris Keller and Russ Biggs, a local computer programmer. 

The database, available here, breaks down the types of capital projects requested by tribal, county and local governments. Categories include “water infrastructure,” “health care,” “housing,” “public safety” and others.

They identified 24 projects related to housing. Despite the need, that’s only 1.8% of the 1,327 projects lawmakers funded. The $47 million approved for housing-related projects represents 5.6% of the total capital spending contained in Senate Bill 212. 

City, county and tribal governments are among the recipients. And “housing” doesn’t just mean houses or apartments people could rent or buy. Included in the spending is $20 million in Sierra County for the creation of a new veteran’s home and $35,000 for new fencing at a shelter in Albuquerque. 

One big tribal allocation is $1.2 million to “furnish and construct community housing projects” for the Santo Domingo Pueblo in Sandoval County. 

This year, local, tribal and state governments requested more than 2,300 projects across the state, totaling about $5 billion. The capital outlay bill is passed each year and funds all or part of new infrastructure or construction — things like buildings, parks, roads or acequia upgrades. 

The requests did seek more housing funding — $129 million for 28 projects —  than lawmakers ultimately approved. Ten items were not included in the final package, but six more were later added, according to an analysis by Keller.

The biggest housing request was $30 million for a new shelter at the Gibson Health Hub, a medical center. That funding was approved but the amount allocated was drastically reduced to $421,757. 

Half of the 24 approved projects are in Bernalillo County.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has until March 9 to sign the capital outlay bill. In the past, she’s exercised her line-item veto power, crossing off requests or trimming out some spending altogether. 

Beyond capital outlay, other state money was spent on housing by the Legislature.

Lujan Grisham signed a bill on Thursday that will put between $20 million and $25 million toward the construction and maintenance of affordable housing each year, overseen by the Mortgage Finance Authority. This year’s capital-outlay bill also includes $9 million for the trust fund. The bill the governor signed will also dedicate 2.5% of annual tax revenues from oil and gas toward a trust fund for this purpose. 

The money will go toward construction, maintenance, weatherizing and energy efficiency improvements for housing. The additional funding for the trust fund could mean 4,578 more affordable housing units in the state, according to an analysis by the Legislative Finance Committee. 

“Every New Mexican deserves a safe, affordable and comfortable place to live, and this funding stream will make a real difference in the lives of New Mexicans, especially in rural areas of the state,” Lujan Grisham said in a news release announcing her signature on the trust fund boost. 

Here’s the full list of housing projects approved with the description included in the bill