Let's Work Together To End The Luna County Housing Crisis!

Luna County is currently served by the Western Regional Housing Authority, which is responsible for Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra, Socorro, Catron, Torrance and Valencia counties. The regional authority performs important work, but its mission covers an enormous and geographically diverse part of New Mexico. Luna County needs a housing organization whose principal responsibility is addressing conditions in Deming, Columbus and rural Luna County.

New Mexico law allows a county to establish a local housing authority with the power to develop, construct, own, operate, rent and sell affordable housing. Once established, the Luna County Housing Authority could assume local responsibilities through a carefully planned transition coordinated with Western Regional Housing Authority, Housing New Mexico and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Before any transfer, I would require a public feasibility study identifying the vouchers, properties, funding, contracts, personnel and federal approvals involved. Existing tenants and voucher holders must not lose assistance or experience an interruption in service.

The purpose of creating a Luna County Housing Authority would not be to duplicate bureaucracy. It would be to establish local accountability and give Luna County the capacity to develop housing, pursue funding, manage construction and respond directly to the needs of our residents.

Housing Vouchers

According to 2025 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data summarized by USAFacts, approximately 545 subsidized housing units existed in Luna County, including about 390 units of tenant-based assistance. Approximately 130 units—24% of the total—were reported as unoccupied and available to rent. At the same time, local families continue to report difficulty finding and obtaining affordable housing. This apparent disconnect deserves a clear public explanation. I will seek a full accounting of available units, voucher utilization, waiting lists, processing times and barriers preventing qualified families from securing housing.

New Rental Housing

Under my plan, a Luna County Housing Authority could pursue the construction of new affordable multifamily rental housing. One possible financing tool is Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds, which are generally repaid from revenue generated by the housing development rather than from the county’s general tax revenues.

Limited Taxpayer Exposure: Properly structured revenue bonds generally do not constitute a general-obligation debt of Luna County and do not pledge the county’s taxing power. The exact protections would have to be established in the bond documents and reviewed publicly by independent legal and financial advisers.

How the Bonds Are Repaid: Revenue from the development—including rent, housing-assistance payments and required reserves—would be used to pay operating expenses and repay bondholders.

Taxpayer Safeguards: Before supporting any bond issue, I would require a professional feasibility study, independent financial review, full public disclosure and clear language protecting the county’s general fund and taxpayers.

Single-Family Homes

A Luna County Housing Authority could also pursue the development of entry-level single-family homes for rent or purchase, helping low- and moderate-income families obtain safe and affordable housing.

HOME Development Financing: The authority could apply to Housing New Mexico’s HOME Single-Family Development Program, which provides below-market-rate development loans for eligible affordable-housing projects. Funding is competitive and subject to federal requirements, underwriting and program availability.

Zero-Interest Construction Financing: The authority could also apply to Housing New Mexico’s Zero Interest Homebuilder Program. This program offers interest-free construction financing to eligible organizations—including governmental housing agencies—to develop affordable entry-level homes for qualified buyers.

Single-Family Homes for Rent

A Luna County Housing Authority could explore building affordable single-family rental homes within Deming and Columbus, subject to each municipality’s approval, zoning requirements, infrastructure capacity and available funding.

Scattered-Site Housing: The authority could identify suitable publicly owned or donated vacant lots for individual homes, duplexes or townhomes. Each property would require evaluation for legal access, utilities, drainage, construction costs and neighborhood compatibility.

Housing Voucher Compatibility: Qualified tenants could potentially use Housing Choice Vouchers in authority-owned rental homes if all HUD requirements are met. The authority could also pursue project-based vouchers for selected properties. Because the housing authority would own the homes, federal rules would require independent inspections, independent rent determinations and appropriate HUD oversight.

Single-Family Homes for Sale

The Luna County Housing Authority would serve as the public developer rather than turning the project over to a private development company. It would control the land, financing, home designs, construction budget and sale prices from beginning to end.

An In-House Construction Division: The authority could establish its own construction division and apply for a New Mexico GB-2 residential contractor license. The license would be obtained by employing an experienced construction director who meets the state’s qualifying-party requirements. The authority would then competitively hire licensed electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, roofers and other trade subcontractors while directly managing construction, inspections, scheduling, purchasing and quality control.

Building at Cost—Not for Private Profit: Because the housing authority would be building homes for a public purpose, it would not add a private developer’s profit margin to the price of each house. Actual project costs, financing expenses and reasonable reserves would be documented publicly. Savings would be passed on to qualified homebuyers through lower sale prices.

Reducing Construction Costs: Luna County, Deming or Columbus could consider donating or discounting suitable publicly owned land under an approved affordable-housing plan. The authority could further reduce costs through standardized energy-efficient designs, competitive bidding, bulk purchasing and low- or zero-interest construction financing.

Lawful Tax Savings: Before construction begins, the authority would obtain a written determination from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department identifying every deduction, exemption and Non-Taxable Transaction Certificate legally available when the authority purchases materials directly. No tax savings would be included in a home’s projected price until those savings were verified in writing.

Energy-Efficient Homes: Homes could include high-efficiency heating and cooling, improved insulation, solar panels, tankless water heaters and battery storage when financially practical. The goal would be to reduce homeowners’ monthly utility expenses without making unrealistic promises that every household’s bill would be zero.

Financing the Homes: The authority could apply to Housing New Mexico’s Zero Interest Homebuilder Program and other eligible programs. It could also evaluate carefully structured lease-to-purchase opportunities for families who need time to prepare for conventional homeownership.

Public Accountability: Construction budgets, contracts, change orders, financing costs and home sale prices would be publicly reported. The purpose would be simple: build durable, efficient entry-level homes at the lowest responsible cost and pass the savings directly to Luna County families.