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Committee backs bill to create state Office of Housing to centralize coordination
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Summary
House Bill 448, which would establish a state Office of Housing administratively attached to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), received a do-pass recommendation after extensive testimony from housing authorities, advocates and local governments emphasizing the need for statewide coordination and better data.
The House Appropriations and Finance Committee on Monday recommended House Bill 448, a measure to create a state Office of Housing, after extensive testimony from housing authorities, nonprofit advocates and local governments.
Why it matters: Supporters told the committee that New Mexico faces a substantial housing shortage and that past one-time appropriations and agencies working separately have not produced sufficient production or data to direct future spending efficiently. Witnesses described fragmented programs across multiple agencies and urged a coordinating entity to track spending, align projects, and make public data on housing production.
What the bill would do: Committee testimony said the office would be administratively attached to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) so it can track housing appropriations and coordinate across agencies. The office’s proposed $2 million recurring budget would fund staff, data systems and contracts, including development of a publicly accessible housing dashboard to track production and spending. Sponsors and the governor’s housing team said the office would not supplant the Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) but would perform system-level coordination, regulatory review and data collection.
Public comment: Representatives from the manufactured housing and modular industries, the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, Aging & Long-Term Services, regional housing authorities and local governments testified in favor. The executive director of Housing New Mexico and representatives of the mortgage finance authority also supported the proposal, saying their roles would be complementary. Several regional housing authority directors and the League of Women Voters urged a due pass.
Questions and committee concerns: Committee members pressed presenters for historic spending and outcomes. Witnesses and the sponsor said recent appropriations exceeded $200 million in the last two years and that project allocations—while substantial—lack a centralized accounting of outcomes. The office’s staff said about $2 million is budgeted for the office itself; the larger construction and program funds remain in separate appropriations that the office would track but not control. Staff said recurring and one-time appropriations intended for construction and homelessness initiatives are not all routed through the office; the measure would create a tracking and accountability function.
Committee action: The committee voted to give HB 448 a do-pass recommendation. Representative Pettigrew recorded opposition during the committee voice tally.
Next steps: Committee members asked the nascent office to provide spreadsheets and better historic accounting of project outcomes to the committee and said they expect further reporting if the office is enacted.
