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Council accepts governor’s grant to fund homelessness and behavioral‑health survey; city manager’s office to lead
Summary
Council approved a $350,000 grant to fund a homelessness and behavioral‑health survey and contract a public‑health coordinator; staff said the city manager’s office will convene stakeholders and partner with NMSU to compile existing surveys and identify gaps.
The Las Cruces City Council on Aug. 4 approved a $350,000 grant from the governor’s office to fund a homelessness and behavioral‑health survey and to support a contracted public‑health coordinator, city staff said.
Why it matters: Councilors and staff described the grant as a first step to develop an informed strategic plan and to make the city more competitive for future implementation funding; staff emphasized the grant is intended to identify service gaps and produce recommendations, not to directly fund long‑term programs.
Gabriela Prax, the city’s grant manager, said the project will be handled by the city manager’s office and that policy analyst Sergio Ruiz was assigned as the lead. Staff told council the project will convene stakeholders — police, fire, mental‑health providers, shelters, hospitals, courts, schools, businesses and nonprofits — and compile existing efforts, including work by New Mexico State University, to identify gaps and best practices.
Councilor Flores pressed whether $350,000 would be enough; staff said the figure is the grant maximum awarded by the governor’s office and noted the resulting strategic plan should help the city seek additional funding for implementation. Councilors asked for updates as work proceeds.
The council approved resolution 26‑016 on a roll‑call vote. The grant manager said the city’s housing staff, the Community of Hope and NMSU will be partners in the effort.
