Governing body adopts 5-year capital plan; debate centers on city’s top-priority homeless shelter and transparency of site work

The City of Santa Fe governing body voted July 9 to adopt its five-year Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan (ICIP) for 2027–2031, a required document for state funding and a roadmap for capital projects the city plans to advance. Director of Public Works Regina Wheeler presented the plan and listed the top five priorities: a large-capacity non-congregate shelter with wraparound services, replacement of the Paseo Real wastewater treatment plant, a police training facility, airport terminal expansion phase II, and midtown redevelopment.

Wheeler told the governing body the ICIP is the city’s application vehicle for legislative appropriations and noted the plan’s “funded to date” column shows how far individual projects have progressed. She said the city has delivered “well over $120,000,000” in completed capital projects over the past five years and estimated more than $40,000,000 is underway this fiscal year.

Much of the meeting’s debate focused on the shelter project. Councilor Lee Garcia and others said they were surprised the large-capacity non-congregate shelter was placed at the top of the list and pressed staff and sponsors for details about planning, partners, and site vetting. Garcia said he wanted the information a state legislator would expect when considering an appropriation: “As a legislator, they’re gonna say, what’s the plan? What are you gonna use this initial $10,000,000 for?” He said he supports the project but objected to what he described as insufficient outreach to the governing body and community about potential locations.

Director Wheeler and city staff said the item was placed on the draft ICIP after department directors identified priorities and that staff had coordinated with service partners and stakeholders in prior efforts. Wheeler said each ICIP project includes a worksheet submitted to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration, describing potential uses of funds (land acquisition, design, engineering, construction). City staff and the city manager emphasized the draft list was staff-developed and that specific project siting and program design would proceed if and when legislative appropriations were secured.

Councilors also discussed community engagement and prior local controversies tied to proposed shelter or detention sites. Councilor Amanda Chavez, chair of the committee that considered the ICIP, urged patience and noted the length of time required to plan and implement such capital projects. Several councilors said they or their staff had been informally looking at potential sites; others asked that staff notify councilors when site visits occur in their districts.

The resolution to adopt the ICIP was approved by roll call; all members present voted yes. Councilors and staff agreed the adoption does not itself approve any particular site or design and that detailed planning, public outreach, and engineering studies would follow if funding were allocated.

Why it matters: The ICIP is the city’s primary list for seeking state capital outlay and other project funding; listing a project as a top priority helps secure attention and possible appropriations. The shelter’s top ranking makes it likelier to receive legislative consideration, but councilors stressed that further community engagement and a programmatic plan would be required before any site is acquired or a facility constructed.

What happens next: Staff said legislative appropriations are anticipated in mid to late 2026 (the city will not receive most grant agreements until then), giving time to create a detailed program and procurement plan. Councilors asked staff to provide the ICIP worksheets and DFA submissions used to support the shelter request and to notify council members of site visits.

Votes and related formal actions from the meeting appear in the session’s action log.