Santa Fe County details use of affordable housing funds, asks Project Moxie to map next steps

Santa Fe County leaders told the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 11 that large, previously authorized infusions for affordable-housing programs remain only partially spent and that staff will use a consultant, Project Moxie, to produce a strategic investment plan before allocating the remainder.

Acting Community Development Director Leandro Cordova said the county last year provided roughly $4 million in developer assistance that helped five projects totaling more than 700 units move forward. He said some awardees have started construction while other program awards remain to be drawn down. “We have that balance to work with, and that’s what we’re going to use to move forward,” Cordova said.

The nut of the presentation was how to spend the remaining money. Cordova said county staff are preparing updates to the Sustainable Land Development Code (including inclusionary zoning), the down-payment assistance program and a workforce-housing program. He said the department is issuing an RFP for third-party program management, pursuing additional funding sources and planning to roll out a rent-to-own workforce-housing pilot.

Commissioners pressed for specifics about what portion of the roughly $10.7 million budgeted for services remains uncommitted. Cordova and a staff member said some dollars are encumbered, some have been awarded but not yet drawn down, and that the precise unallocated balance would be provided soon after Project Moxie finishes its spreadsheet of awards and remaining funds. “We currently don’t have an actual number for you…but we should have that number for you soon,” a staff member said.

Commissioner Kokari Stone and others urged the administration to return a more granular budget that separates affordable-housing allocations from other community-development line items, noting the county’s summary presentation rolls several program funds into single lines. Cordova agreed to provide a more detailed breakdown and to bring a proposed investment strategy to the board once Project Moxie completes its work.

Commissioner Green asked whether county investments in workforce housing could be combined with funds held by local school districts and philanthropic partners to deliver dual-use housing for teachers and civic workers; Cordova said staff would explore partnerships and that rent-to-own and other models are under active development.

Cordova also said the department is preparing a broadband plan, an EV fleet-transition study, further phases of a greenhouse-gas ERP project and program updates including a down-payment assistance revision and a home-efficiency program. He said film-office budget items were reduced after the city assumed film-office operations under an MOA.

Why this matters: Commissioners have directed substantial one-time funding for housing across several recent budgets. Staff said they want to use the Project Moxie plan to prioritize remaining dollars, limit duplication and design programs that can be scaled or matched by partner funding.

Next steps: Cordova said staff will return with a more granular accounting of unallocated funds, a Project Moxie strategic plan and a draft rent-to-own pilot for review by the housing board and, later, the full commission.