Bernalillo County economic development staff, AREA report housing pipeline, film permits and $179M legislative ask

Marcos Gonzales, director of the county's economic development department, told the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 11 that the office worked on six housing projects that combined would create 414 new units and 714 rehab units, and that the county-led Brownfield grant closed after testing more than two dozen sites.

Gonzales said the county processed more than 60 film permits in 2024 despite industry strikes and noted interest from film-studio developers. He said the county is pursuing a $1.2 million EPA grant application to expand brownfield testing with an emphasis on sites suitable for affordable housing.

Danielle Casey, executive director of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA), said the regional partnership has focused on site readiness, downtown revitalization and talent development. Casey described ongoing work with private property owners on a potential downtown improvement district and highlighted 108 new projects opened for response by AREA over the prior 24 months, with 70% of applicants proposing county sites.

Gonzales said the county's legislative housing request totals $179,000,000 ( $100 million for affordable family and senior housing and $79 million for behavioral health). He also noted nearly $40,000,000 in USDOT funding for a trade-port planning project tied to autonomous-vehicle work and a separate $1.5 million Regional Infrastructure Accelerator application pending in spring 2025.

Commissioners asked for continued coordination with the city and county finance staff, and Commissioner Frank Baca praised the housing pipeline and the department's work on projects that align with the county's priorities.