Nogales Housing Authority adopts $1.63 million operating budget for 2025–26

The Nogales Housing Authority Board of Commissioners approved an operating budget of $1,634,392 for the 2025'26 fiscal year during its March 5 regular meeting, passing the resolution unanimously, 7-0.

Board members discussed changes made to a draft budget that had been revised and circulated before the meeting. Director Maritza said revised copies were available and that the board could provide specific modifications on a form to be attached to the official approval.

Commissioners questioned revenue assumptions and several line items. One commissioner noted differences between per-unit-month subsidy estimates cited in the current budget ($268.34 per unit) and the actual per-unit-month figure reported for the closing year ($295.21), and asked whether the budgeted subsidy was lower than recent receipts. Director Maritza said the PUM figure in the budget is an estimate based on occupancy practices through December and that the auditors'estimated amounts could differ from year-end actuals.

Commissioners also pressed on expense lines. The board discussed sewer charges (last year budgeted at $90,000 with actual spending of about $62,009), ordinary maintenance and operations (the draft shows $318,006.60 for next year versus $830,700 allocated in the prior year, with roughly $472,772 spent to date), and a proposed $30,000 annual preventive extermination plan after higher prior-year spending. Maritza said some make-ready and repair costs will be balanced between the operating budget and capital grants to reduce pressure on a single line.

The board asked about salary increases included in the draft. Maritza said the draft budget includes a 1% increase for employees with less than 10 years'service per direction from HR and finance; she and a city representative said any change above 1% would require a subsequent budget amendment. Because the housing authority follows the city personnel policy, commissioners and staff agreed that pay adjustments typically take effect with the city's fiscal-year timing; staff said, historically, implementation has been treated as effective July 1 while the housing authority's fiscal year begins April 1.

A motion to approve the resolution "approving and adopting the Nogales Housing Authority operating budget for 04/01/2025 through 03/31/2026" was made and seconded. The vote was recorded as a 7-0 passage. No amendments were adopted at the meeting.

The board chair closed the item after the vote and moved to other business.