Committee hears five outside ICIP proposals including ROC, Midtown innovation hub and affordable housing requests

Sean Moody, capital planning manager for Santa Fe Public Works, briefed the Quality of Life Committee on five outside proposals submitted for inclusion in the city’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP). The five projects identified were the New Mexico Innovation Hub in Midtown, San Ignacio Flats (affordable multifamily), Casa de Todos (affordable housing), a Resource and Opportunity Center (ROC) proposed by Interfaith Community Services, and a master-plan project called La Solaris that includes extending Los Cerroes Drive and a bridge.

"This year, for the first time, we received five applications from entities that didn't emerge from the city," Moody said, explaining that acceptance into ICIP is an initial step and that projects would later require funding identification and possible contractual or fiscal-agent arrangements.

Mayor Garcia urged caution and additional administrative capacity before taking on outside projects: bringing non-city projects onto the ICIP, he said, requires new systems, clear agreements and internal staff capacity to manage performance obligations. "When we begin to take on projects outside of the city's scope, there will need to be new capacity," Garcia said, warning the governing body to account for the full implications of fiscal sponsorship.

Public comment included several presentations from organizations seeking ICIP placement. Kent Grubbs, board chairman of Interfaith Community Services, described the ROC as more than a concept: he said Interfaith has purchased a site, developed buildable architectural plans with an architect and expected to submit a building-permit application later this summer; he said the facility could be operational about 14 months after permit approval. "This is not some conceptual plan," Grubbs said. "It has been conceived to address Santa Fe's specific needs."

Representatives from La Familia and La Familia Medical Center urged the council to align the ROC with the ICIP to address visible gaps in services for people experiencing homelessness, saying providers and philanthropy had already committed funds. Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity's executive director, Kathy Collins, told the committee Casa de Todos is shovel-ready and that Habitat could build up to 68 100%-affordable units; Jerry Little, Habitat’s director of construction, said the organization had paid bonds and water impact fees and was prepared to move forward on infrastructure needs.

Ulysses Development (represented online) described San Ignacio Flats as an infill affordable multifamily project with a multigenerational design and community support; David Perez, representing the Midtown Innovation Hub, said the Midtown campus needs substantial horizontal infrastructure and that certain road segments alone could cost about $12 million to build. Perez said the proposed innovation campus plan includes 75,000 square feet of lab space, 50,000 square feet of office and 60 residential units with 15% designated affordable.

Several councilors asked about timing, amendment windows and prioritization. Staff noted the governing body can amend the ICIP list through November and that accepting a project onto the ICIP does not by itself fund construction: it establishes eligibility for state appropriations and positions projects for prioritization and later legislative outreach. Moody said detailed contracting and deliverable agreements would be required before the city assumed any performance obligations for externally submitted projects.

No vote was taken at the committee meeting on the ICIP list; staff said the proposals will be presented to other bodies (Public Works & Utilities, Finance Committee) and ultimately to the governing body for prioritization and formal adoption.