BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – New Mexico lawmakers earmarked $150 million this year for housing projects to get people out of homelessness, and are hoping to get some money for the metro. Bernalillo County has a new list of ideas that could see it buying up hotels and apartments.
“The crisis is here in the most populous county,” said Barbara Baca, County Commissioner for Bernalillo County.
The county says getting people off the street is a top priority over the next year, and tackling that issue could now lead it to buy or invest in nearly a dozen properties throughout Albuquerque, from hotels to apartment buildings. “We went to the state legislature this last January, and the leaders in the house and in the Senate and at the governor’s office supported this request and have identified $150 million for housing,” said Baca.
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The county’s short list for affordable housing includes the potential of buying the Mehran Lofts apartment building at 5th and Gold downtown and the Don Quixote apartments on University near Lead. “These are projects that are in relatively good shape, meaning that we won’t have to do a lot of improvements to the interior of these,” said Cindy Chavez, Bernalillo County Manager…