By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

So how are things looking for Los Alamos’ housing and economy? Great, according to County officials.

Los Alamos County Housing and Special Projects Manager Dan Osborn along with Economic Development Administrator Shanna Sasser provided updates to the County’s housing and economic development efforts during County Council’s recent work session.

As far as housing is concerned, Osborn ticked off a list of completed items including the affordable housing plan and the new contract with the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust to operate the County’s homebuyer and home rehabilitation programs.

Another partnership in development involves Housing New Mexico. Osborn explained the organization, in collaboration with Central New Mexico Housing Corporation, offers a weatherization project that provides grants to those who earn up to 200 percent of the poverty level for things like sealing doors and windows, adding insulation to attics and walls, and replacing water heaters and furnaces.

Osborn emphasized that this is not a County-owned program, but the contractor will administer it on Los Alamos’ behalf.

Another program is preserving and increasing housing stock in Los Alamos. Osborn said progress has been made in this area, pointing to the deed restrictions for the 9th Street apartments.

The housing project on North Mesa continues to be developed. Osborn reported that feedback on what kind of housing should be constructed has been collected, and planning is underway for the infrastructure needed to support housing. A draft study for the project has been reviewed internally by County staff and it will be presented to the Los Alamos Public Schools Board and County Council, he said.

Osborn thanked council for agreeing to dedicate one quarter cent of gross receipt tax to the housing fund during the April budget hearings.

“It is very appreciated and goes a very long way to helping create that funding source that we need not only to do projects but to leverage that money to help fund projects or get grant money or other loans that might be available to do a lot of work that we are trying to get done,” he said. “So, we’re very excited about that.”

Osborn added the County is also working with its regional neighbors such as San Ildefonso Pueblo, Pojoaque and Santa Clara Pueblo along with neighboring businesses like Buffalo Thunder.

He also gave updates on current housing projects.

• Arkansas Place:
  Two units are in and three are for sale. Five out of the planned 44 units are completed. Osborn said the last time the County spoke to the developers, they were trying to raise interest in the next building slated for construction to have the capital to move forward.
• The Hill Apartments
  Osborn said there hasn’t been a lot of work, but the owners are working on contracts and planned amendments to move forward. He added the County has received many of the planned amendments for its building inspections. The owners hope to receive a certificate of occupancy later this year.
• Mirador
  The housing development continues to move forward; Osborn said work was underway for terraforming and installing retaining walls. In total (in the County), Osborn said approximately 400 units are coming online and another 676 units are approved.

Council Vice Chair Suzie Havemann asked about any focus on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as another option for affordable housing.

“Do we have a desired outcome for there to be more ADUs like there are in other communities where they have had housing crunches,” she asked. “Where it can help people with the affordability of their home? Or help with elderly parents or relatives aging and avoid nursing costs … there is a myriad of benefits, at least from my vantage point of ADUs, and maybe people don’t realize it, maybe they aren’t aware of them … if we want to offer more affordable housing and more housing options and better care of our seniors … maybe we should be … at least educating, or informing people …”

Osborn said he could provide information on ADUs.

Turning to the economic development side, Sasser said a lot of outreach and communication is being conducted.

She said to help with business retention and expansion, she and her team have engaged with businesses to identify their needs. Additionally, a check sheet was created to pin-point what businesses need, whether it was funding, or an expansion or more staff, “so we get a better, more intimate knowledge of what businesses are dealing with,” Sasser said.

After identifying needs, she said she and her team will brainstorm and attempt to connect businesses to various resources.

There also has been networking with the local business coalition, the Los Alamos Commerce Development Corporation as well as entities in the region, Sasser added.

For instance, she reported that she is speaking with the Regional Development Corporation to create a list of vacant properties. How to retain tech companies is another conversation Sasser said she is having with regional partners.

Sasser explained a trend that is being observed is as tech companies grow, they can’t find adequate space and then leave the state for better incentives.

“I started the conversation with our regional partners – how can we work together to keep them here in our region,” she said. “So, we are working on putting together a system where we can collaborate, we can communicate, and we can find properties to keep these businesses here in our area and find them the facilities they need to stay local.”

Outdoor recreation and marketing are other focuses; Sasser said the hope is to attract tours to come to Los Alamos.
More outreach and communication efforts are in store. Sasser said a series of workshops are being planned. The first one is for home-based businesses and will be 5:30 p.m. July 15 in council chambers located inside the Municipal Building. The next one will focus on tech-start up companies.

For downtown revitalization, Sasser said the goals are to complete the sign code updates, utilize the White Rock metropolitan redevelopment area (MRA) and potentially the MRA in Los Alamos if it is approved as well as the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA). To do that, Sasser said the remaining sign code cleanup items should be completed by the end of the year, the rollout of the retail LEDA should happen this month and the plan for Los Alamos MRA is scheduled to be presented in August. Furthermore, she reported that a general commercial land use concept plan for DP Road is going to be developed and the County’s purchase of Longview properties for realigning the roadway needs to be finalized.

Despite initial worries, Sasser said tourism numbers are keeping steady. They are not at 2019 levels but are returning to pre-pandemic levels. To help with visitor numbers, community event websites merged, and the County is collaborating with neighboring communities on events such as the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs, she said.

Despite all the mentions of communication, Councilor Melanee Hand wondered how effective it was. She said she spoke to local business owners who did not paint a rosy picture.

“There’s a lot of concern that the County isn’t listening to their needs,” Hand said. “Basically, I think I would like to make a suggestion that we might want to consider how we work inter-departmentally in the County.”

As an example, Hand said the County departments should consider businesses that are impacted by infrastructure projects.

“We are designing things for the future but are we engaging with each one of these businesses that are impacted and asking them – this is what we are planning on doing, how could this effect you,” she asked. “What are your needs during the project and after the project is over – how are you going to be impacted by this project and try to incorporate that into the design …”

Hand wondered if what businesses really need is being missed – do they need signs or does the County need to consider how expanding sidewalks is going to eat up businesses’ parking. In short, Hand said she has met with a lot of frustrated business owners who feel there hasn’t been any engagement at all.

Sasser said the businesses located on DP Road have been contacted to hear their concerns about the ongoing street project. She added her team met with Public Works to do outreach to those impacted. Sandwich signs were placed at the entrance to DP Road to advertise the businesses and to let people know they were open. Plus, lessons learned from the DP Road project will be applied to the upcoming project on Trinity Drive, she said. Hand said she had only heard that everything being done on DP Road was a big surprise and now any effort being made was just too little too late.

“I hope we are going to do better in the future,” she said.