Housing is a hot topic in the County; increasing the housing stock and making it affordable are big focuses for the local government.

With a housing development in White Rock and an apartment complex in Los Alamos progressing forward, the amount of housing in the County is set to increase. The County also is working to ensure everyone, at all income levels, can afford to live in Los Alamos.

The Community Development and the Economic Development Departments are partnering to bring an affordable rental apartment project to Los Alamos. The County is working with Bethel Development, Inc. in Farmington to construct 70 apartment units on DP Road. The potential site is between the Columbian Club Hall, formerly known as the Knights of Columbus Hall, and the Los Alamos Fire Department training facility. The rental units would range from one to three bedrooms and be two to three stories tall.

The complex would be income restrictive. Residents would need to make 60 percent or less of the local median income.

Community Development Department Director Paul Andrus explained rent would be determined based on the number of bedrooms, the renter’s income and the household number. He assured that “the rents are going to be great,” for the households that qualify to live in the property.

He added the apartments’ location is a big plus. It will be located near the Smith’s Marketplace, the Canyon Rim Trail and one of the Atomic City Transit bus stops.

The total cost for the whole project is estimated to be $14 million. To accomplish this project, Bethel will apply and compete for low income housing tax credits awarded through the Mortgage Finance Authority Housing New Mexico. Should the tax credits be awarded then the County will donate the land to the developer. Economic Development Administrator Joan Ahlers explained the process is highly competitive; last year 13 applications were submitted and five were awarded. She explained the tax credits are awarded on a point scoring system, which looks at a number of factors such as population size and community participation.

“It’s a whole formula,” Ahlers said.

Although this next round is expected to be competitive, Ahlers said, “We are going to remain optimistic and hopeful.”

The need for affordable housing locally has become more noticeable. Andrus said the Mortgage Finance Authority identifies communities where affordable housing is a high need. This is done on a three-tier system. He said in the past Los Alamos never made the list but this year the County was put into tier one.

Ahlers said, “Now that we have risen … that’s what brought them (Bethel) back into town.”

She added Los Alamos made the list because of its lack of available housing. It has less than 1 percent vacancy rate. Basically this means “you have no vacancies,” Ahlers said.

Earlier this year, Ahlers said she visited one of Bethel’s affordable housing properties in Farmington. She was commented she was impressed with the aesthetics of the development, which is 7 years old, as well as the company’s management of the complex. A good property is dependent on good management, Ahlers said, and the apartment complex in Los Alamos would be managed by Bethel.

This means the property would have on-site management on-call and available 24 hours, seven days a week for repairs. Additionally, the property management would conduct monthly inspections on each unit.

Andrus pointed out that the management also would offer other supportive services for the residents that could range from financial counseling to tutoring services for children.

The chance to bring this project to fruition is exciting, Andrus said. “We’re pleased. We think it’s a really good opportunity to address this need in the community.”

Ahlers pointed out that this has been an issue on everyone’s radar for a long time.

“Historically, it’s been very clear there is a desire to provide affordable housing,” she said.

An ordinance introducing the project will be presented to council Dec. 19. This will be followed up Jan. 9 with a public hearing.

Andrus added that the deadline to submit for the tax credits is Feb. 12 and the decision on whether the credits have been awarded for the project should be known by July.