CEDSStrategic Direction and Action Plan
Priority 4: Housing, Livability, and Community Capacity
Strengthen housing availability and community conditions that help Southeastern New Mexico attract and retain workers, families, businesses, and investment.
Strategic Priority 4
Why This Priority Matters
The Regional Need
Economic growth cannot be sustained without communities capable of supporting the people who power the regional economy. Housing availability, childcare, healthcare, schools, recreation, public safety, and community amenities increasingly influence business recruitment and workforce retention. These issues should therefore be viewed as part of economic competitiveness.
Regional Goal
Strengthen housing availability and community conditions that help Southeastern New Mexico attract and retain workers, families, businesses, and investment.
Regional Opportunities
Expand Housing Options
Housing strategies should respond to the needs of different communities and workforce groups.
Potential needs may include:
- workforce housing
- entry-level homeownership
- rental housing
- senior housing
- infill development
- redevelopment
- housing for specialized workforce recruitment; and
- infrastructure necessary to support residential growth.
Connect Housing With Economic Development
Housing needs should be considered when large projects, business expansions, institutional investments, or workforce initiatives are planned.
A job-creation strategy that does not consider where workers will live may create additional pressure on the regional labor market.
Strengthen Quality of Life
Communities increasingly compete for people as much as they compete for businesses.
Economic-development strategies should therefore recognize the importance of:
- childcare
- healthcare
- education
- recreation
- community appearance
- arts and culture
- public spaces
- downtown vitality; and
- access to essential services.
Support Community Capacity
Some communities may have strong project ideas but limited staffing or technical capacity to pursue funding, develop applications, manage projects, or navigate state and federal programs.
Regional technical assistance can help close that gap.
SNMEDD's Role
SNMEDD can support this priority through:
- housing and demographic analysis
- funding identification
- technical assistance
- grant support
- regional convening
- infrastructure coordination
- project-development assistance; and
- connecting communities with state and federal resources.
Measures of Progress
Potential indicators include:
- housing projects advanced
- housing units added or rehabilitated
- community-development grants secured
- childcare or healthcare access improvements
- redevelopment activity
- community infrastructure projects completed; and
- local projects receiving technical assistance.
Measurable Objectives
Recommended milestones from the start of the authorized work program.
Month 9
Complete five county housing-action briefs using the 2026 state housing strategy and local evidence.
Month 18
Advance two locally sponsored housing or rehabilitation pilots through feasibility, site, infrastructure, and funding screening.
Years 2–3
Publish annual housing delivery and affordability results for the pilot areas.
Planning connections: Housing New Mexico: New Mexico Housing Strategy, including 2026 update; SNMEDD: Infrastructure Capital Improvement Planning; New Mexico Finance Authority: Public Project Revolving Fund. Reviewed September 26, 2026.