Summary:

 House Bill 571 (HB 571) designates municipalities that adopt voluntary planning and zoning strategies designed to increase New Mexico's housing inventory; provides technical support to municipalities; and enumerates duties of the Department of Finance and Administration.  

Legislation Overview:

 House Bill 571 (HB 571) enacts the "Building Housing Communities Act" (Act). 

As used in the Act: 

A. "department" means the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA); and 
B. "municipality" means an incorporated city, town, village or county.

The DFA must establish a program to grant an award certificate to a municipality that has adopted or established one or more approved strategies to increase housing affordability and accessibility. The award certificate must designate a municipality a "building New Mexico community". 

The DFA must establish rules for feasible and effective strategies to achieve increased housing affordability and accessibility. Such strategies must include a variety of options, recognizing: (1) the difference in needs and strategies between urban and rural jurisdictions; (2) best practices implemented in New Mexico and used by other local and state governments; (3) land use and zoning policies that can promote or act as a barrier to the development of affordable and accessible housing; (4) strategies that support the development and rehabilitation of housing; (5) strategies that reduce the complexity of jurisdictional review; (6) strategies that reduce the cost of  construction; and (7) strategies that increase the types of housing units permitted across jurisdictional boundaries. 



 

Current Law:

 The proposed Act and requirements are not in place at this time. New Mexico does have an Affordable Housing Act to allow local governments and other political subdivisions to put resources towards affordable housing acquisition, development and financing. There are also several related programs and initiatives, such as the Housing Development Revolving Fund, the Workforce Housing Program, the Restoring our Communities Program, and the Housing Affordability Trust Fund.