Housing Programs

As the one of the largest and highest performing public housing authorities in New Mexico, the Mesilla Valley Public Housing Authority (MVPHA) takes great pride in offering a variety of programs that provide safe, decent, and affordable housing coupled with programs that provide opportunities and incentives for our families to graduate from subsidized housing into economically-independent lifestyles.

There is a great demand for housing assistance in Doña Ana County. MVPHA typically has a waiting period of two to six years before applicants may receive housing assistance. In order to qualify, residents must earn less than 80 percent of the area median income, which is about $38,700 per year for a family of four. However, most of our clients are considered to be extremely low income because they earn less than 30 percent of the area median income. For that same family of four, that is about $24,200 per year. To address this need, MVPHA has developed a comprehensive portfolio of affordable housing programs to assist our community with high quality affordable housing options.

Affordable Housing

Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Developments

MVPHA is the general partner in nine LIHTC developments with a total of 643 units as follows:
  • Cimmaron I – 60 units; 825 4th Street, Anthony, NM
  • Cimmaron II – 84 units; 825 4th Street, Anthony, NM
  • Desert Hope – 40 units; 1310 Pecos, Las Cruces, NM
  • Desert Palms – 100 units; 2407 W. Picacho, Las Cruces, NM
  • Falcon Ridge – 72 units; 20 S Chile Capital St., Hatch, NM
  • Montana Senior Village I – 48 units; 305 E Montana Ave. Las Cruces, NM
  • Montana Senior Village II – 84 units; 355 E Montana Ave. Las Cruces, NM
  • Robledo Ridge – 71 units; 1519 Medina Dr., Las Cruces, NM
  • Stone Mountain – 84 units; 930 E Boutz, Las Cruces, NM

MVPHA – Affordable Housing Properties

MVPHA owns two affordable housing properties with a total of 40 units as follows:
  • Almendra Apartments – 18 units; 1420 Almendra, Las Cruces, NM
  • Oak St. Apartments – 22 units; 3350 Oak Street, Las Cruces, NM

Almendra Apartments

1420 Almendra, Las Cruces, NM
18 units
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4
0 5 13 0 0
View Map

Oak St. Apartments

3350 Oak Street, Las Cruces, NM
22 units
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4
0 22 0 0 0
View Map

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program

  • The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.
  • To cover the cost of the program, HUD provides funds to allow Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to make Housing Assistance Payments (HAPs) on behalf of the families. HUD also pays the PHA a fee for the costs of administering the program (Administrative Fees).

MVPHA has been awarded a total of 1,652 vouchers as follows:

  • 1,419 Conventional HCV Vouchers.
  • 80 HUD-VASH Vouchers: The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines HCV rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • 40 FUP Vouchers: The Family Unification Program (FUP) enables families to rent affordable housing for whom the lack of affordable housing is a primary factor in the separation of children from their families or in the prevention of reunifying the children with their families.
  • 100 NED Vouchers: Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) vouchers enable non-elderly disabled families to lease affordable private housing of their choice. These vouchers also assist persons with disabilities who often face difficulties in locating suitable and accessible housing.
  • 13 Homeownership Vouchers: The vouchers enable low income families to purchase a home after successfully completing the requirements of the Family Self Sufficiency Program.

Low Rent Public Housing

  • The public housing program was established in 1937 to provide decent and safe rental housing for low-income families funded by the Federal Government.
  • The Public Housing Program provides affordable housing to more than 600 residents of the City of Las Cruces.
  • A resident’s rent in the Public Housing Program is subsidized by the federal government and is usually calculated at 30 percent of the household’s adjusted monthly income. Applicants to the Public Housing Program must be income eligible and residents must adhere to program rules.
  • MVPHA manages four public housing locations with 248 low rent public housing units throughout the City of Las Cruces as follows:
    1. Tres Arboles – 64 units (Multifamily)
    2. San Pedro Place – 38 units (Elderly/Disabled)
    3. Walnut Grove – 99 units (Multifamily)
    4. Jardines Alegres – 47 units (Elderly/Disabled)

Tres Arboles

1011 Ash Avenue, Las Cruces, NM
64 units - Multifamily
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4
0 28 8 22 6
View Map

San Pedro Place

926 S San Pedro, Las Cruces, NM
38 units - Elderly/Disabled
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4
22 16 0 0 0
View Map

Walnut Grove

1091 S Walnut, Las Cruces, NM
100 units - Multifamily
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4 5
0 20 36 20 20 4
View Map

Jardines Alegres

1304 Bon Burt Lane, Las Cruces, NM
47 units - Elderly/Disabled
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4
26 17 4 0 0
View Map

Section 8 New Construction - Multifamily

  • The Section 8 Program was authorized by Congress in 1974 and developed by HUD to provide rental subsidies for eligible tenant families (including single persons) residing in newly constructed, rehabilitated and existing rental and cooperative apartment projects.
  • The rents of some of the residential units are subsidized by HUD under the Section 8 New Construction (“New Construction”), Program. All such assistance is “project-based” meaning that the subsidy is committed by HUD for the assisted units of a particular Mortgaged Property for a contractually determined period.

Jardines Verdes

1401 Burley Ct, Las Cruces, NM
40 units
No. Of Bedrooms
0 1 2 3 4
0 34 6 0 0
View Map

Family Self-Sufficiency Program

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a voluntary, five-year program that requires participation in areas that will allow participant to meet their goals. Areas of development could be in job training, career planning, financial literacy education, budgeting, saving, and establishing good credit. MVPHA Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program helps reduce the dependency of low-income families on Welfare assistance, federal, state, and/or local subsidies. To meet this objective, the FSS program matches housing assistance families with existing community services to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

How the Program Works

The Family Self-Sufficiency program is available to all Housing Choice Voucher participants who have been in the program at least one year and are in good standing, want to overcome barriers, and take advantage of their educational and earning potential.

In the program, the head of household works with the FSS Coordinator to establish goals and develop a personalized action plan to meet those goals. Services are tailored to the participant's needs and include skills assessment, GED preparation, career planning, computer literacy and skills training, money management workshops, childcare referrals, and credit repair workshops.

An attractive incentive of the program is the Savings (Escrow) Account that is opened for the family. As the FSS participants reach their goals, and their earned income increases, MVPHA deposits money into the escrow account for the participant families. Once FSS participants achieve all their established goals, including maintaining full-time employment, do not rely on rental assistance, then they receive the money in the account plus interest.

Once a participant is accepted into the FSS program, he/she must sign a Contract of Participation and together with the FSS Coordinator will develop an Individual Training and Service Plan (ITSP). To graduate, the FSS program participants must achieve all the goals in their ITSP plan, be welfare free for 12 consecutive months prior to graduating, and have a suitable job. When they graduate from the FSS program, participants may use these funds as they wish. Completion of the FSS Program is a great way to start and build a better life for you and your family.

Benefits of the FSS program include

  • Career and Educational counseling
  • Educational workshops (e.g., nutrition, parenting skills, GED preparation, ESL, money management and obtaining the proper basic skills and education needed to enter the workplace)
  • Community Networking
  • Job Preparation assistance
  • Educational institution and financial aid assistance
  • Credit repair assistance
  • FSS Escrow accounts
  • Homeownership counseling
  • Referral services

FSS Success

To date, many families have graduated from the FSS program successfully. Achieving educational goals and commencing on rewarding careers in a variety of fields. FSS graduates have used their savings for down payments on homes, to pay for schooling, to purchase cars, to pay off debt and more. The following FSS graduates have escrowed from $1,000-$17,000:

FSS GRADUATES
2016 Jessica Arellano
2017 Sally Nichols; Teresa Castillo
2018 Naomi Jackson
2020 Christina Nevarez
2021 Cristina Torres; Tiffany Dons Gillespie; Ernesto Rodriguez
TESTIMONIALS

"As an FSS participant, the most I got from this program was to become a homeowner, which was my main goal after completing the program. Without this program, I don't feel I would be able to accomplish this goal since I took advantage of all the tools this program offers. I hope more future participants can succeed with this program." - Ernesto A Rodriguez

"The FSS program was amazing. I am honored to be a graduate. I could have not done it without the help of Maria, She was an amazing coordinator there was never a dumb question for her. She would always be happy to help. Most importantly she was there to support you in any possible way she always kept me focused and motivated. THANK YOU FSS PROGRAM FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY!" - Iris Hernandez

"As an FSS participant I would like to say that this program is amazing and gives you the opportunity to be able to take advantage of all of the tools they equip you with to become more knowledgeable, self-sufficient, and get ahead in life. I am honored and blessed to be a graduate of this program. I would like to thank all the staff for how patient and quick they always were to help. Especially with the help of Maria and Sheila they are such wonderful women. Thank you all again for this opportunity to be a part of this amazing FSS program!" - Liberty Fitzgerald

"Prayer, Hard work and Determination helped me to be in a position to graduate from the MVPHA FSS Program. I am looking forward to home ownership! Never Give Up!!” - Muriel Bowles

“I am so grateful for the opportunity that was given to me years ago to start this program. And although I tried to convince myself that this was not such a big accomplishment, it truly is something. I wholeheartedly am grateful and proud to have succeeded my way through. This marks the end of something great, but the beginning of what’s to come from this blessing. Thank you all for this opportunity again. Most of all, I want to thank my children, for keeping me going and for motivating me to be the best version of myself. I love you all and hope to have made you all proud!” - Nancy Salas

Become a success story, put in the effort and hard work to reap the reward. Enroll in the FSS Program.