LAS CRUCES – City leaders, housing partners and residents gathered today to celebrate the ribbon cutting for Phase 1 of Peachtree Canyon Apartments, a new affordable housing community at 4936 Peachtree Hills Road in Las Cruces.
The development was co-developed by Thomas Development Group and New Mexico Housing & Community Development Corporation and is aimed at expanding affordable rental options for working families in one of the city’s fastest-growing areas.
Phase 1 includes 144 apartment homes, with 72 one-bedroom units, 60 two-bedroom units and 12 three-bedroom units. The apartments will serve households earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income.
Community amenities include a pool, playgrounds, a community building, open space, pet-friendly features and space for a community mural. The development also operates entirely on electricity and was designed with long-term sustainability and energy efficiency in mind.
City officials said the project comes as Las Cruces continues to face a significant shortage of affordable rental housing. The city’s Consolidated Plan identifies a gap of about 5,600 units for low-income renters. Officials said demand for Peachtree Canyon Apartments has already been strong, with hundreds of households expressing interest during the lease-up process.
The project was supported by about $4.3 million in local funding through City ARPA funds and state housing investments administered by the City of Las Cruces. That local support helped leverage nearly $36.9 million in outside funding and private investment.
Funding and project support also included Low-Income Housing Tax Credits through Housing New Mexico, National Housing Trust Fund resources, State of New Mexico housing investments, Doña Ana County ARPA funding, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust and Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.
Mayor Eric Enriquez said the project shows how local investment can bring major outside funding into the community.
“The support of Las Cruces voters through the Affordable Housing GO Bond continues to create real results for our community,” Enriquez said. “This project demonstrates how local investment can leverage significant outside funding to bring high-quality affordable housing to Las Cruces families.”
Housing New Mexico Executive Director and CEO Isidoro Hernandez said the project will help families who need quality housing options.
“Today we celebrate the families in Las Cruces that will benefit from this quality, affordable housing opportunity,” Hernandez said. “Along with our many partners, we’ll continue to fund and provide support for affordable housing throughout the state. Thank you to our local partners here in this area who helped make Peachtree Canyon Apartments a reality.”
Department of Workforce Solutions Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair said Las Cruces has become a leader in affordable housing efforts.
“From the day we took on the Office of Housing, it has been clear that Las Cruces is leading the state in affordable housing efforts,” Nair said. “The Peachtree development is another example of what a community can accomplish with a clear vision and strategy for tackling their housing challenges. We are excited that we could invest Office of Housing funds to support this project.”
Invited speakers included Mayor Eric Enriquez, City Councilor Becky Corran, New Mexico Representative Nathan Small, Doña Ana County Commissioner Susana Chaparro, Housing New Mexico Executive Director and CEO Isidoro Hernandez, and Thomas Development Group Founder Thomas Andrews.
The project was designed by Perlman Architects of Arizona and constructed by Pavilion Construction. City officials also recognized the work of several city departments, including Housing and Neighborhood Services, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, and Public Safety.
A mural painted by artist Anahy Núñez is featured in a common area of the apartment complex. Núñez has completed several public art pieces around Las Cruces, including murals at the Three Sisters apartment complex and the Visit Las Cruces building on Main Street.
By John Krehbiel – Bravo Mic Communications – john@bravomic.com