High Desert Housing will manage the 50-unit supportive housing development after city officials said other specialized firms declined to bid

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces City Council unanimously approved a property management agreement Monday for Amador Crossing, the city-owned supportive housing development nearing completion on West Amador Avenue, after residents raised questions about security, tenant screening and why only one company bid for the work.

High Desert Housing Inc. of Albuquerque will manage the 50-unit development under an agreement running from Sept. 1 through June 30, 2031. The company will receive 7% of gross rental revenue, capped at $50,000 annually, along with reimbursement for city-approved operating expenses funded through rental revenue.

Amador Crossing, at 1101 W. Amador Ave. next to the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope campus, is expected to house about 70 people in studio and one-bedroom apartments. The project is intended for small households and people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with a primary focus on households earning less than 80% of the area median income.

The city received one proposal when it sought a property manager last year. High Desert Housing's proposal was evaluated by the city's Selection Advisory Committee on June 4, 2025, which recommended awarding the contract to the company.

That drew questions Monday from Carol Baker, whose written remarks were read to the council by Donna Stryker.

Baker questioned whether the solicitation period was long enough for a contract of that scope and duration and asked the council to reject the agreement until the city could seek additional bids. She also raised concerns about language in the management agreement addressing security and argued that full-time security would be needed at the property.

Mayor Pro Tem John Muñoz asked city staff whether the bidding period was typical.

Donny Prosise, the city's purchasing supervisor, said the city's procurement code requires competitive solicitations to be advertised for at least one week, while the Purchasing Program typically advertises them for at least two weeks. He said an RFP process involving a selection advisory committee generally takes three to four months from start to finish.

Natalie Green, the city's Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization administrator, said property management for affordable housing — particularly supportive housing — is a specialized field with few firms operating statewide.

Green said the solicitation was sent to other property managers, but those companies declined to submit bids because the work fell outside their typical expertise.

"Even if we went back out," Green told the council, the city would likely end up with a similar result.

High Desert Housing has about 30 years of affordable housing experience, much of it in permanent supportive housing, Green said. The company already manages Casa de Corazones in Las Cruces, a project the city monitors annually.

Baker also cited a July 11 Organ Mountain News story that said High Desert Housing would serve as Amador Crossing's property manager and questioned why the company had been identified that way before the City Council formally awarded the contract.

By the time that story was reported, however, the competitive bidding process had ended. High Desert was the sole bidder and the Selection Advisory Committee had already evaluated its proposal and recommended the company for the contract.

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Security and neighborhood concerns

Concerns about Amador Crossing also surfaced earlier during the council's public participation period.

Laura Sidoran, who said she lives about a block from Pioneer Women's Park, asked what prior criminal convictions could disqualify prospective residents and how management would respond if a resident were found dealing drugs.

Sidoran said she wanted more information and community involvement as Amador Crossing prepares to open.

"I would love more information, community involvement in terms of developing criteria just so we can have a seamless integration of Amador Crossing into our neighborhood," she said.

City officials did not specifically answer Sidoran's questions about felony disqualifications or how drug dealing by a resident would be handled. Green said Amador Crossing is designed to "screen people in," particularly people experiencing homelessness, with prospective residents assessed case by case. The property manager will also be responsible for developing tenant-selection policies, procedures and other operating rules for the development.

City officials said the development incorporates lessons learned from Desert Hope, another supportive housing project.

Green said one of the biggest lessons was ensuring professional property management is in place before residents arrive. Desert Hope did not have a property manager on site during its first year, she said.

Amador Crossing will have an on-site manager, with one of its 50 units reserved for that purpose. Green also said the city incorporated security and access-control changes into the development based on lessons from previous projects.

Councilor Michael Harris said he believed those changes would make Amador Crossing a safer and more secure facility and could improve conditions in the surrounding neighborhood.

Green said the development is projected to be financially self-sustaining through rental revenue, except for annual security costs the city already funds for the broader Mesilla Valley Community of Hope campus and other city facilities. She projected about $79,000 in net operating income during the first year.

Unlike federally financed low-income housing tax credit developments, Green said Amador Crossing was funded entirely with state and local money. She described it as a supportive housing model designed to connect residents with wraparound services addressing circumstances that contributed to their homelessness.

"It's not housing only," Green told the council. "Amador Crossing is about the first step in someone's journey."

Council pushes back on criticism

Councilor Johana Bencomo said she was disappointed by what she characterized as continuing hostility toward Amador Crossing and urged people to consider the assessments of housing experts and service providers who supported the project.

"People who are unhoused are still residents of the city; they're still our neighbors and they still absolutely deserve to enjoy housing, especially the kind of housing that is supportive to them," Bencomo said.

She called Amador Crossing an "empowering" and "bold" project and said she was proud it was being built in her district.

Councilor William Mattiace, who questioned several aspects of the project, said he was not trying to "weave any negativity" around public or affordable housing. He said his concern centered on cost per unit and whether the city could house more people for less money.

Green responded that Amador Crossing serves a different purpose than conventional affordable housing because residents will receive supportive services intended to help them stabilize and address other needs.

The council approved the High Desert Housing agreement 6-0. Mayor Eric Enriquez was absent from Monday's meeting.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.