Mesilla trustees listen to pros and cons of colonia status

MESILLA - Mesilla's board of trustees and town residents learned more about a possible colonias designation for at least a portion of their town.

Trustees were told of the positives that could come from such a designation. Espie Holguin, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Sandra Alarcon, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, verified Mesilla trustees could adopt a resolution giving the town a colonias designation.

In the U.S. a colonia is considered a semi-rural subdivision of substandard housing lacking basic physical infrastructure such as suitable drinking water, sanitary sewage, and adequate roads. Colonias must be located within 150 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico, and there are other social and economic qualifications that must be met to be eligible for a colonias designation.

Alarcon shared two interesting pieces of information, one good and one bad for Mesilla. She said colonias that can meet requirements are eligible to share in as much as $170 million in funding for infrastructure projects.

But Mesilla could face a problem in becoming eligible. Mesilla's median income, based on 2010 U.S. Census figures, may be too much.

"At this point the town of Mesilla has a median income of $53,497," Alarcon said. "The cutoff point to be eligible for colonias funding is $43,797. Mesilla could only qualify for a loan at this point."

However, Mayor Nora Barraza said a colonias designation would be for historical commercial and historical residential districts bounded by Calle del Oeste to the west; Avenida de Mesilla to the east; Calle del Norte to the north; and Calle del Sur to the south. Barraza said the poorest of Mesilla's residents live within that area.

"We have such a diverse population in Mesilla," Barraza said. "We have million dollar homes on the outskirts of the town, and then seniors who cannot afford house repairs. Within our 5-mile radius we have homes on septics and private (water) wells.

"Sadly, we don't have the funding available for those infrastructure needs."

That's why the board of trustees is contemplating a colonias designation. In road improvements alone, Mesilla officials have estimated more than $9 million in upgrades is needed. Earlier this month, Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed much of Mesilla's $8.6 million state capital outlay funding requests for road improvements.

Alarcon said Mesilla could conduct an income survey and USDA Rural Development would re-evaluate the town's income level.

Some Mesilla residents asked if a colonias designation could affect property values within the town. No clear-cut answer could be provided, but Barraza said one could be provided through Doña Ana County Assessor Andy Segovia.

Also, Trustee Jesus Caro Jr., who attended his first meeting since being elected to the board March 1, asked if a colonias designation could hurt Mesilla's chances of receiving state capital outlay funding. State Rep. Bill McCamley, D-Las Cruces, said that wasn't likely.

"I don't see any sort of roadblock in place," McCamley said.

Mesilla resident Chris Alexander said while the proposed area of Mesilla that could be designated a colonia is worthy of funding for infrastructure improvements, the town, as a whole, shouldn't be declared a colonia.

"That would be a disservice to Mesilla," Alexander said. "We haven't been able to provide services to the core of the town that it has needed."

Based on the questions and answers, Barraza said more discussion and more consideration will be necessary. She said trustees will have to meet for at least one work session, and didn't discount that more could be needed.

"There is no time line in drafting a resolution and presenting it to the board for consideration," Barraza said. "That would be determined by what comes from a work session, and others if needed,"

Steve Ramirez can be reached at 575-541-5452, sramirez@lcsun-news.com, or @SteveRamirez6 on Twitter.