Housing Services FAQ

A. To qualify for housing assistance, families must qualify as low income (below 80% of the area median income). The income limits that are published annually in the Federal Register dictate what these figures are and will determine income eligibility. The Housing Authority has also implemented a Working Family Preference. Applicants who have been working a minimum of 24 hours per week at minimum wage for the previous 6 months qualify for the preference. Applicants who are attending school full-time (12 credit hours per semester) or who are participating in a self-sufficiency program also receive the preference. Families who are determined to be elderly, handicapped or disabled also receive a preference. Guidelines that regulate the Public Housing Program are stipulated in the Housing Authority’s Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP). The Guidelines that regulate the Housing Choice Voucher Program are stipulated in the Administrative Plan. The Family Self-Sufficiency Program guidelines are contained in the Program’s Action Plan. These guidelines are posted in the lobby of the Housing Authority’s Administration Office.

A. In the Housing Choice Voucher Program a client is able to search for a rental unit anywhere in Santa Fe County, so long as the monthly rent for the unit does not exceed the Housing Authority’s Payment Standard schedule for the unit size. An HCV client pays 30% of their adjusted gross monthly income towards rent to the landlord, and the Housing Authority pays the difference directly to the landlord on the client’s behalf.

In the Public Housing Program, a client would rent from the Housing Authority directly, meaning the Housing Authority would be the landlord. Consequently, a client in the Public Housing Program would be required to rent an available unit at one of our three Public Housing sites. In this scenario, the client’s rental rate is still income based, and a client would pay 30% of their gross monthly income towards rent.

A.

There are three Public Housing Sites

Directions to Jacob D. Martinez Site: The Jacob D. Martinez site is located on the west side of Santa Fe, near the intersection of Airport Road and Cerrillos Road. Driving west on Airport Road, turn north onto Camino de Jacobo.

Directions to Valle Vista Site: The Valle Vista site is located on the south side of Santa Fe, near the intersection of NM Hwy 14 and NM 599. Driving south on NM Hwy 14, turn west on Valle Vista Blvd, then turn north onto Sierra Place North.

Directions to Santa Cruz Site: The Santa Cruz site is located on the south side of Espanola, at the intersection of McCurdy Road and Camino de Roberto. Driving northwest towards Espanola, turn north onto NM 106, then west onto NM 76, then north onto McCurdy Rd, and finally east onto Camino de Roberto.