City adopts master plan for Community of Hope

The Las Cruces City Council adopted a resolution accepting the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope (MVCH) campus master plan at its Aug. 15 regular meeting, calling for $26 million in capital improvements over the next five years.

The city contracted with Huitt-Zollars, Inc. of Las Cruces in May 2021 to develop the master plan for MVCH, 999 W. Amador Ave., which is owned by the city and leased to and managed by the nonprofit MVCH.

Sub-contracted agencies on the MVCH campus that provide services to people struggling with homeless and others are Camp Hope tent city; Amador Health Center, El Caldito Soup Kitchen and Jardin de Los Niños, which provides child daycare services; and Casa de Peregrinos food program.

All organizations on the MVCH campus have identified a need for expansion and improvements.

The master plan identified $26.1 million in capital improvements needed at the MVCH campus during the next five years and beyond. The upgrades and investments will help MVCH meet its outreach objectives and will help guide future campus planning.

Management plan recommendations include having a full-time maintenance staff to support the campus and establishing a standardized process for MVCH maintenance and repairs.

Also at the meeting, the city council adopted an ordinance that authorizes the issuance and sale of as much as $5 million in city subordinate lien state-shared gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds. Proceeds from the bond sale will be used to purchase two fire engines and two aerial fire trucks for the Las Cruces Fire Department.

The new fire engines and aerial fire trucks will replace others that have been in service for more than 15 years and have exceeded industry standards for time of service and maintenance costs. A resolution approved last July authorized city staff to apply for financial assistance from the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) for the acquisition of the fire engines.