[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6131878,"mediaKeyId","5727755-be3732bcba0fa59a3620ddad533a40c3","parentId",5727755,"title","San Miguel and Mora officials pitch youth centers, treatment and cultural programs for opioid settlement funds","audioSeconds",2674,"startMs",1626000,"endMs",4300000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727755-be3732bcba0fa59a3620ddad533a40c3&start=1626&end=4300","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727755-be3732bcba0fa59a3620ddad533a40c3/thumbnail_1626000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6131878/New-Mexico/San-Miguel-and-Mora-officials-pitch-youth-centers-treatment-and-cultural-programs-for-opioid-settlement-funds","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131878-871702a2d13e29de6c4f1381a02aa890/orig.mp4?Expires=1770953909&Signature=hi8eGNu-jMqEeB4c0TVEEy23TQvpfRvD~L346e19jMBDq525RJm0GX0OHM8~A6kCqw9jIhZywk9izyAEl-LZiPJiW12erBqOnCFJr0p~joN4kJjxvwVYliyh3J88gQDTsgx~78Ti8oiaPE5Ls272NghfHsOYeJP3d3gDiVEAP6EnCRgfinPuEBjazBTlynYz~GHJKhLg5MJnWVFyJnkoyIX64E9qcKQmRjAeRUVGV~yE~FH6ZmeWMU2ftnAJO2mAcX8Hlqb-sylnjvZW67Jv-yoGlJWwX-rv6sj6qmthT76H87ZTtFbHVadB80ksERbqj6-KkBZkGFDv2vXcSx81nQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Mexico Legislature","date","2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","article","San Miguel and Mora county leaders told a legislative committee Wednesday that opioid settlement funds could be used to scale youth centers, residential treatment services and culturally grounded prevention programs aimed at keeping children from entering substance use pathways.
Joy Ansley, San Miguel County manager, said San Miguel has dedicated ARPA and other local funds to a youth center, is using a $100,000 grow grant for stipends for adult and youth mentors and plans vocational and trades-focused days for youth. Commissioner Veronica Serna of Mora County described a $2.5 million recreation and quality-of-life grant to build a playground and an indoor recreation facility behind the David Cargill Library; she said the county will include public-health office space and a counseling suite in the courthouse complex.
Why it matters: presenters argued that prevention and safe, supervised after-school and weekend programming are upstream investments that reduce downstream deaths and treatment burdens. A public-health clinician and committee member framed the issue as filling a “water glass” with supports to reduce the space where adverse childhood experiences occur and cited youth recommendations calling for “safe places for us, i.e., youth centers.”
Programs and gaps discussed
- Existing youth center: A youth and family center in Las Vegas (San Miguel County) opened four years ago; presenters said it still struggles for sustainable program funding and staff despite local efforts.
- Program ideas: trade-focused programming (welding, auto body, EMS/first-responder days), summer music camp, mentoring stipends, expanded Boys & Girls Club/Big Brothers Big Sisters partnerships, community-school models and transportation for students from outlying communities.
- Facilities and transportation: San Miguel intends to buy a 12-passenger van to transport students from other districts; Mora has planned facilities at county property and needs equipment and operational funds once construction is finished.
- Cultural and healing work: Presenters emphasized embedding local Hispanic and Native American cultural content, traditional healing practices and locally produced Spanish-heritage curricular materials into programming.
Discussion (not formal action)
- Funding sources: presenters and legislators discussed opioid settlement funds, ARPA, county grants and potential state/regional grants. Representative Luhan noted delays and funding shifts in other contexts and urged rapid deployment of available resources.
- Program-level questions: Legislators asked about needs assessments and youth input. Presenters pointed to a “youth voices” packet compiled from site visits and statewide youth input; Joy Ansley said $100,000 in grow funds will underwrite youth leader stipends and planning committees.
- Equity and access: Vice Chair Lopez asked whether tribal communities were represented. Presenters said tribal-targeted initiatives did not appear in their slide deck and that local initiatives and federal funds (including McKinney-Vento) may flow to tribal areas but were not itemized.
Ending: Officials said they will continue to seek partnerships, follow up on transportation scheduling and use local and settlement funds for prevention programming; several legislators offered program ideas and technical assistance for grants and curriculum integration.
Speakers
- Joy Ansley — San Miguel County manager
- Commissioner Veronica Serna — Mora County commissioner
- Public-health clinician / committee member (unnamed; presenting youth-voices and policy briefs)
- Representative Luhan — State Representative (commenting on funding and oversight)
- Representative Torres Velasquez — State Representative (education/land-grant and listening-session outreach)
- Representative Herndon — State Representative (asked about youth surveys and program specifics)
- Representative Gonzales — State Representative (support and cultural programming comments)
Authorities
[{","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Health and Human Services Committee Jul 21, 2025 3:42 PM - 4:54 PM","oneSentenceSummary","County officials and a public-health clinician urged legislators to invest opioid settlement funds in youth and family centers, residential treatment capacity and culturally rooted prevention programs across San Miguel and Mora counties.","taxTitle","Legislative Health & Human Services, Interim, Committees, Legislative, New Mexico","taxId",65389,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131883,"Lawmakers press housing presenters on where affordable units are and why $110M remains undispersed",735,496000,1231000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727755-be3732bcba0fa59a3620ddad533a40c3&start=496&end=1231","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727755-be3732bcba0fa59a3620ddad533a40c3/thumbnail_496000.jpg","/articles/6131883/New-Mexico/Lawmakers-press-housing-presenters-on-where-affordable-units-are-and-why-110M-remains-undispersed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131883-46ce3aaa6b9bac3f23a05e71525521ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770953909&Signature=kBvYo9HCOgYPo2ZtyCGxvJhF9vOHy9PBbDnKGNp69Jv-CdwmCaB~xCojVholtyKIoXCEB4DD76SQ1tT9TNP6ghbc8RYo3r1kYOKXXuOCwz2IlA55MJkJOGW7RTaMoSAEjUuGKjtTrRQS4rw2fcC4ZjDdfIezB8fgWEs3EcFeNDFRy7CWE6skQSeknb4iXJH9WbdFm0MjYQxv-17H7dL00Q2DMiLX~PLvFBgJlUFILsnom0nA8HNqFmy-iSKUqRO9j~mhwHtlOp8i-oPy9gw2XoEbLWHqG4p0ZOur0-XuGXzqzeTjWMcMArNdLtBmJnfg9TlC3V4P6HGauKyoGW09YA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of a New Mexico legislative committee pressed state housing presenters Wednesday about where affordable units are located, how people find them and why recent state funding has not yet reached local governments.
The discussion unfolded during a presentation about statewide housing programs and data that included a slide saying, “New Mexico Preserve built 61,730 homes.” Representative Herndon asked directly, “Where is it? How do they get it?” The housing presenter replied, “I don't think there's 1 simple answer, and I don't think it's simple to do it,” and described a mix of programs, vouchers and rehabilitation projects across the state.
Committee members said the state lacks a single, live inventory that shows available affordable rental units and vouchers and pressed presenters about funding flow. Representative Anaya asked if the state had “some kind of tracking program” for available units; the housing presenter said the envisioned Office of Housing “is to try and do some of that” but that a live inventory did not yet exist.
Why it matters: lawmakers said the absence of clear, real-time data makes it hard for constituents seeking housing to get help and for local governments to apply for and use state funds. Representative Luhan flagged a budget shift in which an annual $50 million appropriation for the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) was not provided this year; instead, larger sums were routed to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the newly created Office of Housing, including what the presentation lists as $110,000,000 to DFA. A presenter confirmed that, as of data pulled a week before the hearing, that DFA-authorized funding had not yet gone out the door while DFA and Workforce negotiated a memorandum of understanding on how money will flow.
Key facts presented
- A slide referenced “New Mexico Preserve built 61,730 homes,” and presenters said those units are the result of a mix of new construction, motel/hotel rehabilitation, office-to-housing conversions and infill projects “across the state,” with many likely in Albuquerque but some dispersed to other communities.
- Lawmakers and the presenter said no single “one-stop shop” currently lists all units, voucher acceptances or wraparound services; the Office of Housing is expected to help compile such data but it is not yet operational.
- Representative Luhan said the MFA typically received an annual $50 million appropriation; this year that funding moved to DFA (presentation references around $110 million to DFA and, in discussion, a figure referenced as $120,000,000).
- A presenter said post-veto negotiations between DFA and Workforce have slowed the release of the funding and that local governments reported difficulty applying for the money.
Discussion (not formal action)
- Several legislators pressed for geographic clarity: Representative Gonzalez asked for more attention to middle-income and rural housing, noting towns such as Las Vegas, Ruidoso and communities affected by fire and displacement. The presenter pointed to House Bill 195 and a revolving loan fund administered by the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) as a potential vehicle for targeted development.
- Vice Chair Lopez and other legislators asked whether tribal communities and federal programs such as McKinney-Vento were reflected in the presentation. The presenter said PED-administered HUD funds and other local initiatives exist but were not included in the slide deck.
- Representatives raised zoning and local-government barriers as constraints that slow development even when funds exist.
Ending: Committee members urged faster deployment of the DFA funds and better data collection. The presenter and members agreed to follow up on unanswered items, including tribal allocations, McKinney-Vento links and exact counts of units currently available for rent or voucher use.
Speakers
- Representative Herndon — member, New Mexico Legislature (participant in Q&A)
- Representative Anaya — member, New Mexico Legislature (participant in Q&A)
- Housing office staff member — state housing presenter (unnamed in transcript; represents state housing programs)
- Representative Gonzalez — member, New Mexico Legislature (rural housing questions)
- Representative Luhan — member, New Mexico Legislature (budget/oversight questions; MFA oversight committee member)
- Vice Chair Lopez — committee vice chair (asked about tribal communities)
- Representative Torres Velasquez — member, New Mexico Legislature (comment)
- Representative Garcia — member, New Mexico Legislature (comment)
Authorities
[{","During a legislative hearing in Las Vegas, N.M., lawmakers questioned a housing presenter about where affordable units exist, why a central tracking system is lacking, and why roughly $110 million routed to DFA had not yet been distributed to communities.","actionData","errors"]

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San Miguel and Mora officials pitch youth centers, treatment and cultural programs for opioid settlement funds

Lawmakers press housing presenters on where affordable units are and why $110M remains undispersed