New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority’s Recovery Housing Program Notice of Funding Availability opens May 1, training set for April 24

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority’s (MFA) Recovery Housing Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) will open May 1 to qualified service providers in the state. The program’s intent is to support individuals in recovery from substance use disorders on a path to self-sufficiency by providing stable, temporary recovery housing. Recovery housing is a safe, healthy, family-like substance-free living environment that supports individuals in recovery from addiction.

The MFA Board of Directors approved this NOFA in the amount of $2.35 million at its March board meeting in conjunction with approval of the Recovery Housing Program Action Plan Amendment required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration’s Local Government Division partnered with MFA to serve as administrator of New Mexico’s Recovery Housing Program.

MFA will hold a Recovery Housing Program NOFA training via Webex April 24 at 2 p.m. The virtual training link may be accessed at housingnm.org/meetings-events-notices.

Eligible service providers include entities that have the ability to provide recovery housing. The HUD pilot Recovery Housing Program was authorized in 2018 by the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act), which requires grantees to distribute these funds giving priority to entities with the greatest need and ability to deliver effective assistance in a timely manner.

“This is a much-needed program in New Mexico,” said MFA Chief Housing Officer Donna Maestas-De Vries. “The funding will help New Mexicans with substance use disorders have a place to call home during their path to recovery.”

Recovery housing is an essential part of the treatment and recovery continuum of care for substance use disorders. Residents living in recovery housing may receive support through a variety of programs and services that promote long-term recovery, including peer support, peer recovery coaches, connections to ongoing primary and behavioral health services, and connections to mutual aid groups and sober social clubs. By supporting those who want to commit to a recovery lifestyle, these supportive communities reduce opportunities for social isolation and risky behaviors that can often lead to a recurrence of substance use.

To date, MFA has awarded approximately $2.7 million in Recovery Housing Program funding to qualified service providers, including the Hozho Center for Personal Enhancement, which is a peer-run wellness center based in Gallup that supports individuals suffering from substance use disorders and/or experiencing homelessness. The Hozho Center offers peer-support services, referrals and mobile outreach, as well as assistance with essential needs, such as ID recovery and medical benefits.

“We’re honored to have received Recovery Housing Program funding, which will allow us to establish a much-needed sober living environment that provides residents with relapse prevention and life skills for lasting sobriety,” said Hozho Center for Personal Enhancement Program Manager Brian Wilson. “Adhering to the National Alliance for Recovery Residences standards, our program will empower residents through recovery, employment, education and volunteering opportunities to obtain long-term housing and recovery. We thank the Fletcher Group for their expert guidance throughout this process, and we look forward to collaborating with other funding recipients and sharing our experiences.”

In addition to federal Recovery Housing Program funding from MFA, the Hozho Center received other funding from HUD.

To learn more about MFA’s Recovery Housing Program and to view the NOFA, please visit housingnm.org/resources/recovery-housing-program.