LEGAL NOTICE
FINAL NOTICE AND PUBLIC EXPLANATION OF A PROPOSED ACTIVITY IN A FEDERAL FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT STANDARD DESIGNATED FLOODPLAIN
December 1, 2025
To: All interested Agencies including Village of Los Lunas, Valencia County, State of New Mexico, Housing New Mexico | New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, Groups and Individuals
This is to give notice that Housing New Mexico under 24 CFR Part 58 and 24 CFR Part 55 has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded under HOME Investment Partnerships Program (“HOME”), in conjunction with tax credit reservation TC-250500. The proposed project(s) is located at 880 Juan Perea Road in Village of Los Lunas, Valencia County, New Mexico and is located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined using a freeboard value approach. The subject activity is the construction of a 57-unit rental housing community, called “Plaza Luna Lofts,” for low-income seniors (the “Project”). The Project will utilize Federal HOME funding. The project site consists of approximately 2.0458 +/- acres of on-site property plus a 200.00-foot by 30.01-foot off-site, adjacent private driveway and public utilities easement. The entire site (including easement) will be disturbed during the construction of the Project. The Project building will be three stories and approximately 57,240 gross square feet. The Project site is located entirely within a FEMA Zone AE floodplain near to the Rio Grande. This floodplain provides floodwater storage, conveyance, and infiltration, which will be potentially adversely affected by the activity.
Housing New Mexico | New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to minimize adverse impacts and to restore and preserve natural and beneficial functions and intrinsic values of the existing floodplain/wetland:
The following parameters were considered by the project team in selecting a site:
(a) the project must serve the low-income senior population of Los Lunas and surrounding Valencia County;
(b) the project must be located within the Village of Los Lunas Transportation Center Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) to align with municipal redevelopment goals;
(c) the project must be proximate to the commuter rail station to provide transit access for senior residents; and
(d) the project must contain sufficient units (57) to achieve economies of scale necessary for financial feasibility while serving community needs for senior housing.
The project team considered the following alternative sites and actions in terms of the goals identified in the project description and reviewed through the lenses of natural, social, and economic values explained at 24 CFR 55.20(c)(2):
Alternative 1: Locate the Project in a Different Area of the Village of Los Lunas; Alternative 2: Eliminate HOME from the Project's Funding Sources; Alternative 3: No Action; and Alternative 4: Design Modifications to Minimize Floodplain Impacts. It was determined that the only practical and acceptable alternative is Alternative 4 (Preferred Alternative).
The Step 5 mitigation measures for Plaza Luna Lofts focus on three critical areas. To preserve lives, the Village of Los Lunas and Valencia County have established early warning systems through law enforcement and emergency broadcasts, while the building will feature posted evacuation plans and mandatory resident briefings about flood hazards.
Property protection will be achieved through the following required measures in accordance with the HUD-approved mitigation plan:
Efforts will be made to secure a Conditional Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (CLOMR-F), and a final Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F) will be obtained from FEMA prior to occupancy.
The finished floor elevation of all occupiable structures will meet or exceed the FFRMS standard (minimum two feet above Base Flood Elevation, or greater if required) as demonstrated by an Elevation Certificate, prepared and signed by a licensed surveyor or engineer. The completed Elevation Certificate will be uploaded to the Environmental Review Record (ERR/HEROS) before Certificate of Occupancy.
If a FEMA-issued Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) or CLOMR-F is secured prior to occupancy and the building is officially removed from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), neither National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage nor floodplain risk disclosure in leases is required. Otherwise, all residents and owners must maintain NFIP coverage for the life of the building, and each lease must include written disclosure of floodplain risk and insurance availability per HUD requirement.
Ongoing maintenance and inspection of stormwater management systems and annual inspections for regrowth of invasive species (Siberian elm, Russian olive) will be performed for at least one-year post-construction. Logs and reports will be uploaded to HEROS.
Pre-construction surveys for burrowing owls and migratory bird nests will be conducted before any ground disturbance or vegetation removal. Findings and compliance with all wildlife mitigation will be documented in the ERR/HEROS.
The project will incorporate green infrastructure including drainage swales and infiltration basins planted with native vegetation to manage stormwater while restoring habitat values.
An evacuation plan will be posted in common areas and annual briefings will be provided to all residents regarding flood hazards and emergency procedures.
All mitigation measures, certifications (Elevation Certificate, LOMR-F), reports, insurance records, and survey documentation will be uploaded and maintained in the ERR/HEROS and will be available for public inspection and audit.
The project complies with all state and local floodplain/wetland protection procedures.
Housing New Mexico | New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority has reevaluated alternatives to building in the floodplain and has determined there is no practicable alternative to floodplain development. Environmental files documenting compliance with Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the address below.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in the floodplain and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplain can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplain, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments must be received by Housing New Mexico | New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority at the following address on or before December 8, 2025 (a minimum 7 calendar day comment period will begin the day after the publication and end on the 8th day after the publication): Housing New Mexico | New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, 7425 Jefferson Street NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 and 505-843-6880, Attention: Michelle Werley, Regulatory Compliance Specialist II. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 9am to noon and from 1pm to 4pm at 7425 Jefferson Street NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 and https://housingnm.org/legal-notices. Comments may also be submitted via email at mwerley@housingnm.org.
Date: December 1, 2025