The Las Cruces City Council will meet via video conference at 1 p.m. Monday, March 1, 2021 for a regularly scheduled meeting.
City Council will consider the approval of a Resolution that could establish a new rates and fee schedule for Las Cruces International Airport. If approved by the Council the new rates and fee schedule would go into effect on July 1, 2021.
At a January 11 City Council Work Session, six options for implementing a proposed increase to the land lease rate were considered and presented to City Council. The option recommended by Airport administration includes:
The establishment of a new land lease yearly rate of 16-cents a square-foot.
Establishing agreement rates for airport-based and through-the-fence businesses at 8-cents a square foot per year, and $100 per month, respectively.
Implementing the new rates in a three-year period, beginning with the City’s 2022 fiscal year, and continuing through the City’s 2024 fiscal year.
Implementing other rates and fees as proposed.
Associated with the proposed new rates and fee schedule for the Airport the Council will also consider the adoption of an Ordinance regarding current rates and charges at Las Cruces International Airport. If the Council adopts the new rates and fee schedule, the existing rates and charges must be repealed.
Additionally, City Council will also consider a Resolution that supports reforming state statutes related to housing discrimination and evictions. The New Mexico Legislature is considering possible reforms during its current 60-day legislative session.
New Mexico’s existing laws offer numerous protections for tenants that prohibit discrimination and specify requirements related to evictions. New Mexicans also currently receive additional protections, including a stay on evictions for non-payment of rent, that are due to the state of emergency that has been declared because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite these temporary restrictions, the New Mexico Center for Law and Poverty has noted there is a significant concern that many evictions will occur when the protections expire as state residents face issues related to unemployment and may be unable to abide by the requirements of their rental agreements. New Mexico laws currently allow property owners to serve tenants with a notice for eviction three days after a tenant has been notified of a non-payment of rent status.
Implementing amendments to existing state laws could allow tenants that are served with non-payment notices or eviction notices more time to either fix their status of non-payment, appeal their eviction in court, or find replacement housing if they are evicted. Such amendments could also help to decrease the number of tenants that would be added to the population of homeless in New Mexico if they were evicted.
New Mexico also has existing laws against discrimination in place for applicants seeking residence. These laws prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, age, pregnancy, and other characteristics. However, no prohibitions exist in state laws to limit discrimination based on legal sources of income.
The proposed Resolution would support the implementation of amendments to state laws that prohibit owners from discriminating against existing or potential residents based on sources of income. Such prohibitions would ensure that New Mexicans receiving housing vouchers, unemployment assistance, or other income assistance could not be rejected when applying for residency, or evicted from their current residence, based on legal sources of income.
The agenda for Monday’s Council meeting is available by clicking here.
Monday’s City Council meeting will be televised live on Comcast Cable channel 20. The meeting will also be available online at clctv.com and at YouTube.com/clctv20.