State land office seeks developers for four Albuquerque housing sites

The State Land Office was trying to turn four small Albuquerque trust parcels into affordable homes or other neighborhood projects, putting underused land in each quadrant of the city on the market for long-term development. The sites sit at Bataan Dr. SW and Coors Blvd. SW, 10408 Central Ave. SE, 421 Cutler Ave. NW and 230 Truman St. NE, and the office said it was looking for proposals that could move quickly enough to make a difference in Bernalillo County’s housing shortage.

The parcels are all small, ranging from 0.5784 acres to 1.9509 acres, which makes them far more likely to support compact infill than large-scale subdivisions. State officials said the land was chosen in part because it is already zoned for mixed use and is near amenities such as schools, shopping centers and gyms, giving developers room to propose housing, commercial space or a blend of both. Any housing plan has to include clear affordable options, including single-family, multifamily, senior, supportive or transitional housing.

State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard cast the effort as a way to use state-owned land inside Albuquerque city limits to meet local housing and economic needs while also helping revitalize surrounding neighborhoods. The office was inviting preliminary proposals from developers, nonprofits and community organizations, with written questions due May 22 and proposals due Monday, July 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. Rhea Serna is the contact for all four sites.

If the state selects a proposal, the project would still need a leasing agreement and a viability review before any construction could begin. Officials said fall would likely be the earliest start for a project, underscoring how much work remains even after the deadline passes. That pace matters in a city where even small parcels in established areas can be difficult to develop, but can still add meaningful units where supply is tight.

The solicitation also fits a broader state strategy. The State Land Office oversees 9 million surface acres and says trust lands have generated roughly $2 billion a year in recent years, much of it from oil and gas royalties. Housing New Mexico’s 2026 strategy says nearly 58,000 new units will be needed statewide by 2045, including more than 21,000 in the Albuquerque area. State officials pointed to past success near Central and Eubank, where the office says it has helped secure around 180 affordable senior units at Luminaria and Farolito. Farolito opened March 20, 2026 with 82 units for residents 55 and older, while Luminaria, built in 2022, has 92 units and once had 456 people on its wait list.