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SANTA FE, NM, Jan. 30 —Santa Fe County staff, along with state and private partners, celebrated the groundbreaking of the Turquoise Trail Apartments just off Rancho Viejo Blvd. and southwest of Santa Fe, this January.

Thirteen three-story buildings will provide 312 affordable housing options in a prime location of Santa Fe County, situated near a park-and-ride Rail Runner Station, retail amenities, Santa Fe Community College, and a flourishing trail system the County is helping to build.

The mixed-use complex represents how public-private partnerships work well to bring much-needed affordable housing to the area. National affordable housing developer Dominium took the lead on the project, which drew support from Santa Fe County, the State of New Mexico, and multiple financing partners.

“Projects like these don’t happen overnight, and they don’t happen alone,” said Ron Mehl, Senior Vice President for Dominium, at the groundbreaking event.

It isn’t just another apartment complex—it’s a planned community with sustainability features built in.

Like its affordable housing neighbor Cresta Ranch—a 240-unit Lincoln Avenue Communities development currently under construction next door—the Turquoise Trail development will connect to the Santa Fe County Water Utility.

“It does not rely on aquifer water,” noted Hank Hughes, District 5 Santa Fe County Commissioner for the area. Instead, water will come from the Buckman Direct Diversion, a surface water supply that helps preserve groundwater.

Connecting to the County Water Utility means there will be options to reclaim and recycle water once it goes down the drain. Building up that capacity is one of the County’s sustainability priorities.

Water issues are a big concern in this semi-arid climate, and both Cresta Ranch and Turquoise Trail developments help the County achieve sustainability goals while serving a growing population.

Apartment dwellers use less water than single family homes according to the Environmental Protection Agency, when lawn irrigation, shared infrastructure, and other factors are considered, and new housing codes require more efficient appliances and building features.

Importantly, these units provide green access. “Santa Fe County is known for our connections to the land,” noted Jonathan Butler, Santa Fe County Community Development Director. Butler said that supporting affordable housing in this location provides more equitable access to outdoor recreation which is part of what makes New Mexico, New Mexico.

The Turquoise Trail complex will include a clubhouse, exercise facility, picnic areas, and an outdoor pool. “High quality products should be accessible to lower income and fixed income residents, and this planned community helps with that,” Butler said.

Both Cresta Ranch and Turquoise Trail developments are situated along a fully funded extension of the Turquoise Trail system. The County-maintained trail will conveniently connect to the 599 Rail Runner Station off I-25 and Veteran’s Memorial Highway, about a mile-and-a-half bicycle ride or walk from the apartments.

With proximity to services such as the North Central Regional Transit, which provides affordable point-to-point transportation, and the Santa Fe Trails Bus System, there will be many options to go “car free” for future residents.

The location is near the city of Santa Fe, which helps keep commuter traffic down for those working in the city. This results in fewer cars on the road, more free time not spent in transit, and savings on gas and other commuter expenses for those who would otherwise be driving in from farther away.

“There’s a big misconception about what affordable housing means,” said Denise Benavidez, Santa Fe County Community Development Deputy Director. This is not the same as Section 8 subsidized housing. Instead, affordable housing rates are based on the tenant’s income and the federally defined area median income (AMI), which is updated annually.

“It will be much less than market rate rent in Santa Fe,” said Benavidez.

The Turquoise Trail complex will have 300 units reserved for households earning up to 60 percent of the AMI, which is currently $53,760 for a three-person household and $59,700 for a four-person household. The remaining 12 units will be set aside for families earning up to 50 percent of AMI, which is $44,800 for a three-person household and $49,750 for a four-person household, as reported by Housing New Mexico, one of the project’s partners.

Turquoise Trail Apartments are planning a grand opening in 2028, and Cresta Ranch Apartments are planning a grand opening in 2027.

Santa Fe County commissioners and staff participated in the groundbreaking of Dominium's Turquoise Trail apartments--a private-public partnership to bring affordable housing options to the area. Photo by Casey Addason.