Plans have been announced to build a new affordable housing complex on the northeast side of El Paso.
The project belongs to the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso and will go up near the intersection of Bluff Trail Lane and S. Mesa Hills Drive.
As planned, the project will see the construction of 104 residential units designed to serve individuals and families earning up to 80% of Area Median Income.
Altogether, the Housing Authority, known by the acronym HOME, says seven two-story buildings are scheduled for construction on a site that was purchased by the authority in 2019 from the utility company El Paso Water.
If all goes well, construction on the project could began towards the end of this year or in early 2025. A general completion date has been announced as sometime in 2026.
In order for the project to begin, HOME must obtain a zoning change for the site from R-3 Residential to A-3 Apartment.
The project has sparked some opposition from neighbors living near the 6.2-acre site, expressing concerns about potential traffic and noise issues. A City Plan Commission staff report compiled last month said that the project as currently proposed “is in character with the residential and apartment development in the surrounding area.”
The El Paso City Council is expected to make a final determination on the project later this summer.
One of the oldest public housing authorities in the southwest, the Housing Authority of El Paso was established in 1938 and today provides housing for more than 52,000 residents living in nearly one hundred communities.
By Garry Boulard
