By james art 
October 30 — Santa Fe County Sheriffs receive 90 new electronic stun guns with twice the range of what they have.
County commissioners unanimously approved the roughly $400,000 settlement with Arizona-based Axon Enterprises Inc. on Tuesday. The new stun guns will “nearly double” the range of the current stun guns that deputies now use, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dennis Womack-Avila wrote in an email. The five-year contract includes hardware, software, services and warranties, with payments of approximately $79,806 per year through 2028.
Deputies used stun guns twice this month and a total of 10 times this year, Womack-Avila wrote. She noted that the less-lethal equipment is “part of the standard issued equipment that every sworn member of staff must carry” and that “the new Axon Taser we are purchasing is improved technology” and “more reliable.”
The stun guns used by deputies now are nearing the end of their five-year manufacturer’s recommended life expectancy, according to a staff memo prepared for the commissioners’ meeting. The county plans to use a $600,000 grant from the state Department of Financial Administration to pay for them.
The sheriff’s office has 94 “sworn-in” positions, according to Womack-Avila, with 86 positions filled. Each deputy will be issued one of the new Axon stun guns, she wrote in an email, adding that it’s standard practice to “whack” cadets as part of the training conducted by the sheriff’s office.
Transfer of the prosecutor’s office
The county continues to move toward purchasing property on the south side to relocate the District Attorney’s Office, which currently sits just steps from the First Judicial District Courthouse.
Earlier this month, commissioners authorized negotiations for a purchase agreement to acquire a building at 2905 Rodeo Park Drive, at the intersection of Rodeo and Sawmill roads near the entrance to Interstate 25. The building is listed for $5 million. An additional $1 million may be needed to cover relocation costs and improvements.
Commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution to allocate an additional $3.2 million to the Americans with Disabilities Act space improvement project and to help with relocation costs.
The county had previously considered renovating the current district attorney’s office space at 327 Sandoval St. and had budgeted $2.8 million for the renovation project.
“The county continues to negotiate the purchase of 2905 Rodeo Park Drive with the seller,” county spokeswoman Olivia Romo wrote in an email. “The county has submitted its bid and an appraisal has been assigned.”
The location is 4 miles from the courthouse — a 15-minute drive — but the purchase will allow the District Attorney’s Office to move out of downtown office space that officials describe as aging and crowded.
Subsidies for housing assistance
One new effort to turn the tide on the local affordable housing crisis is the county’s Developer Assistance Program, which aims to make building affordable housing cheaper by allowing developers to apply for grants or loans.
Commissioners on Tuesday approved $4 million in loans for four “fully affordable” multifamily housing developments, the county said in a memorandum on the matter.
All funding awards will be made as low-interest loans, with a land use restriction that complies with New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority requirements for the availability period.
Here are the projects receiving funding this cycle:
* Turquoise Trail-Dominium, a proposed new project that would be located at the southwest corner of I-25 and Cerrillos Road and would be financed with 4 percent low-income housing tax credits and bonds issued by the county. Consisting of 312 units, the project will be occupied by people whose income is at or below 60% of the area median income.
* Cresta Ridge Apartments, a proposed 240-unit multifamily apartment project located at 4587 NM 14. All 240 units would be restricted to “low income” or “very low income” residents, Romo wrote in an email.
* Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority-Ocate, an apartment complex at 1111 Ocate Road with 60 units aimed at households with children. “The project serves low income, very low income and extremely low income households in the county. It will prioritize and accept tenants with federal, state or local rental subsidies,” Romo wrote.
* Nueva Acequia-TWG Development, a public-private partnership located on land owned by Santa Fe County at 52 Camino de Jacobo. The target construction start date is 2025 with completion in 2027. A total of 158 units will be available when the two phases of the project are completed. Both phases receive funding through the Developer Assistance Program.