Dona Ana County Colonias Initiative

2010 NACo Achievement Award Winner

Dona Ana County, N.M., NM

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

The mission of the Dona Ana County Colonias Initiative is to improve the quality of life in the County’s designated colonias. United States Federal Code defines a colonia as a community that is in the state of Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas; is within 150 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, except for any metropolitan area exceeding one million people; lacks sufficient sewage systems and has a shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary housing. To accomplish this mission of the Initiative, the county initiated a Colonias Workgroup comprised of key department within the county. The Workgroup developed a plan of action to improve infrastructure, water issues, social and economic development within the 37 colonias located within Dona Ana County. The first steps were establishing criteria and ranking the colonias based on physical infrastructure properties, such as wastewater and drainage. Through this initiative Dona Ana County has received $13 million dollars in state appropriations needed to implement these vital improvements. Along with the funds, the New Mexico State Legislature designated a day during the legislative session proclaiming Colonias Day. In addition, the New Mexico Association of Counties adopted the Dona Ana Counties Colonias Initiative as the New Mexico Rural and Colonias Communities Initiative.