August housing revenues and construction booming

August building activity posted big numbers for the village of Ruidoso and surrounding subdivisions.

Nine housing starts in one month even surprised Ruidoso’s new community development director Samantha Mendez. The dollar value of those nine projects was listed as $3.16 million.

“That is a big number inside a municipality,” she said. “I was surprised. I’ve been seeing an increase. These inspectors really are putting out the work an getting permits completed. They are doing a great job.”

One team member, David Myers, recently earned his certification as a building inspector, the top of the chain over trade inspectors who handle individual aspects such as electric and plumbing.

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“So now we have two (building inspectors) in the department,” Mendez said. “I’m very proud of that. It’s a big deal. Some communities can’t even get one. (The inspectors) are very efficient.”

Checking the distribution of permits, Mendez said the bulk of work occurred in August within the village, not in the surrounding subdivisions in the unincorporated area of the county, in which by contract with the county, the village handles building permitting and inspections.

“It swings back and forth,” Mendez said. “But for the month of August, the village permit fees were about $9,000 more than the county, so significantly more. That also was reflected in July. We did much better in the village.”

Housing starts

Busy contractors mean busy tradesmen and subcontractors.

The August report reflects 125 projects with a value of $4,875,661.79, generating $41,261.77 in fees. Those figures compare to August 2018 with 85 projects valued at $3,575,669, generating fees of $27,467 with four housing starts at $2,57 million. In July this year, 93 projects were issued permits with a value of $1,591,597, generating fees of $17,918 with three housing starts at $651,250.

The contractors tackling the new houses were Peralta Construction for a house valued at $233,289; Jonathan Tondino for a home valued at $358,061; Whitlow Construction for $427,500; and Sierra Blanca Enterprises, $405,786. Several homes were being built by the owners.

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Other construction segments that were busy in August were residential additions and alterations with 14 permits valued at $921,798; two commercial additions and alteration valued at $500,000; two carports-garages permits valued at $87,647 and 10 re-roofing permits valued at $90,220.

Short-term rentals are doing very well ,” Mendez said of another responsibility of her department.

Short-term rental revenue

“We had a record in lodgers tax for August," she said. "We have 762 properties now in compliance with the short-term rental ordinance, but we continue to try to get 134 that are not compliant to register. They will be receiving a second letter this month (citing their noncompliance). We had 25 permits (for new short-term rentals) issued in June alone.

Stephanie Warren, short-term rental administrative assistant, is doing a great job notifying (those not in compliance) and mailing out letters to adjacent property owner letters telling them there is a short-term rental in their neighborhood, and answering their questions.”

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Village Tourism Director Justin Huffmon said last year the tax collected from people staying in cabins, motels, hotels, lodges, RV parks and private residential nightly rentals hit $230,000 in August, up $43,000 from the previous year. 

"This year, lodgers tax came in at $251,583, another record," he said, adding that the tax is up by 15.91 percent. "Within the first two months, we have collected 17 percent ($444,905) of the revenue we projected in the annual budget.

"I have a really good feeling this will be a bang-up year."

Reporter Dianne Stallings can be contacted at dstallings@ruidosonews.com.