New Mexico's Los Alamos Faces Severe Housing Shortage
Los Alamos, New Mexico, the birthplace of the atomic bomb, is a town that comes alive on weekdays. The town is surrounded by silent mountains thick with Ponderosa pine and is home to some of the nation’s best-kept military secrets. On weekends, the urban sidewalks are empty, and many of the shops, restaurants, and office buildings are closed. However, come Monday, the townsite roars back to life as thousands of commuters arrive, nearly doubling the population.
Los Alamos National Laboratory: A Major Employment Hub
The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is the county’s biggest employer. Employees clear several security checkpoints to get to their jobs, with many commuting from residential areas across Los Alamos County and as far away as Albuquerque and the state capital of Santa Fe. The county has always faced a housing shortage, but the pressures are growing as LANL reaches peak employment at around 19,000. The lab hopes to begin offering round-the-clock shifts in 2025.
The Los Alamos Affordable Housing Plan, approved in August, noted that the “acute” housing shortage hurts the local economy and limits housing to those who can afford it. The study also found that in 2021, nearly 55 percent of the LANL workforce lived outside the county.
Housing Shortage Amid Increased Demand
Local realtor Chris Ortega, owner/broker of ReMax Los Alamos, pointed out that the hiring surge has increased demand for housing. There are fewer houses on the market than there were five or six years ago. In 2022, there were 8,149 households, 5,229 with families, in Los Alamos County. They were usually made up of two or three people per household and had an average income of $135,801.
A study found that a family household making more than the median income is likely to have a member of the family employed at LANL. Many LANL employees have expressed interest in living in Los Alamos, provided they can find suitable housing near the lab. However, housing is hard to find and has been for a long time. Now, it’s worse because of LANL’s latest hiring surge that started around 2022 with the government’s plan to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Land Constraints and Rising Costs
Only 14 percent of the land around Los Alamos is county-owned or privately owned. The U.S. Forest Service, Park Service, and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) own the rest. The county owns less than 10 parcels that could be developed.
The housing plan found that because there isn’t enough housing, many people who do essential work in the community can’t live in the community. The median sold price of homes in Los Alamos was $599,583 in September, representing a 6.3 percent increase from last year. In the same month, there were 61 homes listed for sale. Rental costs have more than tripled, with a 3 bed, 1 bath house listed for about $3,000 per month.
Future Projections and LANL's Contributions
The plan projects that the county will require 1,300 new homes between 2024 and 2029 to preserve the status quo, and 2,400 new homes to meet future housing demand. The fiscal year 2022 budget for LANL included nearly $2 billion in salaries for employees and $155 million in tax revenues for the county. The lab was responsible for creating 24,169 jobs and contributing $3.12 billion to businesses in New Mexico.
In September 2022, LANL announced its master development plan for the next 30 years. The plan includes an upgraded facility powered by 100 percent renewable energy from solar and wind. The goal is to have zero carbon emissions by 2040.
LANL's Atomic Legacy and Future Plans
LANL has come a long way since the top-secret Manhattan Project at Los Alamos that made the first atomic bombs used at the end of World War II. The $39 billion facility is located about 35 miles from Santa Fe. It covers nearly 40 square miles of DOE property, nearly 900 buildings, and 13 nuclear facilities.
The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review of the U.S. Department of Defense identified improving America’s nuclear deterrent as a top priority in the face of emerging global threats and challenges. The new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, Sentinel, will replace the old Minuteman III, which entered service in 1970 and will continue to operate until the mid-2030s.
Bottom Line
The housing shortage in Los Alamos, New Mexico, is a pressing issue that needs immediate attention. The situation is exacerbated by the increased demand due to the hiring surge at LANL. As the lab continues to play a crucial role in the country's defense, the housing crisis could potentially impact its operations. What are your thoughts on this issue? Share this article with your friends and let us know your views. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
New Mexico's Los Alamos Faces Severe Housing Shortage
Los Alamos, New Mexico, the birthplace of the atomic bomb, is a town that comes alive on weekdays. The town is surrounded by silent mountains thick with Ponderosa pine and is home to some of the nation’s best-kept military secrets. On weekends, the urban sidewalks are empty, and many of the shops, restaurants, and office buildings are closed. However, come Monday, the townsite roars back to life as thousands of commuters arrive, nearly doubling the population.
