Adrian Hedden and Tim Keithley
El Rito Media
$235M is planned to restore damaged properties
A federal program could help restore properties decimated by the destructive wildfires and floods that plagued Ruidoso over the past two years.
Lincoln County officials said they have set aside $235 million in federal funds for a program to buy properties that have been damaged by floods and remain at risk for future flooding.
The buyouts are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Watershed Protection Plan, which will see the agency buy local landowners’ property at prices based on independent appraisals using 2024, pre-damage valuations.
Federal funding will provide 75% of the cost of restoring a property, with the state of New Mexico paying the remaining 25% through a matching agreement.
This is the first time the program has been offered in New Mexico, officials said, and the first time nationwide that the funds were provided following a fire.
More than 200 residents from around the area gathered Wednesday, March 25, at Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso to hear details of the plan offered in response to devastating floods in 2024 and 2025.
The crowd included owners of many residential and commercial properties that suffered extreme damage during the spring and summer monsoons over the past two years.
The destruction began in June 2024, when the South Fork and Salt fires burned about 20,000 acres in Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs and caused at least three deaths. The blazes destroyed vegetation that would normally hold back monsoonal rainwaters, creating a burn scar that left Ruidoso vulnerable to subsequent floods.
The resulting deluge in July 2025 destroyed hundreds more homes, caused three deaths and led to the indefinite closure of Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
District 2 Lincoln County Commissioner Samantha Serna said floods devastated many homes in her district, leaving constituents struggling to make repairs and restore their properties.
“These floods ravaged through my district and it’s heartbreaking,” Serna said at the meeting. “I know that being here is a real weight. Many of you are here because the floods changed your homes, your property and your sense of normalcy. For many families, this has been painful, frustrating and deeply personal. We recognize that, and do not take it lightly.”
Lincoln County Manager Jason Burns said the federal program was a step toward relief for Ruidoso property owners struggling in the wake of the disasters.
“We have about $230 million in this federal program to purchase properties,” Burns said. “The process begins now, and we will be working with each property owner individually on a first come, first-served basis.”
New Mexico Rep. Harlan Vincent (R-56) said local officials from the Ruidoso area began lobbying state and federal officials for the money in fall 2024, in the wake of the first round of fires and floods.
And as the money is put toward restoring Ruidoso’s renowned scenic locales, Vincent also urged residents to frequent local businesses to help support the local economy as the community rebuilds.
“I’m hoping that this money blesses each and every one of you the way it’s supposed to,” he said. “Businesses, homeowners, Ruidoso and Lincoln County is going to be okay.”
How does it work?
The federal funding comes to Lincoln County through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Funds will pay to purchase properties within a revised floodplain, and clear structures and obstacles from property along newly drawn maps.
Target areas include portions of the Rio Ruidoso corridor and other locations heavily damaged by flooding, including areas near Upper Canyon, the Rio Ruidoso creek system and Spaghetti Flats.
Blighted structures will be demolished, Burns said, and lands would be remediated to their natural state, turned into “green spaces” that can be used for recreation, parks and other public purposes.
Vincent said the program would remove homes destroyed by the floods from the banks of the Rio Ruidoso, which frequently overflowed during the flood, and restore the scenic area.
“This is going to be one of the biggest phases is getting all those homes off the river, and letting it run,” he said.
Several property owners at the meeting filled out applications known as “expressions of interest” that allow representatives from the county and the NRCS to visit the property to start their initial evaluation.
Burns said the process begins when county staff and a hired appraiser visit the applicant’s property, potentially making an offer if it is eligible for use of a portion of the federal funds. He said the program is completely voluntary, and owners can accept or reject the county’s offer.
“This seems like a complicated process, but it is basically straightforward,” Burns told the audience. “Each property will be evaluated by an independent appraisal firm using pre-fire and flood values dating back to 2024.”
Burns said the county had yet to hire an independent appraiser for the work, but said those signing up for the program “could expect to be contacted quickly.”
“The timeline is as soon as we can,” Burns said. “Our goal is to make this program beneficial for all of you. This is our solution.”
Kenneth Branch, NRCS assistant state conservationist for programs, said the program was intended to mitigate ongoing danger, not to restore all losses suffered in the floods.
“This program is not intended to make people whole,” Branch said. “We are providing funding to the county for the purpose of purchasing properties where danger to life and property still exists.”
Here’s what to know and how to apply to the program:
Eligibility: Properties must be owned by “willing, voluntary sellers” and meet specific criteria. The list of eligibility requirements can be found on the USDA website
Acquisition: The acquisition is handled by the sponsor, in this case Lincoln County, which then purchases the property and becomes the owner. A deed restriction is placed on the title limiting land use to open space and natural resource conservation. Structures will either be demolished or relocated outside of the flood zone.
Funding: NRCS provides financial assistance to purchase and preserve the land for the purpose of restoring the natural environment, covering up to 75% percent of site restoration costs while the state pays 25%.
How to apply: Anyone interested was asked to visit ewpbuyout@lincolncountynm.gov to view a recording of Wednesday’s presentation and download an application. A dedicated phone line, 575-973-0523, has been set up by the county so that individuals can ask specific questions about their individual properties. A second public hearing is scheduled for 5 p.m. April 15 at ENMU-Ruidoso, 709 Mechem Drive.
Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
