Estancia residents will benefit from major improvements to their town hall and community center after Sen. Ben Ray Luján secured $1.513 million in federal funding for renovations to the facilities that serve as the civic heart of the county seat.
The funding, part of more than $6.9 million Sen. Luján secured for New Mexico communities, will renovate Estancia’s town hall and community center, where residents conduct town business, attend public meetings and gather for community events in the agricultural town of 1,254 people.
“These investments reflect what I hear from New Mexicans every day: the need for stronger infrastructure, safer communities, and more opportunities for the next generation,” said Sen. Luján in a press release Monday. “From strengthening public safety in Rio Arriba County to expanding early childhood classrooms in Luna County, I fought for this funding because it will improve people’s lives.”
The renovations address infrastructure needs in a community where the median household income of $34,559 falls significantly below New Mexico’s median of $54,020. With 21.3% of residents living in poverty compared to 18.4% statewide, the improved facilities will provide better access to municipal services for residents who may have limited resources to travel to other communities for civic activities.
Estancia, known for its agricultural heritage, serves as the county seat of Torrance County, making the town hall renovations particularly significant for residents throughout the county who conduct business there. The community center, which has been previously remodeled, will receive additional improvements to better serve the tight-knit agricultural community.
“Every community in New Mexico matters, and that’s why I’ve worked to deliver investments to all 33 counties during my time in the Senate,” said Sen. Luján in the press release. “I’ll keep fighting to bring home the federal dollars and resources our families and communities deserve.”
The funding comes through the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee with bipartisan support. Sen. Luján, who serves on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, secured the funding through Congressionally Directed Spending.
The committee passage represents the first step in the appropriations process, with the bill next requiring consideration by the full U.S. Senate before becoming law.
In addition to the Estancia funding, Sen. Luján secured investments across New Mexico, including $1.1 million for Rio Arriba County firefighting equipment, $750,000 for the Truchas Volunteer Fire Department, $1 million for a San Juan County fire truck, $1 million for Mesilla town hall renovations, and $1.575 million for early childhood education expansion in Luna County.