Honest answers about senior living at La Tierra.

La Tierra is an independent-living community for adults 55 and better. At least one member of the household must be 55 or older, and household income must fall within the limits of the affordable housing program. One phone call is usually enough for us to tell you whether you qualify.

Rents at La Tierra are set below market by the affordable housing program and adjust from time to time, so please call the office for today's exact rate on a one bedroom or two bedroom home. Rent is a set amount, not a percentage of your income.

Household income must fall below limits that HUD sets each year for Lincoln County. The limits depend on how many people live in the home and change annually, so the surest way to know is to call with a rough idea of your monthly income. We can usually tell you the same day.

Not quite, and the difference works in your favor. La Tierra is affordable tax-credit housing: every home rents below market with no voucher required. If your household does hold a Housing Choice Voucher, you are welcome to use it here. Call and we will explain how the two programs combine.

When a home is open there is no waiting list at all: you can apply the same day you call. When the community is full, we keep a simple list and call in order as homes come ready. Joining costs nothing, and we will always tell you honestly where you stand.

It is. La Tierra opened in Ruidoso in 1999, built from reclaimed timber and recycled materials, and every sister community across New Mexico that followed traces back to it. More than 25 years on, the same quiet mountain setting is still what residents mention first.

Yes. Every home at La Tierra is a single-story cottage with no interior stairs, no elevators, and no upstairs neighbors, which is exactly what most of our residents come looking for.

Plan on a photo ID, Social Security cards for household members, and proof of income such as Social Security award letters or pension statements. The office will hand you the exact checklist when you apply and help you track down anything missing.

Please call the office for the current pet policy and any deposits that apply. Assistance animals are always welcome in accordance with fair-housing law.

The homes are single-story throughout, and we welcome reasonable accommodation and modification requests under Section 504 and the Fair Housing Act. Call us to talk through what you need. TTY users may dial 711.

Call to set up a tour. Visits are by appointment so we can walk the grounds with you, show you an open home, and answer every question without hurrying.