Yucatan Del Este in Rio Rancho, NM

Yucatan del Este is a subdivision on the east side of Cabezon, a master-planned community in Rio Rancho. It sits north of the Arbolera del Este neighborhood and east of Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, with the Linear Park trail along its western border running through to Chianti Park. The neighborhood came late in Cabezon's build-out, and Pulte built most of the houses: single-family plans with stack-stone exterior accents and private covered balconies. Homeowners pay dues to a Cabezon association, which maintains the parks, landscaped trails, common areas and community pool that the neighborhood shares with the rest of Cabezon.

Cabezon is governed by three separate homeowners associations rather than one, each responsible for the parks, landscaped trails, swimming pool and common areas in its own set of neighborhoods. The association tied to this pocket is registered in New Mexico as Yucatan at Cabezon IV Homeowners' Association, Inc.

Cabezon was platted in the early 2000s and built out in phases, and this was among the last of them. The master plan left about a dozen parks behind, with shaded seating, playgrounds, gazebos and a dog-friendly area, plus a community center. Events run through the year: outdoor movie nights, a pet parade and a community-wide yard sale.