How to File a Commitment

How to File a Commitment

To file a commitment:

• Determine the “baseline” amount of affordable housing within your jurisdiction.
• Calculate your jurisdiction’s committed increase in affordable housing units by multiplying your baseline amount by 3% for each year remaining in the current funding cycle (3 years = 9%, 2 years = 6%, 1 year = 3%).
• Add a narrative description to your commitment filing that identifies your data source, describes the methods used to determine your baseline, and provides additional relevant information.

Only authorized officials of county and municipal governments and tribes, or officially designated persons acting on their behalf, may submit a filing.

Ready to File

Visit the Affordable Housing Commitment Filing page

Setting a Baseline 

Determine a “baseline” amount of affordable housing within your jurisdiction using the following tools:

• Baseline Reference Data Table (more conducive to smaller jurisdictions)
• Baseline Assistance Tool (allows flexibility to accommodate needs unique to each jurisdiction)
• American Community Survey (ACS) published by the U.S. Census Bureau
• Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategies (CHAS) estimates published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

For example, useful publicly-available data that may be relevant to local communities can be found at some of the following locations. (This list is not exhaustive and data from these sources can often be filtered for your specific jurisdiction or region.):

• Median Income: Table S1901 “Income in the past 12-months”, ACS Estimates, US Census Bureau.
• Household Size: Table S1101 “Households and Families”, ACS Estimates, US Census Bureau.
• Housing - Rentals: Table B25056 “Contract Rent”, ACS Estimates, US Census Bureau.
• Housing - Ownership: 
  • Table S2506 “Financial Characteristics for Housing Units With a Mortgage”, ACS Estimates, US Census Bureau.
  • Table S2507 “Financial Characteristics for Housing Units With a Mortgage”, ACS Estimates, US Census Bureau.
  • Table B25075 “Value”, ACS Estimates, US Census Bureau.
• Housing Prices: All-Transactions House Price Index for Colorado (COSTHPI), Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.

30-yr Mortgage Rates: Primary Mortgage Market Survey, FreddieMac. Local or tribal governments must provide the data source and methods used to determine its baseline in the commitment filing.

What happens if my jurisdiction does not agree with the baseline amount from the State provided resources?

Jurisdictions may use an alternative income limit such as the area median income (AMI) of a Neighboring Jurisdiction or the State Household Median Income. If using an alternative income limit, jurisdictions must describe and provide supporting data for:

• How the alternative income limit reflects local housing and workforce needs better than the Area Median Income
• Why the Area Median Income is inconsistent with the housing and workforce needs of your jurisdiction

If your jurisdiction does not agree with the baseline amount from the State provided resources, they are highly encouraged to reach out to the Proposition 123 Team for further guidance.

Draft Commitment Narrative

Draft your commitment narrative with the following information:

• Identify all data sources used to calculate your baseline.
• Describe the method you used to calculate your baseline amount of affordable housing units. 
  • If you used the Baseline Assistance Tool, provide information on what values you used and their relevance to your jurisdiction.
• If and how high-density housing, mixed income housing, environmental sustainability, and the deconcentration of affordable housing will be prioritized.

Optionally, list the jurisdictions that you intend to cooperate with for the purpose of collaborative affordable housing growth.