Arapahoe County revises proposed state housing goal to 231 affordable units

Arapahoe County staff revised the county’s proposed affordable-housing commitment for 2027–2029 to 231 units, down from 315, after correcting its average annual new-construction permit count. Commissioners indicated support at an Oct. 13 study session but took no formal vote, the meeting recording shows.

Staff said the corrected average fell from 701 to 513 permits. Applying the county’s 15% job-growth factor over the three-year commitment period produces 230.85 units, rounded to 231. Staff said the count covers new construction, not renovations, accessory dwelling units or basement permits.

The revised goal is 90 units, or about 64%, above the 141-unit target the county met for 2024–2026. Under Colorado Department of Local Affairs guidance for the 2027–2029 cycle, a local target is based on the jurisdiction’s average annual residential new-construction permits over the prior three years, multiplied by its job-growth factor and the three-year commitment period. The target is for qualifying affordable units counted during that period; it does not mean those units have already been built.

The commitment is also tied to eligibility for state Proposition 123 funding. The department says jurisdictions must meet their unit goals and demonstrate an effective expedited-review policy. Staff said the county had not yet approved its expedited-review process and planned to seek conditional state approval before the Nov. 1 commitment deadline, then pursue full approval after the county approves and implements the process.