Clovis commission adopts five-year affordable housing plan, paving way for ordinance

The City of Clovis City Commission voted unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 3295-2025, approving a five-year City of Clovis affordable housing plan prepared by Consensus Planning.

The plan, presented at the meeting by Jackie Fishman of Consensus Planning, assesses current and projected housing needs, identifies barriers and potential city actions, and lists quantifiable unit goals and policy recommendations. “They approved the plan, December 12th of last year. They did not request any changes, so I thought that was great,” Fishman said, referring to Housing New Mexico’s review.

The plan is structured around four main elements: a community and housing profile, a housing needs assessment, a land-use and policy review, and a set of goals, policies and measurable objectives. Fishman told the commission the team performed a “data-heavy” analysis, interviewed local real estate professionals, ran a public survey that drew 835 respondents, held a town hall with roughly 50 attendees and convened a steering committee consisting of local officials and stakeholders.

Commissioner Debbie Zamora, who served on the steering committee, told the commission the work exposed challenging trade-offs for the city: “It’s a tough process,” she said, noting that household income thresholds mean many existing vacant units are out of reach for lower-income residents. The plan breaks need by income tiers (0–30%, 31–50%, and 51–80% of area median income) and projects unit needs for rentals, workforce housing, rehabilitation of substandard units, and transitional housing for unhoused residents over the five-year period.

Fishman said the plan examined city-owned properties that could be used for affordable housing and modeled how zoning changes, density adjustments and incentives could narrow—but not fully close—the affordability gap. The plan also lists potential federal, state and local financing sources and recommends zoning amendments and incentives the city could pursue to support production and rehabilitation.

Adoption of the plan was by resolution; Fishman and staff noted that a separate affordable housing ordinance, which carries legal force, remains to be drafted and approved. Burrows (staff member) explained the ordinance is the next step after adopting the plan. The commission approved Resolution No. 3295-2025 on a voice vote after a motion by Commissioner Jones and a second from Commissioner Porter; the presiding mayor confirmed the vote was unanimous.

The plan documents the city’s public-engagement efforts and sets quantifiable objectives the city will use when drafting the implementing ordinance. Housing New Mexico’s December 12 approval without requested changes was presented as evidence the plan meets statutory guidance under the New Mexico Affordable Housing Act. The ordinance staff will draft next is intended to translate plan goals into regulatory changes and incentives that can be enforced locally.

The commission did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting; staff and the consulting team said they would return with the draft ordinance and other implementation materials for future commission consideration.