Low-Income Subscriber Verification Instructions 

Low-Income Qualifications 

The New Mexico Community Solar Program requires that each community solar project fill at least 30% of its capacity with low-income subscribers. Projects that have committed to a higher level of low-income subscriber participation must meet that commitment.

A low-income customer is defined in the Community Solar Act as: "a residential customer of a qualifying utility with an annual household income at or below eighty percent of area median income, as published by the United States department of housing and urban development, or that is enrolled in a low-income program facilitated by the state, or a low-income energy program led by the qualifying utility or as determined by the Commission."

Subscriber Organizations must use the county/metro area level Area Median Income (AMI) data published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development when determining whether a customer is at or below 80% of Area Median Income.

Low-income customers may be prequalified based on participation in any of the following programs:

  • Medicaid;
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
  • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP);
  • First-time homeowner programs and housing rehabilitation programs;
  • Living in a low-income/affordable housing facility; or
  • State and federal income tax credit programs.

A customer who does not meet the above criteria may qualify as a low-income subscriber by signing a self-attestation form that the customer's income and household size qualify the customer as a low-income subscriber.

An entire multi-family affordable housing project may prequalify its entire load (including common load such as lobby, hallways, and elevators) as a low-income subscriber if at least one resident meets the low-income criteria. This only applies to multi-family affordable housing buildings. Subscriber Organizations are responsible for the verification of each entity they are counting as a low-income subscriber.

A low-income service organizations may also pre-qualify as a low-income subscriber. A low-income service organization is defined in the Community Solar Act as: "an organization that provides services, assistance or housing to low-income customers and may include a local or central tribal government, a chapter house or a tribally designated housing entity."

Verifying Low-Income Subscribers

Subscriber Organizations, Subscriber Managers and any affiliates must confirm that a customer meets the low-income requirements before considering them as a low-income subscriber.

Record-Keeping and Program Audits: Subscriber Organizations are responsible for maintaining records of their low-income verification process. The Program Administrator may conduct audits or request reports on a Subscriber Organization’s low-income subscriber verification processes and record-keeping to ensure adherence to program guidelines.

We encourage Subscriber Organizations to contact the Program Administrator to request guidance regarding their verification processes for low-income subscribers.

Low-Income Self Attestation Form

If a low-income customer does not participate in any of the qualifying programs or is unable to provide proof of participation in any of the qualifying programs to the Subscription Manager, then the customer can qualify by signing a self-attestation form.

Subscription Managers can create their own self-attestation form or can use the “Customer Confirmation of Income Qualification” form created by the Program Administrator. While it is not a requirement to use the form created by the Program Administrator, if a Subscription Manager chooses to create their own self-attestation form it must be reviewed by the Program Administrator prior to it being used.

Customer Confirmation of Income Qualification Form Instructions

The Customer Confirmation of Income Qualification Form is available in a 4-page all-county version that lists the HUD income limits for all counties in New Mexico, as well as 1-page versions for each of the 33 counties in New Mexico. All versions are available in both English and Spanish.

Subscription Managers may choose when to use the all-county version and when to use the applicable single county version. In some areas of New Mexico, towns or cities may extend across county lines, and the all-county version may be the most relevant and useful version.

The Program Administrator recommends that Subscriber Organizations and/or Subscription Managers present the Customer Confirmation of Income Qualification form to customers only after asking if the customer qualifies as low-income based on their income, household size, and county of residence.

To complete the form, enter the subscriber address, number of people in the subscriber’s household, the county in which the subscriber resides, and the applicable income limit based on their household size and county. Use the charts provided to fill in the income limit. For example, if a subscriber has a household size of 5 and lives in Bernalillo County, enter: $78,950, in the “My annual household income before taxes is less than or equal to:” field.

The Program Administrator will update these forms annually when HUD publishes new income limits.

Click here to download Single-County Self Attestation Forms in English and Spanish.