The Salt Lake City Council has unanimously approved a resolution that sets aside $2.1 million in city funds aimed at supporting the development of family-sized, workforce housing in the Fairpark and Poplar Grove neighborhoods.
This decision was made during a meeting held on Tuesday afternoon, where the council, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, voted in favor of the funding in collaboration with NeighborWorks Salt Lake, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating affordable housing options in the city.
The funds will be allocated to two key housing projects: the Maltair Lanes development located at 1012 W. 200 South and the Stanbridge property at 319 N. 800 West.
Both properties, which are currently vacant, are envisioned to revitalize their respective neighborhoods.
The Maltair Lanes project is set to include 13 three-story townhomes sited on approximately 0.53 acres in Poplar Grove.
All units within this development will be for sale, and the piece of land is zoned as Transit Station Area – Urban Neighborhood – Transition (TSA-UN-T), which permits a maximum height of 50 feet.
Conversely, the Stanbridge property in Fairpark is intended to house around 18 townhome-style units or multifamily condominiums on nearly 0.94 acres.
This site, currently zoned as RMF-30, allows for a maximum building height of 30 feet.
All housing units produced from these developments will adhere to specific income restrictions, designated as workforce housing.
In particular, households earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) will have access, with at least 20% of the units available to those earning 80% AMI.
Additionally, the requirements stipulate that 45% of all units must have three or more bedrooms to accommodate families.
Both initiatives will mark the inaugural projects within NeighborWorks Salt Lake’s community land trust.
This model involves a nonprofit owning the land beneath the developments, which enables families to purchase or lease homes via long-term ground leases.
This innovative approach aims to enhance affordability for potential homeowners.
During discussions, council members highlighted the pressing need for such housing in Salt Lake City, but a debate arose regarding sustainability requirements commonly attached to Community Redevelopment Agency projects.
One notable topic of dispute was the request for a waiver that would allow the Maltair Lanes project to utilize natural gas.
Typically, CRA projects do not permit on-site fossil fuel combustion, but the Maltair project was designed with natural gas in mind prior to the CRA becoming involved.
Another point of concern was the CRA requirement for projects to achieve an Energy Star score of over 90, which could not be accurately assessed if natural gas was included in the development.
Bryce Garner, CEO of NeighborWorks Salt Lake, explained to the council that redesigning the projects to eliminate natural gas would prolong the schedule by approximately three to six months.
He emphasized the challenge of balancing affordability with potential delays, stating, “We’re working on a razor’s edge.
It’s not just the delay in construction, but also making it so it’s not affordable for workforce housing.”
Council members expressed apprehension that granting these waivers might establish a precedent for future projects seeking similar exemptions from energy policies.
However, some council members, like Victoria Petro, argued that the advantages of approving these waivers outweighed the possible drawbacks.
She asserted, “This is the only proposal that has come across our desks that satisfies our request for family size, for ownership, and for workforce housing.
For me, this one checks as many boxes as I need.”
Ultimately, the council moved forward, approving the waivers with the understanding that NeighborWorks will return to provide an Energy Star rating and fulfill the stipulated requirements outlined in the term sheet.
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