Ogden council approves $1 million transfer to RDA; funds earmarked to help purchase Aspen House property

Ogden City Council and the Ogden Redevelopment Agency on March 4 approved a pair of measures to move $1 million from BDO lease revenue into the city’s Quality Neighborhoods initiative and redevelopment budget, a transfer that staff said could be used to cover the cost of purchasing the Aspen Cove (Aspen House) property if the council later approves the real-estate transaction.

Justin Sorensen, a city staff member who presented the budget item, told the council: “It’s not $100,000 in the packet, it’s actually a million,” noting a figure on the slide was incorrect and the item was intended to advance funding that had been planned for the next fiscal year into the current year. The council adopted the city ordinance (proposed ordinance 2025-8) by roll call vote; a subsequent Redevelopment Agency resolution (proposed resolution 2025-2) recognizing and budgeting the transfer also passed by roll call.

Why it matters: the funds were described by staff and some council members as money previously earmarked for the Quality Neighborhoods fund that the city could apply toward purchase of the Aspen Cove property. Public commenters emphasized the need for more housing for people experiencing homelessness and urged the council to act. City and…