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Planning Commission recommends city adopt annual moderate-income housing plan report
Summary
The South Salt Lake Planning Commission on July 10 voted unanimously to forward a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the city's annual moderate-income housing plan report and to add two new strategies focused on rezonings and rehabilitation.
The South Salt Lake Planning Commission on July 10 unanimously forwarded a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the city's annual moderate-income housing plan report, which staff said will be submitted to the state on Aug. 1.
Steven Lyon, senior RDA manager and housing manager for the city, told the commission the city will update the plan to add two strategies: rezoning to support higher densities and a program to rehabilitate existing, uninhabitable housing into permanently affordable ownership units. "Tonight, we are talking about the moderate income housing plan," Lyon said, and explained the state has changed reporting requirements to every three years.
The recommendation followed a staff presentation describing progress on the plan adopted in 2022, including two completed actions: an accessory dwelling unit ordinance and the adoption of the HTRZ zone. Lyon said staff intends to pursue additional strategies in 2026 and to seek state grant and transportation funding that will become available as the city expands its efforts. He also described partnerships with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and use of community development block grant funds for acquisition and rehabilitation work.
Commissioners asked how the strategies would be implemented. Lyon said strategy 3 (reducing parking requirements for new residential development near transit) and proposed strategies 6 and 7 (rezoning for density and rehabilitation of existing housing stock) are aimed at making housing more affordable and stabilizing neighborhoods. He described options including deed-restricting rehabilitated homes for long-term affordability and noted South Salt Lake's relatively low homeownership rate (about 36'37 percent, as cited in the presentation) compared with other Utah cities.
Lyon said the statewide housing plan (staff and mayoral participation noted) is due to the governor's office by Dec. 31 and will affect incentive programs and reporting. He also described the program mechanics for rehabilitation: city acquisition or subsidy, partner construction (for example, Habitat for Humanity), and deed restrictions to retain affordability.
The commission voted to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council. According to the staff timeline, the City Council will consider adoption on July 23 and the finalized report is due to the state on Aug. 1.
The discussion included requests from commissioners for additional training or a deeper staff briefing on how projects move from concept to commission action; staff agreed to plan training sessions and to present examples in a future meeting.
Votes at the meeting: the motion to forward the recommendation was made by Commissioner Southey and seconded by Commissioner Peschman; the motion passed unanimously (individual roll-call votes were not read on the record).
