Community development director seeks $2 million match to launch housing buy-down pilot

On April 2, 2025, Jonathan Wydenhammer, South Salt Lake’s Community and Economic Development director, briefed the City Council on department priorities and presented a housing buy-down concept that would combine county CDBG funds with city matching money to seed production of permanently restricted ownership units.

Wydenhammer said the department is staffed with two people focused on economic development — including one program position and one position dedicated to affordable housing — and that the city has available redevelopment authority fund balance that could be used to match a county Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award.

“We think if you guys can help us double that, we can get closer to that $2,000,000. We think in one year’s time, we can deliver six housing units in town with permanent residents,” Wydenhammer said. He described a plan to partner with an organization such as Habitat for Humanity to purchase, deed-restrict, rehabilitate and resell homes with first right of refusal for the city after deed restrictions expire.

Wydenhammer acknowledged the back-of-envelope math was still being refined, and said the proposal would require additional detail about subsidy levels and the application process for buyers. He asked the council to help finalize funding so staff could proceed to program design and partner selection.

The director also outlined ongoing downtown redevelopment activity and other program work, saying more steps will come to the council in the months ahead. No appropriation or contract was approved during the work meeting; the item was a presentation to inform budget planning and to request follow-up work.

Details from the presentation included the proposed $2,000,000 program goal (combined county CDBG and city match), intent to produce six deed-restricted units in about a year, and plans to partner with nonprofit developers.