Weber Housing Authority to contribute $50,000 toward county build-out; lease terms to follow

Weber County staff reported on Nov. 3 that the Weber Housing Authority has agreed to contribute $50,000 toward the cost of building out office space on the county building’s first floor and that staff are preparing a lease for occupancy starting early next year.

Staff update: Bill Ross and Sean Wilkinson said the Housing Authority will pay a $50,000 contribution toward the tenant improvement costs and that construction work is underway; walls are framed and ceilings are being installed. County staff expect the space to be available by a specified date in December and said they will present a lease agreement in the coming weeks.

Lease terms: Staff described a market-rate gross lease at $1.50 per square foot; staff also described the arrangement as a gross lease with the county providing utilities and the tenant providing its own internet. At points during the discussion staff said the available area was "just over 1,600 square feet," while one later comment referenced "600 square feet." The work-session record does not reconcile that difference; staff counsel will finalize the precise square footage and reflect it in the lease.

Why it matters: The Housing Authority’s presence is intended to centralize services for housing clients and keep the tenant improvements on schedule; staff expect to return a concise lease (staff said they aim for a simple, short document) and asked county counsel to borrow specific commercial provisions from prior longer leases where appropriate.

Next steps: Staff will bring a draft lease to the commission for review and likely approval before the lease start date; staff also will finalize the exact square footage and incorporate any necessary commercial lease provisions.