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Redevelopment plan near Provo mall could displace mobile-home residents, councilor says
Summary
Councilor Rachel Whipple described a mall-area redevelopment proposal that would use a tax-increment tool (HTRZ) to spur housing near transit, but attendees warned converting a nearby mobile-home park to for-sale townhomes could displace deeply affordable units with limited relocation policy in place.
At a District 5 town hall, Councilor Rachel Whipple outlined a proposed redevelopment near the mall and FrontRunner station that would use a High-Transit Redevelopment Zone (HTRZ) to enable tax-increment financing for mixed-use housing and townhomes.
Whipple said proponents hope the HTRZ designation—available near transit nodes—would let developers capture incremental tax revenue for infrastructure and make projects easier to finance without seeking approval from every taxing entity. She also said the redevelopment team is partnering with a local developer with a track record in the city.
Residents and councilors expressed concern that part of the proposal involves redeveloping a mobile-home park owned by the mall owner into for-sale townhomes, which would remove a stock of deeply affordable housing. Whipple said the city does not currently have a robust relocation policy for instances where redevelopment displaces mobile-home residents and that only a small number of the current mobile homes could physically be moved.
“Most of them are too old. They can’t be moved,” Whipple said, adding that she did not recall how many were owner-occupied versus rented. She called it the “one blight” on an otherwise optimistic project and said the council needs to craft relocation and mitigation policies before approving actions that could displace vulnerable households.
Whipple said the redevelopment is likely to draw council support but that the mobile-home park issue remains a central hesitation. She urged staff and agencies to consider relocation options, first-refusal or discounted purchase programs, and to develop a clear policy before finalizing project approvals.
Next steps: Whipple said the administration may bring the HTRZ designation and project plans forward for Council consideration; she said the redevelopment is raising city-level questions about relocation policy and equitable outcomes for displaced residents.
