- Overview
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Accomplishments
Legislative Accomplishments by Year
2024
HB 465 - Housing Affordability Revisions, Representative Whyte
The increased demand for housing is outpacing the production of new housing. This consensus bill aims to increase the supply of affordable housing throughout Utah. Specifically, it empowers redevelopment and community reinvestment agencies to develop and rehabilitate more affordable housing.
HB 476 - Municipal Land Use Regulation Modifications, Representative Whyte
When land use decisions stall, new housing development projects also slow. This legislation recognizes the local government's role in making land use decisions for its community while providing greater certainty in the planning and entitlement processes. The bill works towards additional housing supply.
SB 168 - Affordable Building Amendments, Senator Fillmore
$19,800 OngoingThis legislation promotes affordable housing construction in two ways. First, it adopts a statewide building code for modular housing. This provides clarity on regulations, streamlines inspections, and accelerates the production time of modular housing. Second, it creates Home Ownership Promotion Zones. This new tool promotes affordable housing and home ownership by using tax increments.
HB 2 - HCD Support Staff Funding, Representative Whyte
$238,000 OngoingBetween the Moderate Income Housing Plan changes and new or expanded grants, the HCD workload has increased significantly; however, they do not have the funding to hire new personnel. This funding allows HCD to better support policy changes by hiring additional staff.
Homeless Shelter Cities Mitigation, Representative Whyte
$5 Million OngoingHomeless Shelter Cities Mitigation Appropriations Request.pdf
Cities and towns hosting homeless shelters face increased costs related to law enforcement needs and services. In 2018, Utah established the Homeless Mitigation Fund to help offset some of these costs. This additional funding addresses current funding gaps and supports cities in creating additional shelters.
2023
HB 364 - Housing Affordability Amendments, Representative Whyte
$52 Million OngoingThis bill builds upon 2021's Moderate Income Housing Plan legislation by:
- Adapting uniform municipal requirements.
- Providing a path for noncompliant municipalities to become compliant.
- Adding an appeals process for cities who feel they were incorrectly found noncompliant.
HB 364 also increases the annual amount of state low-income housing credits that may be allocated. This tax credit incentivizes the private market to build or rehabilitate affordable rental units. These additional dollars will allow the state to attract substantial private investment in affordable homes.
HB 406 - Land Use, Development, and Management Act, Representative Whyte
Nationally, government regulations are estimated to account for more than 20% of the price of building a new home. This bill combats these rising costs by:
- Removing unnecessary or redundant regulatory barriers.
- Restricting cities from using a development agreement as a pre-condition of developing property when the appropriate zoning is already in place.
- Providing more certainty on the development approval timeline.
SB 174 - Local Land Use and Development Revisions, Senator Fillmore
This bill furthers the state's efforts to increase the housing supply by:
- Streamlining the process whereby municipalities create subdivisions. This important step decreases the time from planning to breaking ground.
- Specifying when a garage may be considered an internal accessory dwelling unit.
- Requiring that municipalities not working to provide affordable housing instead contribute to the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund.
Attainable Housing Grants - Office of Homeless Services
$5 Million OngoingThese grants provide supplemental rent payments for new affordable housing units. With this additional funding, these project-based grants will continue to help build Utah's affordable housing supply throughout the state.
Deeply Affordable Housing - Office of Homeless Services
$50 Million One-timeUtah's median housing price continues to be out of reach for most Utahns. Deeply affordable homes are difficult to find and impossible for developers to build without a substantial loss. This grant funding encourages developing, constructing, and preserving deeply affordable housing units.
Rural Single-Family Home Land Revolving Loan Program - Housing & Community Development
$2.75 Million OngoingDue to factors outside their control, rural areas of the state often struggle to attract new home construction. This program provides no-interest loans aimed at increasing the construction of single-family, owner-occupied, affordable homes in rural areas of the state.
Rural Single-Family Housing Rehabilitation - Housing & Community Development
$500,000 OngoingRising housing prices are not just a concern along the Wasatch Front; many rural areas of the state struggle to provide affordable homes. This grant program rehabilitates single-family homes in rural areas of the state, allowing lower-income families to remain in their homes that would otherwise be uninhabitable.
2022
SB 140 - Housing & Transit Reinvestment Zone Amendments, Senator Harper
The reinvestment zone amendments encourage strategic housing density around public transit. Initially, HTRZs were primarily restricted to frontrunner stations. This measure expands HTRZs to include light rail stations and bus rapid transit stations.
HB 462 - Housing Affordability Amendments, Representative Waldrip
This bill addresses statewide housing affordability by requiring developments to implement additional strategies into their moderate-income housing plan.
HB 36 - Commission on Housing Affordability Amendments, Representative Waldrip
The Commission on Housing Affordability will become the Subcommittee on Housing Affordability within the UEOC. The subcommittee will drive affordable housing solutions and collaborate with other economic development initiatives.
For graphics outlining the accomplishments of the entire UEOC, see the links below.