Commission on Housing Affordability

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 Ongoing

This 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 Ongoing

Between 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 Ongoing

Homeless 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.

HB 364 - Housing Affordability Amendments, Representative Whyte
$52 Million Ongoing

This 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 Ongoing

These 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-time

Utah'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 Ongoing

Due 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 Ongoing

Rising 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.