Transmittal - 5/8/2023ERIN MENDENHALL DEPARTMENT of COMMUNITY
Mayor and NEIGHBORHOODS
Blake Thomas
Director
SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION
451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 404 WWW.SLC.GOV
P.O. BOX 145486, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5486 TEL 801.535.6230 FAX 801.535.6005
CITY COUNCIL TRANSMITTAL
________________________ Date Received: _________________
Lisa Shaffer, Chief Administrative Officer Date sent to Council: _________________
______________________________________________________________________________
TO: Salt Lake City Council DATE: May 5, 2023
Darin Mano, Chair
FROM: Blake Thomas, Director, Department of Community and Neighborhoods
__________________________
SUBJECT: Thriving in Place Draft Plan
STAFF CONTACT: Blake Thomas, Director, Community and Neighborhoods, 801-718-7949,
Blake.Thomas@slcgov.com
Angela Price, Policy Director, Community and Neighborhoods, 385-315-9024,
Angela.Price@slcgov.com
Sooz Lundmark, Transportation Planner III, Transportation Division, 801-535-6112,
Susan.Lundmark@slcgov.com
DOCUMENT TYPE: Written briefing
RECOMMENDATION: NA
BUDGET IMPACT: None
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: Currently, the Administration is providing the Draft Thriving
in Place Plan (“TIP” or “the Plan”) and related documents for the Council's awareness. The
Administration will transmit the final Plan and Planning Commission recommendation once the
45-day public comment period and Planning Commission public hearing concludes. TIP is the
City's proposed anti-displacement and mitigation plan, which has been developed with
significant public engagement and support from a broad coalition of residents and community
organizations. The Plan comprises five guiding principles:
1.Prioritize tenant protections;
2.Partner with those most impacted;
3.Increase housing everywhere;
4. Focus on affordability; and
5.Build an ecosystem for action.
Lisa Shaffer (May 8, 2023 10:44 MDT)05/08/2023
05/08/2023
These guiding principles run throughout the entire Plan, informing the six goals and 22 action
items described in the Plan. While the action items are categorized by the goals that they support,
many of the action items address multiple goals.
The goals of Thriving in Place are:
1. Protect the most vulnerable from displacement;
2. Preserve the affordable housing we have;
3. Produce more housing, especially affordable housing;
4. Expand capacity for tenant support and affordable housing;
5. Partner and collaborate to maximize impact; and
6. Advocate for tenants at the state level.
Based on the City Council's direction received at a briefing on TIP on December 13, 2022 and
January 3, 2023, the Administration has started working on the Near-Term Action Items
identified by the City Council. These items are a subset of those included in the attached Two-
Year Action Plan (Exhibit B). In particular, the City Council directed the Administration to
repeal the existing Housing Loss Mitigation Ordinance and develop a Community Benefit Policy
to replace it.
Some of these Near-Term Action Items, including the development of a Tenant Relocation
Assistance Program and a Tenant Resource and Navigation Service, are included in the Mayor's
Recommended Budget (MRB), which was delivered to the City Council on May 2, 2023.
An overview of the Near-Term Action Items that are in development is provided in the table
below. The estimated timeframe for the implementation of the Near-Term Action Items is late
summer or early fall. It is important to note that Near-Term Action Items that require legislative
action will be processed separately from the Draft TIP Plan and will have an individualized
transmittal, public engagement process, and public hearing with the Planning Commission.
Near-Term Action Item Budget Budget Status
Legislative
Action
Required
Repeal Existing Housing Loss Mitigation
Ordinance (2A) NA NA Ordinance
Adopt Community Benefit Policy (2A) NA NA Ordinance
Tenant Relocation Assistance Program (1A)* $180,000
Mayor’s
Recommended
Budget
Ordinance
Displaced Tenant Preference Policy (1B)* NA NA Ordinance
Data Collection and In-Lieu Fee Analysis (4B)* Yes Needed Ordinance
Create Tenant Resource Center + Navigation
Service (1D) $92,000
Mayor’s
Recommended
Budget
NA
Establish City Implementation Team (5A) NA NA NA
Help Tenants Become Owners (1E) $10,000,000 Budget Amendment
6 Resolution
Acquire & Rehabilitate Unsubsidized Housing
(2B)
Project Area
Based /
$2,000,000
Tax Increment
Financing &
Mayor’s
Recommended
Budget
Resolution
*Items with an asterisk are part of the Community Benefit Policy and will be joined in a singular
ordinance.
Community Engagement
As presented to the City Council on July 12, 2022 and outlined in the Phase 1 Report, TIP has
undergone a thorough public engagement process. From February 2022 to July 2022, the TIP
team heard from 2,150 residents through a survey (online and in-person), conducted focus
groups with 50 participants, conducted 70 in-depth interviews, and engaged with 200 students in
schools from elementary through high school. Additionally, the TIP team has held regular
meetings with a Community Working Group, comprised of over 20 participants from various
community organizations, and convened a City Steering Committee representing 16 departments
and divisions. Furthermore, a Core Policy Team consisting of staff from the Redevelopment
Agency, Housing Stability Division, Transportation Division, and the Planning Division worked
collaboratively to ensure the goals and action items aligned with the responsibilities of their
respective divisions and departments. The feedback received from these various partners
contributed to the development of the draft Plan.
Proposed Next Steps and Timeline for the Draft Plan
• May 12 – 45-day Public Comment Period Begins
• June 14 – Planning Commission Briefing
• June 26 – Public Comment Period Ends
• July 26 – Planning Commission Public Hearing and Recommendation
• July 30 – Administration Transmittal to City Council
Attachments
Exhibit A – Thriving in Place At-a-Glance
Exhibit B – Thriving in Place Two-Year Action Plan
Exhibit C – Thriving in Place Draft Plan
Exhibit A
Thriving in Place At-a-Glance
Thriving in Place at-a-glance a one-page overview of Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy
From the Phase 1 Report:
Displacement in Salt Lake City is
significant and getting worse.
There are no “more affordable”
neighborhoods in Salt Lake City
where families can move once
displaced.
Salt Lake City is growing and
there aren’t enough affordable
units for low-income families.
Plus a shortage of units overall is
creating more competition for
lower cost units
Almost half of Salt Lake City
households are rent burdened.
More than half of all families
with children live in
displacement risk
neighborhoods.
Latinx and Black households
have median incomes that are
lower than what is required to
afford rent in the city.
Displacement affects more than
half of White households in Salt
Lake City and disproportionately
affects households of color.
Many areas experiencing high
displacement risk were redlined
in the past and are still highly
segregated today.
Community members are very
concerned about displacement
and its impacts. They want more
affordable housing and support
for those being impacted.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: prioritize tenant protections / partner with those most impacted / increase housing everywhere / focus on affordability / build an eco-system for action
Caveats: there are no magic fixes (it will be hard work) / we will build on what we are already doing / state pre-emption limits what we can do / we have finite resources + things we don’t control / the housing crisis is regional / we must work together
2 PRESERVE the affordable
housing we have
2A Develop and Adopt a
Community Benefit Policy
2B Acquire and Rehabilitate
Unsubsidized Housing
2C Invest in Community Land Trust
Models
2D Address Short-Term Rentals’
Impacts on Housing
6 ADVOCATE for tenants
at the state level
6A Work to Advance Tenant
Rights and Affordable
Housing at the State Level
6 Interrelated Goals / 22 Strategic Priorities
3 OUTCOME GOALS: Protect – Preserve – Produce
3 SUPPORTING GOALS: Expand Capacity – Partner + Collaborate – Advocate
3 PRODUCE more housing,
especially affordable housing
3A Adopt the Affordable Housing
Incentives Policy
3B Make ADUs Easier and Less
Expensive to Build
3C Create More Diverse Housing
Choices in All Areas
3D Utilize Publicly Owned Property
3E Prioritize Long-Term
Affordability, Support Services,
and Transit Access
5 PARTNER + COLLABORATE
to maximize impact
5A Form a City Implementation Team
5B Work with Partners to Convene a
Regional Anti-Displacement
Coalition
5C Launch an Ongoing Community
Partnership to Coordinate Action +
Investment in the Highest Risk Areas
4 EXPAND CAPACITY for tenant
support + affordable housing
4A Develop New Funding Sources and
Leverage Existing Resources
4B Define Indicators to Track
Displacement and Develop Data
Systems to Track Progress
4C Strengthen the City’s Capacity to
Enforce Deed-Restricted Housing
Commitments
1 PROTECT the most
vulnerable from displacement
1A Develop a Tenant Relocation
Assistance Program
1B Adopt a Displaced Tenants
Preference Policy
1C Improve and Expand Tenant
Resources and Services
1D Create a Tenant Resource Center
and Navigation Service
1E Help Tenants Become Owners
1F Promote Affordable Living and
Better Jobs
Near-Term Action Priorities
Support Tenants
1A Develop a Tenant Relocation
Assistance Program
Provide support to tenants directly
impacted by redevelopment.
1B Adopt a Displaced Tenants
Preference Policy
Design and put in place a policy
for eligible deed-restricted units so
that displaced tenants are given a
preference when those units
become available.
1C Improve and Expand Tenant
Resources and Services
Increase awareness of tenant
resources; innovate on service
delivery; make changes to the
Landlord Tenant Initiative.
1D Create a Tenant Resource Center
and Navigation Service
Partner to create a Tenant
Resource Center website; develop
and launch a navigation service to
connect tenants with the
resources and support they need.
Preserve + Create Affordability
2A Adopt a Community Benefit Policy
Mitigate the loss of existing affordable
housing on redevelopment sites
through an incentives approach.
3A Adopt the Affordable Housing
Incentives Policy
Incentivize the creation of affordable
housing in new development.
2B Acquire/Rehab Unsubsidized Housing
Partner to acquire priority sites to
create long-term affordability.
3B Make ADUs Easier + Less Expensive
Facilitate the creation of more ADUs.
3D Utilize Publicly Owned Property
Identify key properties that can be used
to create affordable housing.
2C Invest in Community Land Trusts
Grow the Community Land Trust model
for long-term affordability.
1E Help Tenants Become Owners
Invest in shared equity programs that
help tenants build wealth, improve
financial security, and help them
become owners.
Partner for Action
5A Form a City Implementation Team
Create a cross-department team to
oversee implementation of the
Thriving in Place strategy.
4B Define Indicators / Develop Data
Systems
Define key indicators and put in place
needed data systems to track progress.
5B Partner to Convene a Regional Anti-
Displacement Coalition
Regularly convene key partners to
coordinate regional action on anti-
displacement initiatives and housing.
4A Develop New Funding Sources and
Leverage Existing Resources
Ensure ongoing funding to provide
needed resources for affordable
housing and tenant assistance.
5C Launch Ongoing Community
Partnership
Create cross-dept. team to coordinate
investments and work in partnership
with community to counter
displacement (in Westside, Ballpark,
Central City, and Liberty Wells areas).
Exhibit B
Thriving in Place Two-Year Action Plan
TWO-YEAR ACTION PLAN Key Steps Toward Implementing Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy
Implementation of Thriving in Place will require staff time, increased and redirected investment, new forms of partnership, nimbleness, hard work, and persistence. Adoption of the strategy isn’t the end of the work, it is the beginning.
Form Action Teams
There’s a lot to do, and it can’t all happen at once—even for the near-term
priorities. Critical first steps toward effective implementation include:
u Form the City Implementation Team (5A) and ensure it is adequately staffed
and resourced. Create the team in conjunction with the plan’s adoption. It will
be the main coordinating body for implementation of Thriving in Place, and will
form the action teams listed below, bringing in additional partners as necessary.
This team will also update and refine the action plan and overall strategy as
necessary in response to new information and emerging challenges.
u Organize Action Teams of Key Staff and Partners to lead groupings of near-
term priorities. See “Commit Needed Resources” for specific resource needs to
support the teams’ work. Actions highlighted in bold are part of the package of
actions to replace the Housing Loss Mitigation Ordinance.
TENANT SUPPORT TEAM
This team will lead the near-term priorities focused on
better supporting tenants facing displacement:
§ Develop Tenant Relocation Assistance Program (1A)
§ Adopt a Displaced Tenants Preference Policy (1B)
§ Improve / Expand Tenant Resources and Services (1C)
§ Create the Tenant Resource Center and Navigation
Service (1D)
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TEAM
This team will expand affordable housing opportunities
through City investments and partnerships:
§ Help Tenants Become Owners (1E)
§ Acquire and Rehabilitate Unsubsidized Housing (2B)
§ Invest in Community Land Trust Models (2C)
§ Make ADUs Easier and Less Expensive (3B)
§ Utilize Publicly Owned Property (3D)
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT POLICY TEAM
This team will put in place the tools to track progress and
policies to incentivize preservation and creation of
affordable housing:
§ Adopt a Community Benefit Policy (2A)
§ Adopt the Affordable Housing Incentives Policy (3A).
§ Define Indicators to Track Displacement and Develop
Data Systems to Track Progress (4B)
Commit Resources
Some priorities can be advanced by repurposing existing resources, but more
investment will be needed. Exact figures will be determined through the budget
process. Here is an overview of where resources will be needed in the near term:
u Partnership staff and resources for the the City Implementation Team (5A),
Regional Anti-Displacement Coalition (5B) and Community Partnership (5C).
u Consultant support to develop the data and reporting mechanisms for tracking
progress (4B), complete the in-lieu fee study for the Community Benefit Policy
(2B), and support implementation of the Affordable Housing Incentives Policy.
u Tenant support funding for Tenant Relocation Assistance (1A) and expanded
services (1C, 1D).
u Development funding to increase near-term investment in affordable housing,
including acquisition/rehab (2B), helping tenants become owners (1E), and
Community Land Trusts (2C). These areas of investment will be the primary
focus for developing new funding sources (4A).
Prioritize Partnership
Thriving in Place was developed in partnership with those who are experiencing
and working daily to counter the impacts of displacement in the community.
Successful action will require continued investment of time and resources in
those partnerships as well as continued listening, collective problem solving, and
relationship building.
u Work with partners to create a Regional Anti-Displacement Coalition (5B) and
identify key priorities that the group can work on together in addition to serving
as a sounding board for City-led actions and platform for regional collaboration.
This will require staff time and budget.
u Organize and launch the Community Partnership (5C) with key representatives
from the Westside, Ballpark, Central City and Liberty Wells neighborhoods. This
will require a staff lead as well as set-aside funds to support action on
community-defined priorities in addition to coordinating on City-led initiat
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: prioritize tenant protections / partner with those most impacted / increase housing everywhere / focus on affordability / build an eco-system for action
The table at left
identifies the lead,
resource needs, and
timing for each near-
term action priority.
For resource needs:
$ = less than $200k
$$ = $200k - $1m
$$$ = $1m - $5m
$$$$ = more than $5m
Exhibit C
Thriving in Place Draft Plan
SALT LAKE CITY’S
ANTI -DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGY
Why It’s Needed | Strategi c Priorities | Two-Year Action Plan
MAY 2023
PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Message From the Mayor 2
MESSAGE FROM
THE MAYOR
Salt Lake City is an incredible place that’s
home to families who have been here for
generations and recent transplants alike. But as
we’ve grown, many of our friends, neighbors, and
families have been priced out of the communities they love.
I initiated the ‘Thriving in Place’ project to help us better understand the factors driving gentrification and
displacement in our communities, and to identify actionable strategies that could help our residents who are at
risk of displacement to stay here and thrive.
We were humbled by and so grateful for the level of community engagement and input, and the personal stories
that were shared during the development of this plan. Thousands of residents gave their time, perspectives, and
ideas as part of this process. This resulting anti-displacement strategy is dedicated to all of you: the people who
make Salt Lake City such a great place to be, and give us hope for an even better future.
There is a lot of work ahead that will build on the important efforts already underway to pr eserve and improve
the housing we have, grow our supply of affordable housing, increase our support for renters, and partner more
closely with communities that are being the most impacted.
None of this work could happen without the dedication of our amazi ng City team who put in countless hours to
make sure that this process was deliberate, reflective of our community’s values and desires, and focused on
policies that will make a real, tangible difference to our residents for generations to come. Thank you, team!
The road ahead will be challenging. There are no easy solutions. But as the Spanish poet Antonio Machado
reminds us in his poem about pilgrimage: we make the road by walking. Let’s continue walking and working
together, to create a more just and secure future for all of us.
MAYOR ERIN MENDENHALL
Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada mas;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Wanderer, your footsteps
the road, and nothing more;
Wanderer, we have no road,
we make the road by walking.
from poem by Antonio Machado;
translated from the original Spanish
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Acknowledgements 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CITY COUNCIL
Victoria Petro, Vice Chair, District 1
Alejandro Puy, RDA Chair, District 2
Chris Wharton, District 3
Ana Valdemoros, District 4
Darin Manio, Chair, District 5
DAN DUGAN, District 6
AMY FOWLER, District 7
CITY STEERING COMMITTEE
Arts Council Felicia Baca; Renato Olmedo-Gonzalez
Building & Licensing Services William Warlick
City Attorney’s Office Kimberly Chytraus; Paul Nielsen
City Council Office Allison Rowland; Nick Tarbet
Civic Engagement Rachel Paulsen; Jamie Stokes
Communities and Neighborhoods Tammy Hunsaker;
Ruedigar Matthes; Angela Price; Blake Thomas
Economic Development Cathie Rigby
Finance Elias Ayon; Jennifer Madrigal
Housing Stability Erik Fronberg; Tony Milner
Mayor’s Office Ashley Cleveland; Dirie Fatima*;
Andrew Johnston; Kaletta Lynch*; Hannah Regan
Parks & Public Lands Tyler Murdock; Kristin Riker
Planning Nick Norris; Mayara Lima, Kelsey Lindquist;
Michaela Oktay; Kristina Gilmore
Public Services Jorge Chamorro
Public Utilities Holly Lopez; Marian Rice
Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City Ashley
Ogden
Sustainability Debbie Lyons; Sophia Nicholas; Maria
Schwarz
Transportation Susan Lundmark
Youth & Family Services Kim Thomas
*employee no longer works for Salt Lake City
COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP
Communidas Unidas, Mayra Cedano
Community Development Corporation of Utah,
Mike Akerlow
Crossroads Urban Center, Bill Tibbitts
Disability Law Center, Karlee Stauffer
Giv Development, Chris Parker
Industry/Q Factor, Vinny Johnson
Neighborhood House, Rosa Bandeirinha, Jennifer
Bean, Sarah Scott
NeighborWorks Salt Lake, Maria Garciaz, Sara Hoy,
Jasmine Walton
Pandos, Our Unsheltered Relatives, Carl Moore
People’s Legal Aid, Marcus Degan, Danielle Stevens,
Emily Blakeley
PIK2AR, Jakey Siolo, Susi Feltch-Malohifo’ou
Property Owner/Community Advocate, Cindy Cromer
The Road Home, Downy Bowles, Tessa Nicolaides,
Tyeson Rogers, and Meredith Vernick
Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission,
Esther Stowell
Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services,
Kelly Roemer
Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness,
Randy Chappell
University Neighborhood Partners, Jarred Martinez
Urban Indian Center of SLC, Alan Barlow,
Maurice Smith
Utah Community Action, Sahil Oberoi
Utah Housing Coalition, Tara Rollins
Utah League of Cities and Towns, Karson Eilers
Wasatch Front Regional Council, Megan Townsend
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Acknowledgements 4
PROJECT TEAM
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND
NEIGHBORHOODS
Blake Thomas Director
Tammy Hunsaker Deputy Director
Angela Price Policy Director;
Project Co-Manager
Susan Lundmark Transportation Planner;
Project Co-Manager
Ruedigar Matthes Policy and Program Manager;
Housing SLC lead
PROJECT CONSULTANT TEAM
COMMUNITY PLANNING COLLABORATIVE
(formerly BAIRD + DRISKELL COMMUNITY PLANNING)
David Driskell Principal and Project Manager
Victor Tran Associate Planner
Bowen Close, Creative Director /Document Design
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, DEPARTMENT OF CITY AND
METROPOLITAN PLANNING
Ivis Garcia Zambrana, PhD Assistant Professor
Alessandro Rigolon, PhD Assistant Professor
Caitlin Cahill, PhD Visiting Professor
THE URBAN DISPLACEMENT PROJECT (UDP) AT
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
Tim Thomas, PhD Research Director
Julia Greenberg Research Manager
FOR MORE INFORMATION: thrivinginplaceslc.org • thrivinginplace@slcgov.com
GRATITUDE
A huge thanks to the thousands of residents who gave their time, input, and constructive ideas to this
effort, and to the dozens of students at the University of Utah’s Department of City and Metropolitan
Planning who helped make the broad and deep community engagement process a reality: putting up posters,
surveying residents, attending community meetings, doing research, analyzing data, facilitating focus
groups, and summarizing what they heard.
The City is also deeply grateful to the many community partners, including those on the Community Working
Group, our Community Liaisons, and everyone who helped host events, convene meetings, facilitate
outreach, and shape the final policy and program recommendations.
This Thriving in Place strategy is the result of your input and collective effort, underscoring our
community’s tremendous assets and what can be achieved when we work together.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Table of Contents 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Message From the Mayor 2
Acknowledgements + Gratitude 3
Thriving in Place at-a-glance 6
1 About Thriving in Place 7
What This Plan Is About 7
How Community Input Shaped the Plan 8
Plan Overview and How to Use It 9
2 Why We Need an Anti-Displacement Strategy 10
What We Mean When We Talk About Displacement 10
What We Heard and Learned About Displacement in Salt Lake City 11
What This Plan Does (with caveats) 13
3 Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy 14
Five Guiding Principles 14
Six Interrelated Goals 16
22 Strategic Priorities 17
Attachment A: Two-Year Action Plan 68
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Thriving in Place At -a -Glance 6
THRIVING IN PLACE at-a-glance a one-page overview of Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy Thriving in Place at-a-glance a one-page overview of Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy
From the Phase 1 Report:
Displacement in Salt Lake City is
significant and getting worse.
There are no “more affordable”
neighborhoods in Salt Lake City
where families can move once
displaced.
Salt Lake City is growing and
there aren’t enough affordable
units for low-income families.
Plus a shortage of units overall is
creating more competition for
lower cost units
Almost half of Salt Lake City
households are rent burdened.
More than half of all families
with children live in
displacement risk
neighborhoods.
Latinx and Black households
have median incomes that are
lower than what is required to
afford rent in the city.
Displacement affects more than
half of White households in Salt
Lake City and disproportionately
affects households of color.
Many areas experiencing high
displacement risk were redlined
in the past and are still highly
segregated today.
Community members are very
concerned about displacement
and its impacts. They want more
affordable housing and support
for those being impacted.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: prioritize tenant protections / partner with those most impacted / increase housing everywhere / focus on affordability / build an eco-system for action
Caveats: there are no magic fixes (it will be hard work) / we will build on what we are already doing / state pre-emption limits what we can do / we have finite resources + things we don’t control / the housing crisis is regional / we must work together
2 PRESERVE the affordable
housing we have
2A Develop and Adopt a
Community Benefit Policy
2B Acquire and Rehabilitate
Unsubsidized Housing
2C Invest in Community Land Trust
Models
2D Address Short-Term Rentals’
Impacts on Housing
6 ADVOCATE for tenants
at the state level
6A Work to Advance Tenant
Rights and Affordable
Housing at the State Level
6 Interrelated Goals / 22 Strategic Priorities
3 OUTCOME GOALS: Protect – Preserve – Produce
3 SUPPORTING GOALS: Expand Capacity – Partner + Collaborate – Advocate
3 PRODUCE more housing,
especially affordable housing
3A Adopt the Affordable Housing
Incentives Policy
3B Make ADUs Easier and Less
Expensive to Build
3C Create More Diverse Housing
Choices in All Areas
3D Utilize Publicly Owned Property
3E Prioritize Long-Term
Affordability, Support Services,
and Transit Access
5 PARTNER + COLLABORATE
to maximize impact
5A Form a City Implementation Team
5B Work with Partners to Convene a
Regional Anti-Displacement
Coalition
5C Launch an Ongoing Community
Partnership to Coordinate Action +
Investment in the Highest Risk Areas
4 EXPAND CAPACITY for tenant
support + affordable housing
4A Develop New Funding Sources and
Leverage Existing Resources
4B Define Indicators to Track
Displacement and Develop Data
Systems to Track Progress
4C Strengthen the City’s Capacity to
Enforce Deed-Restricted Housing
Commitments
1 PROTECT the most
vulnerable from displacement
1A Develop a Tenant Relocation
Assistance Program
1B Adopt a Displaced Tenants
Preference Policy
1C Improve and Expand Tenant
Resources and Services
1D Create a Tenant Resource Center
and Navigation Service
1E Help Tenants Become Owners
1F Promote Affordable Living and
Better Jobs
Near-Term Action Priorities
Support Tenants
1A Develop a Tenant Relocation
Assistance Program
Provide support to tenants directly
impacted by redevelopment.
1B Adopt a Displaced Tenants
Preference Policy
Design and put in place a policy
for eligible deed-restricted units so
that displaced tenants are given a
preference when those units
become available.
1C Improve and Expand Tenant
Resources and Services
Increase awareness of tenant
resources; innovate on service
delivery; make changes to the
Landlord Tenant Initiative.
1D Create a Tenant Resource Center
and Navigation Service
Partner to create a Tenant
Resource Center website; develop
and launch a navigation service to
connect tenants with the
resources and support they need.
Preserve + Create Affordability
2A Adopt a Community Benefit Policy
Mitigate the loss of existing affordable
housing on redevelopment sites
through an incentives approach.
3A Adopt the Affordable Housing
Incentives Policy
Incentivize the creation of affordable
housing in new development.
2B Acquire/Rehab Unsubsidized Housing
Partner to acquire priority sites to
create long-term affordability.
3B Make ADUs Easier + Less Expensive
Facilitate the creation of more ADUs.
3D Utilize Publicly Owned Property
Identify key properties that can be used
to create affordable housing.
2C Invest in Community Land Trusts
Grow the Community Land Trust model
for long-term affordability.
1E Help Tenants Become Owners
Invest in shared equity programs that
help tenants build wealth, improve
financial security, and help them
become owners.
Partner for Action
5A Form a City Implementation Team
Create a cross-department team to
oversee implementation of the
Thriving in Place strategy.
4B Define Indicators / Develop Data
Systems
Define key indicators and put in place
needed data systems to track progress.
5B Partner to Convene a Regional Anti-
Displacement Coalition
Regularly convene key partners to
coordinate regional action on anti-
displacement initiatives and housing.
4A Develop New Funding Sources and
Leverage Existing Resources
Ensure ongoing funding to provide
needed resources for affordable
housing and tenant assistance.
5C Launch Ongoing Community
Partnership
Create cross-dept. team to coordinate
investments and work in partnership
with community to counter
displacement (in Westside, Ballpark,
Central City, and Liberty Wells areas).
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY About Thriving in Place 7
1 ABOUT THRIVING IN PLACE
What This Plan Is About
The project is in response to growing community concern about gentrification and displacement ,
driven by an increasingly severe shortage of affordable housing and a sense that new market-driven
development is catering to higher income newcomers and contributing to displ acement.
Through a community-driven engagement process, the City worked with its partners to develop th is
Anti-Displacement Strategy, which recommends policies, programs, and actions to counter
displacement while strengthening long-term community stability and access to opportunity for all.
The strategy and its actions aim to balance growth and investment in new housing with the
preservation of existing housing, tenant protections , and a focus on equitable development that
benefits all residents, including those most at-risk of displacement. Through the process of
developing the strategy and its proposed actions, Thriving in Place seeks to combat
involuntary displacement, help all residents benefit from new development and
investments, and continue making Sa lt Lake City a great place to call home.
Thriving in Place is focused on understanding the forces and impacts of gentrification
and displacement in Salt Lake City, and on identifying priority actions that the City
can take to help people stay and thrive in our community as we grow.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY About Thriving in Place 8
How Community Input Shaped the Plan
Thriving in Place engaged those most impacted by displacement in understanding it and
identifying what to do. It happened in two phases.
PHASE ONE:
LISTENING AND LEARNING
Starting in late 2021, the project team
partnered with community groups, service
agencies, and residents to understand and
document the impacts of gentrification and
displacement across Salt Lake City. This
involved gathering and analyzing a lot of data,
including stories and perspectives from nearly
2,500 residents via surveys, interviews, focus
groups, and workshops.
The results—including analysis and mapping
from a leading-edge model that measures
displacement risk across Salt Lake City and the
region—were summarized and presented to the
community and City Council in July 2022.
PHASE TWO:
CRAFTING COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS
Starting in Fall 2022, the project team worked
with City staff and community partners to
develop the Anti-Displacement Strategy: first
as a high-level framework, and then refined
and detailed to set forth interrelated strategic
priorities in response to what was learned in
Phase One.
The draft framework, strategic priorities, and
near-term actions were shared on the project
website for community feedback; discussed
with members of the Community Working
Group; shared at a Westside community
meeting; and discussed through further
community engagement undertaken as part of
the Housing SLC process in Fall 2022 by
students from the University of Utah.
The resulting Draft Strategy, presented here,
is now in public review prior to consideration
by the City Council for adoptio n.
APA AWARD FOR UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TEAM
The Department of City and Metropolitan Planning at the
University of Utah—a key part of the Thriving in Place project
team—was recognized by the Utah Chapter of the American
Planning Association with their 2022 “High Achievement Award.”
The award is well-deserved recognition for the CMP student and
faculty work facilitating the project’s extensive community
engagement as well as their project contributions through
research, analysis, and documentation. Congratulations, and
thanks for a job extremely well done!
Visit the project website to read about what
we heard and learned in Phase One and dig
deep into the data and community input.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY About Thriving in Place 9
Plan Overview and How to Use It
The plan is presented in three sections, plus an overview and a two-year workplan:
THRIVING IN PLACE “AT-A-GLANCE”
A one-page overview of the strategy and its key components.
1 ABOUT THRIVING IN PLACE
A brief overview of how the plan was developed and what it’s about
2 WHY WE NEED AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY
A brief overview of what we mean when we talk about displacement, why a strategy is needed,
and the core values and principles that guide it (plus some important caveats to keep in mind).
3 SALT LAKE CITY’S ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY
This is the core of the plan, presenting six interrelated goals and 22
strategic priorities to counter displacement and secure a more
equitable future. Each priority includes details on why it is needed,
who will lead it, the budget and timeline, implementation steps, and
relevant case studies.
ATTACHMENT A: TWO-YEAR ACTION PLAN
Timing, resources, and roles for near-term actions.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN "THRIVING IN PLACE”
AND “HOUSING SLC” (THE CITY’S 5-YEAR HOUSING PLAN)?
Thriving in Place is an anti-displacement strategy focused on those most
vulnerable to involuntary displacement.
At the same time that the City is finalizing Thri ving in Place, it is refining
and adopting Housing SLC: a five-year action plan for moderate- and
lower-income housing, as required under state law.
These two plans are companion documents that will work in tandem to
define priorities for investment, action, and partnership , to create more
affordable housing options and to help the most vulnerable tenants
access and remain in affordable living situations.
The Thriving in Place plan is both a strategy and an action plan.
As a strategy, it identifies key areas of work necessary to address the multiple factors that drive
displacement and to create long-term solutions that can help residents and communities remain in
place, particularly lower income renters who are most susceptible to involuntary displacement.
As an action plan, it defines near-term priority actions and structures for supporting ongoing
collaboration, implementation, and monitoring of success over time. For ease of use and updating, the
initial two-year action plan is presented as a stand-alone document, included as Attachment A.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Why We Need an Anti -Displacement Strategy 10
2 WHY WE NEED AN ANTI-
DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY
What We Mean When We Talk About Displacement
Salt Lake City has seen significant growth and investment in recent years, but not all are benefitting
from it, and in some cases people who have been a part of our community —sometimes for many
years—are having to leave because they can no longer afford to live here.
When growth happens and new development doesn’t keep pace with demand, housing prices go up.
While this is a complicated process driven by a combination of factors, the end result is that housing
can become unaffordable for many residents—especially lower income residents and those on fixed
incomes. Evictions and foreclosures become more common, along with people do ubling up or finding
other ways to make their income stretch to meet the cost of living. Some people can find no
alternative and must then live in their vehicle or on the street.
Most often, people move out before they face eviction because they can’t affo rd a recent rent
increase or they’ve had a personal crisis (like a job loss or medical emergency) that drains their
resources. They have to move to find a place they can afford.
In some cases, lower cost housing units and commercial spaces are demolished to make way for new
(and needed) housing, but the new housing and retail spaces are higher priced, catering to higher
income households. While desired amenities and neighborhood improvements might be created, the
people and communities who used to live in the area are forced out and experience the loss of a
place they loved.
In short, when incomes and housing costs are out of sync, people are displaced: to a different
neighborhood, a different city, or—far too often—to the street, with deep and lasting impacts on
them, their children, and our entire community.
In developing the Thriving in Place strategy , three types of displacement were
considered:
DIRECT DISPLACEMENT
This is when households are forced to move because they are evicted or because
their building was torn down, often to make way for new and more expensive
development. This is not as widespread as indirect displacement, but it is highly
visible and extremely disruptive in people’s lives.
INDIRECT DISPLACEMENT
When rents get too high for families, particularly low-income households, they are
compelled to move to a more affordable living situation that is sometimes far from
their social networks, jobs, schools, and places of worship. When a low er income
household is already paying over half their income on rent, even a rent increase of
$50 to $100 a month can be the breaking point. This is the largest force of
displacement, and often hard to measure or effectively counteract.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Why We Need an Anti -Displacement Strategy 11
CULTURAL DISPLACEMENT
Both direct and indirect displacement can r esult in neighborhood changes, as current
residents and businesses are replaced with new ones. The people who are displaced
are often lower income households of color and immigrants, while the people moving
in are often higher income and white. As a result, even people who are able to stay
may feel a sense of loss as their friends and neighbors leave, familiar businesses
close, and their neighborhood transforms. This is the aspect of displacement that
affects everyone, even those who can afford to remain in place.
What We Heard and Learned About Displacement in Salt Lake City
In Phase One of the Thriving in Place planning process, we heard from thousands of people
throughout the community and had hundreds of hours of conversation. We also dug deep into the
data, documenting the extent of displacement risk and its realities, helping to develop a more
complete and robust understanding of displacement in Salt Lake City and to build a shared
understanding of the problem we are working to solve.
The results were profound:
• Displacement in Salt Lake City is significant and getting
worse, and is an issue of high concern in the community.
• There are no “more affordable” neighborhoods in Salt
Lake City where lower income families can move once
displaced. This is a particularly striking finding, that the
research team at the Urban Displacement Project has not seen
before in their work around the country.
• Salt Lake City is growing and there are not enough housing
units overall, and a significant lack of affordable units
for low-income families—an issue that is occurring along the
entire Wasatch Front.
• Over half of Salt Lake City’s renter households are rent
burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on
housing and making them highly vulnerable to displacement
when rents increase.
• Displacement affects more than half of White
households in Salt Lake City and disproportionately affects households of color.
• The patterns of displacement reflect historic patterns of discrimination and
segregation, with areas experiencing high displacement risk closely aligning with areas that
were redlined in the past.
A recent report from the Kern C. Gardner Policy Institute (The Changing Dynamics of the Wasatch
Front Apartment Market, September 2022) underscores these trends and their significant impacts.
The full Phase One report details
what we did, who we heard from,
what they said, and what we
learned from the data analysis.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Why We Need an Anti-Displacement Strategy 12
The Phase One Summary Report tells the whole story. Key aspects of that work included:
ENSURING AN INCLUSIVE PROCESS
Interviews with community stakeholders and
leaders as a very first step in the process to
get their input about key issues and shape the
engagement strategy.
A City Steering Committee representing 16
departments and divisions to ensure input and
coordination.
A Community Working Group of over 20
stakeholders to help direct the engagement
strategy, serve as a sounding board, and
provide input on the project’s work.
DOCUMENTING AND ANALYZING THE DATA
Modeling, analysis, mapping and ground -
truthing by the Urban Displacement Project to
better understand and document displacement
risk and trends.
Review of current City policy and programs
plus documentation of “best practices” from
other places.
BROAD OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
A bilingual project website, in English and
Spanish, as a platform for education and
engagement.
An online and in-person survey, also in English
and Spanish, that engaged over 2000
respondents.
Email blasts, social media, and 4000+ multi-
lingual flyers, postcards, and door hangers,
plus stenciling the project name and website
info over 150 times on walkways around
different neighborhoods.
Presentations at 14 community events or
gatherings and at 13 community council
meetings to let people know about the project
and encourage them to participate.
REACHING THE MOST AT-RISK
Six Community Liaisons (trusted members of
the community) engaged to talk with folks
they know about experiences of displacement
and neighborhood change.
Five focus groups and nearly 70 interviews to
hear people’s stories and delve into their
experiences, perspectives, and ideas.
Seven youth workshops with over 200 students
to hear their thoughts about changes in their
neighborhoods and how to make the city a
better place for everyone.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Why We Need an Anti -Displacement Strategy 13
What This Plan Does (with caveats)
The Thriving in Place process has been a valuable opportunity to better understand the causes,
extent, and impacts of displacement in Salt Lake City. Adoption and implementation of the Thriving
in Place plan will be an important next step toward addressing displacement in a more impactful way
and—as part of that—building a more collaborative and inclusive approach to understanding and
acting on the needs of Salt Lake’s most vulnerable community members.
As we launch into implementation of the Thriving in Place strategy, several important caveats
must be stated:
• There are no magic fixes; success will be incremental. It will require hard, ongoing work and
difficult decisions.
• We will build on what we are already doing; this is the next step. Sequencing and coordination of
actions will be key.
• State preemption limits the range of potential action. We will work to change that but there will
be limits and it will take time.
• We have finite resources and capacity. The need will continue to be much greater than the
resources we have.
• The affordable housing crisis is nationwide as well as regional in scale, the result of many forces
that we do not control.
• It’s not just what we do, but how we do it. We must work together, build trust, be transparent,
and have honest conversations.
ca·ve·at /ˈkavēˌät/
Noun. A warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
Five key things that the Thriving in Place plan aims to do:
1 Elevate anti-displacement as a citywide priority.
2 Increase City investment and services to help lower income tenants avoid
eviction and remain in Salt Lake City.
3 Prioritize creation of more affordable housing, especially “community-
owned” and shared-equity housing that will be affordable long-term.
4 Change how the City works with impacted communities and key partners.
5 Call for new policies and tools that utilize land use decisions to
incentivize affordable housing and public benefit.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 14
3 SALT LAKE CITY’S ANTI-
DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY
Five Guiding Principles
The Thriving in Place strategy was guided by five foundational principles:
Salt Lake City’s workforce includes many service employees who work hard but do not earn
enough to meet rising housing costs. There are also residents on fixed incomes: retirees, people
with disabilities, and others. Many of these folks are renters and at very high risk of
displacement. While creating more affordable housing is a critical long -term solution, that will
take time. The City will do what it can, as soon as it can, to advocate for changes in state law to
strengthen tenant rights, expand investment in tenant assistance, and deliver needed services
through strong community partnerships.
The City and its partners need to ensure a coordinated investment and action strategy in
neighborhoods facing the highest displacement risk, working across departments and sectors and
in close collaboration with community representatives to align on priorities, leverage
investments, and maximize community benefit. In addition to housing -focused actions and
support for tenants, holistic solutions are needed to help keep local businesses, community
services, and cultural institutions in place as neighborhoods grow and change.
1 PRIORITIZE AND STRENGTHEN TENANT PROTECTIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE
Work to strengthen tenant rights and continue to invest in tenant assistance, especially for
those most at risk.
2 PARTNER WITH THE MOST IMPACTED TO DEVELOP HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS
Work with those facing high displacement risk to coordinate comprehensive action beyond
housing to keep communities in place and help them thrive.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 15
Salt Lake City has a shortage of housing at every income level, but an especially significant
shortage of housing affordable to lower income households. The analysis of displacement risk has
highlighted that those risks are greatest in what has historically been the city’s lower cost
neighborhoods, where the combination of developer interest, land prices, and land use policies
are driving investment and redevelopment. The City needs to support policies that help create
more housing in every neighborhood, including new rental housing in neighborhoods where lower
income people have been excluded, while stabilizing neighborhoods facing the highest
displacement pressure (see Guiding Principle 2).
More affordable housing is needed, of different types, and in every neighborhood. While every
affordable unit that can be created has value, the most valuable are units that will be affor dable
in perpetuity. The City should prioritize using its resources (land, money, time, and partnerships)
to create “community owned housing” that can provide stable, healthy, and affordable housing
for the long term. This includes housing that is owned and operated by nonprofits, the housing
authority, land trusts, and by tenants themselves under various forms of shared equity ownership.
Implementing Thriving in Place will require a coordinated response that spans multiple City
departments and divisions, other agencies, and partners in both the private and nonprofit
sectors. The affordable housing crisis is regional and complex. While the City has an important
role to play, it cannot address the challenge on its own —nor should it. Importantly, the people
most impacted by the forces of gentrification and displacement are also the best positioned to
inform, shape, and help implement effective responses. Creating structures for ongoing dialog ue,
collective problem solving, and coordinated action will help ens ure that new policies and
programs work and that limited resources are effectively leveraged and deployed.
5 BUILD AN ECO-SYSTEM FOR ACTION
Work with regional and state partners, the private and nonprofit sectors, and affe cted
communities to coordinate action and advance shared priorities.
4 INCREASE HOUSING EVERYWHERE
Create more housing overall, and more affordable housing specifically, while minimizing
displacement and countering historic patterns of segregation.
3 FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY
Create and preserve rental housing and ownership options in all part of the city, especially
housing that is affordable in perpetuity.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 16
Six Interrelated Goals
To effectively counter the forces of displacement, Thriving in Place proposes core
actions for each of “The Three P’s” (Protect, Preserve and Produce):
All three of these core goals are advanced by supporting actions to:
The diagram below illustrates the interrelationships between these six goal areas.
1 PROTECT tenants from displacement, especially the most vulnerable.
2 PRESERVE the affordable housing we have.
3 PRODUCE more housing, especially affordable housing.
4 EXPAND FUNDING for tenant support and affordabl e housing.
5 PARTNER + COLLABORATE for maximum impact.
6 ADVOCATE for tenants at the state level.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 17
22 Strategic Priorities
For each goal area, strategic priorities are defined to help achieve the goal by:
• Modifying, expanding, or scaling a program or practice already in place;
• Creating new policies, programs, or practices in response to identified areas of need; and/or
• Developing a new structure or process for collaboration, partnership, and management of the
strategy over time.
As a strategic plan, the overview of each priority is fairly high level but provides direction and
pertinent details for ensuring there is clarity about the purpose and scope of the proposed action and
the steps to implement it, including:
Where appropriate, the relationship to other priorities is called out and additional information
provided, including:
The proposed sequencing and timing of the near-term priorities as well as a discussion of staff and
budget needs is provided in the Two-Year Action Plan, presented in Attachment A on page 68.
All of the priorities are summarized in the “At-a-Glance” overview, included just after the Table of
Contents at the beginning of this document.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
PURPOSE Why the priority is needed and the outcomes it will help achieve.
CONTEXT A brief overview of key findings and pertinent background information.
STEPS What needs to happen to develop and implement it.
LEAD Which City department or division will be the lead coordinator or implementor.
PARTNERS Other City departments or divisions plus other agencies and organizations to involve.
SCHEDULE Approximate timing for implementation.
RESOURCES Staffing or investment that will be needed to support implementation
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Pertinent examples from other communities
Links to relevant articles and other resources
Critical areas of focus for the first year of implementation
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s An ti-Displacement Strategy 18
REPLACING THE HOUSING LOSS MITIGATION ORDINANCE
MITIGATING UNIT LOSS, SUPPORTING TENANTS , AND INCENTIVIZING AFFORDABILITY
The Thriving in Place work was initially launched, in part, by concerns regarding the City’s Housing
Loss Mitigation Ordinance. The purpose of that ordinance is to offset the loss of residential units
due to new development, but it has been largely ineffective for a number of re asons, which were
outlined to the City Council on April 12, 2022 (agenda item 10 at that meeting). Community
concerns about new market-rate developments resulting in the removal and loss of older affordable
housing has been one of the major drivers in the Thriving in Place work.
Through the actions proposed in the Thriving in Place strategy, the Housing Loss Mitigation Ordinance
will be replaced by a set of new policies, programs, and practices, including related code changes,
rather than by a single ordinance. Collectively, the g oals of these actions are to:
• Support tenants who are impacted by the demolition of existing affordable housing due to
new development by providing relocation assistance;
• Retain, replace, or mitigate the loss of existing affordable housing when it is on pr operties
being rezoned for redevelopment, including “naturally occurring affordable housing” as well
as deed-restricted housing;
• Incentivize creation of more affordable housing citywide, especially units affordable at 50
percent of the area median income and below; and
• Ensure a workable strategy that is easy to implement, provides clarity, consistency, and
predictability, and is not precluded by state law.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 19
Both the Community Benefit and Affordable Housing Incentives policies rely on an incentives
approach that gives additional development capacity in return for affordable housing, as permitted
under state law. Even with all these policies and programs in place, a developer can decide to
proceed with redevelopment under the zoning already in place for their property and not be subje ct
to any requirement for mitigating the loss of existing units. However, the affected tenants would
still be eligible for relocation assistance (Priority 1A) and, when possible, given priority for deed-
restricted affordable housing in the local area (Priority 1B).
It’s important to note that the loss of existing units to new development is a fairly small contributor
to displacement, affecting less than one percent of housing units in the city between January 2020
and December 2022 (about 300 older units were demolis hed out of a total housing stock of about
88,000 units, while nearly 3,300 new units were created on those same properties).
By far the largest driver of displacement is rising rents and the growing gap between incomes and
housing prices. In the short-term, continuing to provide support for rental assistance and other
tenant services is critical, while in the long-term creating deed-restricted affordable housing will
help more people have secure housing that is not subject to rising market rents. These key
priorities—strengthening tenant protections and services while working to advance affordable
housing—have also been the focus of recent federal action, reflecting the fact that Salt Lake City is
not alone in facing these challenges and working to address them.
To achieve these goals, Thriving in Place proposes the following actions:
DEVELOP A TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM (PRIORITY 1A) to help lower income
renters cover the cost of relocating when they
are displaced by new development and helping
them find alternative housing that they can
afford and meets their needs.
ADOPT A PREFERENCE POLICY FOR DISPLACED
TENANTS (PRIORITY 1B) so that they have
priority in returning to new affordable units on
the redeveloped sites from which they were
displaced (when such units are created or
preserved due to the Community Benefit Policy)
or to other income-qualified affordable housing
units within the local area.
TRACK RENT AND AFFORDABILITY DATA (AS PART
OF PRIORITY 4B) to provide more robust and up-
to-date information for use in analyses that can
inform ongoing development review and decision
making.
ADOPT A COMMUNITY BENEFIT POLICY (PRIORITY
2A) to guide development review and decision
making for development proposals that seek a
change in zoning and/or master plan
amendment, helping ensure that affordable units
which might otherwise be demolished are
retained, replaced, or mitigated, and that the
supply of affordable housing is not reduced as
the result of new development. In addition to the
policy adoption, changes to city code will be
required.
ADOPT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES
POLICY (PRIORITY 3A) to encourage (through an
incentives-based approach) affordable housing in
new residential development.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 20
PROTEC T
PURPOSE Help tenants who are directly impacted by new development to find new living
arrangements they can afford and offset the cost of relocation.
CONTEXT While units lost to demolition are a fairly
small part of the displacement challenge (affecting less
than one percent of the city’s housing stock between
January 2020 and December 2022), the impact on
tenants who were living in those units can be profound.
Through the Phase One community engagement, we heard multiple accounts of people’s lives being
upended as they had to relocate due to demolition of their housing to make way for new
development, often feeling like they were the last ones to know what was going on and not knowing
who they could turn to for help. Many also described friends and neighbors having to move to
another neighborhood or other community, sometimes far from their current jobs, schools, and
support networks, while absorbing the cost of moving and facing the challenge of finding something
they can afford in an increasingly unaffordable market. The impact of such displacement and housing
insecurity generally can have long-lasting impacts on children’s health and well-being.
STEPS
1 Work with partners to develop the Relocation Assistance Program’s parameters,
requirements, and operating principles, helping ensure clarity on who it will serve, the
level of need, how it will operate, and the level of staffing and resources needed. Fa ctors to
consider include:
• How tenant information will be collected as part of the development review and demolition
permitting process.
• Whether to include other displacement triggers as making tenants eligible for relocation
assistance (such as being dislocated due to substantial building rehabilitation or due to a rent
increase of 10 percent or greater).
• How to ensure notification of tenants that might be impacted, making them aware of the
likely timeline for displacement and the assistance that is available to them.
• Establishing income guidelines to determine eligibility for assistance (likely set at 80% AMI).
• Working with eligible households to locate suitable new housing that meets their needs.
• The appropriate level of financial assistance to offset the costs of relocation and help them
enter into a new lease.
• Provision of relocation assistance, up to the program limits, even if the eligible household
decides to relocate outside of Salt Lake City.
• Whether the assistance program should be provided di rectly by the City or operated through a
community-based partner.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1A
Develop a Tenant Relocation Assistance Program
Develop a Tenant Relocation Assistance Program to help those impacted by new
development find and afford living situations that meet their needs.
“It’s been an absolute nightmare since
being forced out of our home….”
FROM THRIVING IN PLACE INTERVIEW WITH WOMAN
DISPLACED DUE TO DEMOLITION FOR A NEW DEVELOPMENT
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 21
PROTEC T
Consider building off the structure already established in City code (Section 18.99.040, which
addresses tenants displaced when housing is closed by City action) and in the Redevelopment
Agency’s current practices, which provide relocation assistance consistent with federal guidelines
(established in the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Act, or URA).
2 Develop the program and establish the Relocation Assistance Fund for a two-year pilot
period, initially utilizing existing federal pass-through funds available to the City. These funds
can be supplemented or replaced by developer contributions following implementation of the
Community Benefits Policy (Priority 2A).
As currently envisioned, this fund would specifically focus on providing financial support and
assistance for relocation of income-qualified households. Ongoing rental assistance would be
through other sources (see Priority 1C).
If delivering the assistance program through a community partner, conduct a competitive process
that evaluates proposers based on qualifications, capacity, track record and cost in relation to
program parameters, operational needs, and criteria for success.
3 Launch the Relocation Assistance Program based on the outcome of Steps 1 and 2, and
ensure information about it is provided proactively to community partners, developers, landlords,
and tenant groups.
4 Evaluate, adjust and extend toward the end of the two-year pilot period, making adjustments
to the program based on lessons learned and establishing an ongoing program with adequate
resources and ongoing management systems.
LEAD Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS City Attorney’s Office; Planning Division, CAN; Redevelopment Agency (RDA);
plus community partners
SCHEDULE Launch by December 2023.
RESOURCES Staffing for program administration by community partner plus funds for relocation assistance.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
The City of Seattle has had a Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance since 1990 to provide financial
assistance to low-income renters displaced by demolition, substantial renovation, or change in use (e.g., an
apartment building becoming a hotel). Under the ordinance, a property owner or developer must get a
Tenant Relocation License and then pay half of the relocation assistance provided to income -qualified
renters. The amount of assistance in 2022 was $4,486, with the developer paying half ($2,243) and the City
paying the other half. The fee is adjusted annually. More information on Seattle’s program is here.
More recently, the City of Austin adopted a Tenant Notification and Relocation Ordinance in 2016, for many
of the same reasons driving consideration of such an ordinance in Salt Lake City. Under Austin’s ordinance,
applicants for a demolition permit or discretionary land use approval for sites with five or more residential
units must provide information about the units and the tenants being impacted, show proof that notification
was provided to the tenants using City -provided information packets, and then pay relocation assistance
based on an approved fee calculation methodology (rather than a set fee amount, as in the Seattle program).
More information about Austin’s ordinance and its requirements can be foun d here.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 22
PROTEC T
PURPOSE Establish a preference policy for displaced tenants to return to the site or neighborhood
from which they were displaced when deed -restricted affordable housing units become available.
CONTEXT “Deed-restricted” housing units provide affordable living opportunities for their residents,
with rents set in relation to household income (typically at about 30 percent of their income). To live
in these affordable units, a household needs to have an inc ome below a set amount, which varies
based on the size of their household and the specifics of the deed restriction. Some units are
restricted to households making 80 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), some are set at
50 percent AMI, and so on. Some units are also specifically for seniors or for people with disabilities,
but generally affordable units must be available to anyone who meets the income qualifications, to
help counter discrimination and meet fair housing requirements.
To help ensure that local residents impacted by rising rents and displacement are given a priority for
affordable units, some communities have adopted a preference policy that gives qualified applicants
“extra points” in their application. This proposed policy would e stablish a preference for tenants
displaced from unsubsidized housing due to demolition, rehabilitation, or rising rents so that they
have the opportunity to return to the site or area from which they were displaced when deed -
restricted units become available. It works in conjunction with Priority 1A, the Tenant Relocation
Assistance Program, as well as 4C, Develop Capacity to Enforce and Manage Deed-Restricted Units.
STEPS
1 Establish a working group of City staff and key partners to outline the details of the policy
proposal and procedures for its ongoing implementation, including:
• What units and placement processes the policy would apply to (or could apply to by
establishing partnership agreements with managers of deed-restricted units that do not
receive City funds);
• Who would qualify for the preference and how their eligibility wo uld be documented;
• How the policy would apply to specific redevelopment sites where residents are being
displaced and deed-restricted units are being created.
2 Review and refine the draft policy, including proposed implementation procedures ,
with key stakeholders, including affordable housing managers, tenant groups and housing
advocates. Ensure that the policy is consistent with federal fair housing laws, state law, and
other City policies.
3 Conduct public review and policy adoption to ensure opportunities for public input and
refinement of the policy as needed prior to adoption.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1B
Adopt a Displaced Tenants Preference Policy
Adopt a Displaced Tenants Preference Policy so that lower income tenants displaced due
to new development or rising rents are given priority for moving into deed-restricted units
created on the site or within the area from which they were displaced.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 23
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4 Work with partners to put the policy into practice, including updates to application forms
as necessary and mechanisms for ensuring that information about the policy is provided to
tenants displaced by new development (see Priority 1A).
LEAD Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods; City Attorney’s
Office; Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Salt Lake City Housing Authority;
plus community partners
SCHEDULE Design and adopt policy by March 2024.
RESOURCES Will require staff time, but no ongoing budget commitment.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Portland, OR adopted a Preference Policy in 2015 for affordable housing in the city’s historically Black
neighborhoods in the North/Northeast parts of the city (referred to as the N/NE Preference Policy). The
purpose of the policy was to give priority to families that had been displaced from these neighborhoods to
return as new affordable housing was created. Details about the program can be foun d here, and an
evaluation of its first five years of operation can be foun d here, in a research paper published by Portland
State University that found the policy to be overall effective in advancing its goals.
More recently, in September 2022 the City of Denver adopted a preference policy to prioritize households
at risk of or who have been displaced from their neighborhood or from Denver with priority access to newly
developed or preserved housing.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 24
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PURPOSE Help tenants remain in their housing whenever possible by educating them and their
landlords about their rights and about the resources available to help them, including rent
assistance, mediation, and legal services, while expanding investment in those resources and
innovating in how they are delivered.
CONTEXT More than half (52 percent) of Salt Lake City’s residents are renters—and that percentage
continues to grow. But legal protections and resources for renters are limited, at best.
In the Thriving in Place survey, focus group conversations, and interviews, residents repeatedly
pointed to the limited tenant rights as a critical issue a nd concern. They feel like the deck is stacked
against them, and that renters are seen as second-class citizens, even as they face the reality of
never being able to attain homeownership given the disparity between incomes and home prices. As
rents have risen, many lower income renters have had no recourse other than to move farther away,
double up with family or friends, or live in their vehicle or on the street. Even in situations where
they have the legal right (like requesting repairs to address unsafe conditions), they do not exercise
it because they are afraid of retaliation via rent increases or eviction.
There are important changes to state law that could improve tenants’ rights (see Priority 6A), plus
expanding the supply of affordable housing is a critical long-term solution (see Priorities 2A and 2B
plus all of the priorities in Goal 3). But those actions will take time. In the near-term, improving and
expanding tenant resources, including legal assistance, is essential for helping to reduce evicti ons
and counter displacement.
STEPS
1 Increase awareness of funding for tenant assistance, including rent assistance, legal
services, and outreach, including:
• Solidify an ongoing source for rent assistance, as needed, including a set-aside fund for
relocation assistance to support tenants being dislocated as a result of housing demolitions
associated with redevelopment (see Priority 1A).
• Work with partners to pursue federal, state, and philanthropic grants and funding
opportunities, leverage community and university resources, and build political support for
expansion of resources and services to better meet the needs of low income renters who are
most at-risk from the growing gap between incomes and housing costs.
2 Innovate on service delivery, including how legal services are provided, to ensure
timely access to legal advice and support, including mediation services, that can help head -off
evictions.
• Continue and strengthen partnerships with other service agencies and funders as well as
community-based organizations that work directly with those most at -risk of displacement
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1C
Improve and Expand Tenant Resources and Services
Improve and Expand Tenant Resources, Access to Legal Services, and Landlord Training
to better meet the level of need and protect tenant rights.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 25
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and in need of support, helping ensure that tenants are aware of and have access to legal
advice and mediation services as well as assistance that can help avoid eviction and increase
their housing security.
• Continue to work at the state level to secure greater tenant rights and protections, including
tenants’ right to counsel (see Priority 6A).
3 Make changes to the Landlord Tenant Initiative, also referred to as the “Good Landlord
Program,” to help landlords better understand tenant rights. This will help position them as
partners in reducing the risk of eviction by connecting tenants to the assistance that is available
to them and proactively reaching out to the City and partners when help is needed. In addition to
updating training materials, update forms that participants fill out to include information on
current rent levels in their properties as one additional means of having more up -to-date data
(with the data then aggregated for reporting purposes so that the property -specific information is
protected).
LEAD Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods
PARTNERS Business Licensing Division, Department of Finance; Salt Lake County Aging and Adult
Services; and community partners
SCHEDULE • Work with the Landlord Tenant Initiative to update forms and training materials by
July 2024.
• Work with legal service providers to identify unmet needs and explore innovations
in service delivery by July 2024.
RESOURCES Ongoing staffing and funding for tenant assistance and services, including legal services
and landlord training enhancements.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
The City of Portland’s Rental Services Office provides
training for both landlords and tenants to help both
parties understand legal requirements as well as the
resources and services available from the City, other
agencies, and community partners to help resolve
disputes, provide assistance, avoid eviction, and
ensure compliance with local and state laws. The
office also provides a staffed help desk to help people
easily find what they need and provide referrals,
similar to the resource center concept in Priority 1D.
Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 26
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PURPOSE Facilitate the process of connecting
lower income residents, especially renters,
with the resources and services that can help
them live more affordably and remain in their
housing.
CONTEXT Tenants who receive eviction notices
often do not know their rights and are not
familiar with the services or resources
available to help them. Helping them quickly
find and access available services can help
them stay in place or connect with resources
that can help improve their housing security.
Similarly, lower income homeowners are often
unaware of the programs and resources
available to help them meet their housing and
living costs, whether in the form of home repair loans, weatherization services, lower utility rates
and more.
The issue of not knowing about or having difficulty accessing available services was brought up by
residents during the Thriving in Place focus groups and interviews. While there are websites and
numbers to call that provide a list of programs, it is then time-consuming to wade through all the
details and sometimes even then it is hard to find what they need. This is especially true when
experiencing the stress of potential eviction.
This proposed action is in direct response to their input. It aims to create not only a centralized
clearinghouse and access point for helpful programs and services, but also a knowledgeable ally
committed to helping facilitate the process of connecting people to the help they need. This same
service can also help landlords understand the programs and services available to support their
tenants and help keep people in their housing during challenging times.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1D
Create a Tenant Resource Center and Navigation Service
Create a Tenant Resource Center and Navigation Service to connect people to the services
they need, including affordable living resources and eviction prevention services.
The City’s Housing Stability Division maintains a list of affordable housing resources on its website,
including resources for homeowners and buyers, renters, seniors, people with disabilities, and more.
The Thriving in Place website also provides a list of City and partner resources (towards the bottom
of this page) aimed at helping lower income households meet their housing needs, including legal
services, as well as resources to achieve more affordable living, like reduced transit fares, food
access programs, and healthcare assistance. These are examples of the resources already available
that could be incorporated into the proposed program.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake Cit y’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 27
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STEPS
1 Form a small working group of key City staff and partner representatives to develop a
more detailed vision for the resource center (both website and physical location), tenant support
team, and related navigation service, detailing the scope of work to develop and implement it.
Engage people who the program aims to serve in developing the vision and specific expectations.
2 Seek expressions of interest from those qualified to build the website and develop and staff
the resource center and navigation service. To the extent possible, include community
representatives in the selection process.
3 Create a Tenant Resource Center website with information about pertinent resources and
an intuitive interface that can be understood and navigated by people with limited computer
literacy and in multiple languages. Resourc es should include but not be limited to:
• Information on tenant rights under Utah and Salt Lake City law.
• Key resources for people facing potential eviction as well as people who have been evicted.
• Affordable housing and resources for people with special housing needs.
• “Affordable living” resources, such as reduced utility rate programs, reduced transit fare
programs, affordable childcare, mental health services, etc.
4 Develop and launch the navigation service in an easily accessible and visible community
space as a two-year pilot program to help people locate and access needed resources, not just
providing information but taking them through the process of accessing it and connecting to the
right people. The service could be housed within City government (physically located in a
community center or library space) but may work better in a community-based organization with
established ties of trust in the communities facing high displacement pressure. Note that this
action’s focus is on helping people access resources ; Priority 1c focuses on expanding resources.
5 Ensure effective marketing of the website and service to those who need it, working in
close collaboration with community-based partners to get the word out through channels,
formats and messaging that will reach those in need.
LEAD Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods
PARTNERS Public Utilities; Youth and Family Services; Transportation; UTA; Salt Lake County Aging
and Adult Services; and community partners
SCHEDULE Launch new Tenant Resource Center website, physical space, and navigation service by
March 2024.
RESOURCES Funding for two-year pilot to develop website, program information, and marketing
materials and to fund a community-based staff position as the navigator. Alternatively,
utilize an existing City staff position in a community -accessible location and repurpose
existing resources.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
This type of “one-stop shop” idea is not new, and has been applied in various aspects of government service
delivery in cities around the US and elsewhere. More recently, the idea of a “no-stop shop” has been
proposed as a data-driven service delivery model that delivers information and services directly to residents
based on information already known about them , with minimal or no intake forms and other barriers. A good
introduction to this concept can be found here, in a 2019 article in Governing Magazine.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 28
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PURPOSE Develop and invest in shared equity housing and other programs that can provide income-
qualified renters with the opportunity to build wealth, improve their financial security, and access
opportunities to become homeowners.
CONTEXT Homeownership is a fundamental way in which
many Utahns have grown their wealth, helping to provide
greater financial security not only for themselves but for
their kids and future generations. However, the growing gap
between incomes and home prices has made it increasingly
difficult—often impossible—for current generations of
residents to achieve homeownership.
It used to be a general rule of thumb for home purchasing
that you could afford a home about three times your annual
income. However, home prices in many cities today are
more than 10 times the median income. In Salt Lake City,
the median home sale price hovered just over $500,000 in
2021 (redfin.com), which was about 7.5 times the 2021
median household income of $66,658 (US Census Bureau,
American Community Survey).
Of course, this gap between incomes and costs also impacts renters—especially lower income renters
who may end up spending half or more of their income on rent. For these households, saving up for a
down payment is extremely challenging, especially when home prices get further out of reach. To
help address this gap, the City has provided a first-time homebuyer program and has started
investing in “shared equity” models of housing can help create pathways to o wnership and the many
benefits that entails (see Priority 2C). Having more deed-restricted rental housing where households
pay a fixed 30 percent of their income on rent also helps, providing more financial security and the
ability to save money over time (see Priority 2B and all of Goal 3, and the Action Highlight on page
30).
While the focus of Thriving in Place is on those most vulnerable to involuntary displacement (lower
income renters), the community survey and community conversations also highlighted the
displacement impact that many people feel when they try to become homeowners , realizing that
making the shift to homeownership will require looking elsewhere for a home. While this form of
displacement is voluntary, it is nonetheless impactful on those who feel they are forced to leave due
to the lack of affordable for-sale homes. It also has a significant community impact over time as the
housing market becomes more inequitable, with only those who are high income being able to
achieve homeownership. Helping more tenants become owners and build wealth is an important part
of a long-term anti-displacement strategy.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1E
Help Tenants Become Owners
Help Tenants Become Owners to provide greater housing security and help them grow
equity and wealth over time.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 29
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STEPS
1 Convene key partners and stakeholders to identify near- and mid-term priorities for
investment in shared equity housing in Salt Lake City, including expansion of the Community Land
Trust (Priority 2C), new or preserved deed-restricted housing (Priorities 2A, 2B, 3A and 3D), or
other equity-building programs in addition to continuation of the City’s homebuyer assistance
program.
2 Identify funding goals, resource needs, and
investment priorities for the 2023/2024 period as well
as development priorities for the coming five years. In
developing a plan of action, consider:
• City-owned and other land resources that could be
prioritized for use in development of shared equity
housing.
• Strategies to ensure that units remain affordable over
time so that future lower income homebuyers can
benefit, too.
• Partnerships with organizations focused on helping
tenants build equity and become owners (see
example in the Action Highlight on page 30).
• Balancing the need for near-term rent assistance and
other services to head-off pending evictions with the
long-term priority of creating more shared equity
housing opportunities.
3 Review the priorities and balance of planned investments with members of the Anti-
Displacement Coalition (Priority 5B).
4 Coordinate investments, property development, outreach, and management of
shared equity units to leverage resources, achieve efficiencies, and maximize impact. Priority
4C is focused on developing the City’s capacity for managing and enforcing deed-restricted units.
Residents of the Oak Hill manufactured home
community in Taunton, MA celebrate the
purchase of their 247-homes thanks to help
from the Cooperative Development Institute.
LEAD Redevelopment Agency (RDA)
PARTNERS Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods; Housing
Authority of Salt Lake; Utah Housing Corp.; and community partners
SCHEDULE Identify shared equity housing priorities by 2024.
RESOURCES Funding to invest in more shared-equity housing models will be needed plus staff time
to work with partners and oversee program activities.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake C ity’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 30
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ACTION HIGHLIGHT
To advance the priority of helping lower income renters build equity, the City is considering a
partnership with Utah’s Perpetual Housing Fund and has proposed investing $10 million to help
capitalize their work in support of Salt Lake City renters.
The Perpetual Housing Fund is establishing a series of nonprofit tenant organizations that will each
have a 75 percent ownership stake in their building. Residents then build equity by being part-owners
of the building, essentially retaining a portion of their rent payment as an equity stake in addition to
gaining equity through building appreciation. The longer they stay in the building, the more equity
they accrue. The City’s investment will be combined with other funding sources (such as tax credits)
to capitalize projects, helping to reduce the project’s debt burden and enable affordable rents. The
program’s concept is illustrated below and described in more detail on their website.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
There are many, many examples of shared equity housing to learn from, as well as many groups that
provide training and technical assistance. Some good places to start include resources at the National
Housing Conference website and Grounded Solutions Network as well as this 2018 article from
ShelterForce on The State of Shared-Equity Homeownership. Locally, Perpetual Housing Fund (see
above) and Rocky Mountain Homes Fund also offer great models.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 31
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LEARNING FROM OTHERS
This 2010 research paper from The Urban Institute summarizes the investment and impact of 14 years of a
shared equity program operated by Thistle Community Housing in Boulder, CO. The paper provides
considerable details on the program’s investm ents and operations, through which 103 units were acquired
and 172 families served. In short, the research found Thistle’s program of providing homeownership
opportunities to low and moderate income families to be “outstanding,” serving homeowners who on a verage
earned 46 percent of the area median income; providing a median internal rate of return of 22 percent for
the homeowners (between purchase and resale), and 72 percent of the participants using their earnings to
subsequently purchase a market-rate home even as the homes in the shared equity program held their
affordability for subsequent participants.
Shared equity workforce housing developed by Thistle Community Housing.
A more recent program being developed in Durham, NC by the Durham Community Land Trustees combines
a land trust model with development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The program, called CLTplusOne, is
described in this case study brief from AARP. It combines the sale of a land trust home with creation of an
ADU, with the main home then selling to an income-qualified household at 80 percent of the area median
income (AMI) or below, and the ADU renting to a tenant at 60 percent AMI or below (while the land remains
in the ownership of the land trust). The model creates two housing units where only one was before; creates
an additional income stream for the homeowner; and creates an affordable rental unit for a lower income
household, too. The program launch was funded by a $50,000 grant from NeighborWorks in 2020. It is too
early to know its impact, but is a great example of an innovative approach that is advanc ing multiple
community housing goals.
Another way in which communities are helping to facilitate the process of tenants becoming owners is
through Tenant and/or Community Opportunity to Purchase policies and programs, which establish a right
of first refusal for tenants or community organizations to purchase a building when that building is put on the
market. This is a strategy that was first adopted in Washington, DC in 1980, subsequently helping preserve
nearly 1,400 units of affordable housing between 2002 and 2013. While this strategy may not be viable in
Salt Lake City at this time, it could be a useful strategy to consider in the future.
Photo by Sally Moser via Thistle Communities
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 32
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PURPOSE Help connect lower income renters in Salt Lake City with education and job training
opportunities that can lead to increased incomes, and continue to invest in affordable living
resources like high quality transit-oriented development, transit services, and energy -efficient
housing that can help reduce monthly living costs.
CONTEXT In addition to providing rental assistance and
other services that can help people stay in their homes, it
is important to help people save money in other aspects
of their lives, improve their incomes through education
and job training, and get paid more fairly for the work
they do.
Salt Lake City’s Department of Economic Development
works to develop educational pathways for youth,
providing more exposure to good jobs that they might not
otherwise be thinking of, while the State of Utah’s
Department of Workforce Services (DWS) provides tools
and resources for adult job training and career
development. DWS has also started providing short-term
rental assistance to low-income individuals to help them
cover their costs while in short-term training programs.
Other resources are also available via Salt Lake County and the Salt Lake Community College.
Additionally, where people live can have a significant impact on their transportation costs as well as
their access to opportunities like good schools and jobs. Being able to walk, bike, or take transit can
contribute to overall affordability and make the difference between being able to afford rent or
having to move—which can have many hidden costs apart from just the cost of housing.
Based on 2021 data from the US Census’ American Community Survey, about 7,500 renter households
in Salt Lake City do not own a car (about 18 percent of renter households). For these residents,
where they live and the transport options they have access to has a big impact. The City’s work to
create mixed-use communities and more transit-oriented development as well as program s to create
and support car-sharing and other mobility solutions are a key part of supporting affordable living
and helping people thrive.
STEPS
1 Include economic development and job training partners in the Anti-Displacement
Coalition (Priority 5B) and in the offerings of the Tenant Resource Center (Priority
1D) to help connect lower income residents with the resources already available and to help
facilitate co-development of new opportunities and resources.
2 Build in job training and “connection” opportunities for lower income residents
whenever possible in the development of new affordable housing (like construction jobs) and
the delivery of services. Be aware of the potential barriers to participating in job training and
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1F
Grow People’s Incomes
Promote Affordable Living and Better Jobs to help bridge the gap between what people
earn and what housing costs.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 33
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career development opportunities, and work with partners to help overcome them. For example ,
taking a class typically means a drop in work hours and compensation. Helping lower income
residents access rent assistance during short-term training commitments can help make their
participation feasible. State DWS provides this kind of assistance, but it is not often utilized.
3 Integrate services in affordable housing and continue to support transit-oriented
development (Priority 3E), including services such as affordable childcare, health clinics,
training rooms, arts programs, job-training opportunities, and carshare programs so that they are
easily accessible and a part of people’s daily lives.
4 Consider piloting a local Guaranteed Income program (see “Food for Thought”) in
collaboration with local nonprofits and monitor the cost and benefits as a strategy for improving
families’ financial stability as well as their health, employment, and housing security.
LEAD Workforce Development Manager, Economic Development Department
PARTNERS Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods;
Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Utah Transit Authority (UTA); Public Utilities; Salt Lake
City Arts Council; Utah Department of Workforce Services; Salt Lake Community
College; University of Utah; and community partners
SCHEDULE Ongoing
RESOURCES Will need to be determined on a program-by-program basis for new initiatives.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A growing number of communities are developing local
programs to provide a “guaranteed income,” provided as a
cash payment directly to individuals. These “no strings
attached” unconditional payments supplement rather than
replace other forms of assistance to provide financial
stability that helps low-income families achieve housing
security and mental and emotional wellbeing. The City of
Tacoma recently completed a year-long pilot program -–
Growing Resilience in Tacoma, or GRIT –- in collaboration
with Pierce County United Way and Mayors for a
Guaranteed Income that supported 110 families with a $500
per month payment. In return, the families agreed to
participate in research about the program’s impacts, being
led by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the
University of Pennsylvania. The preliminary impacts of
the program are consistent with pilots that have been
conducted elsewhere, including in Stockton, CA, with
participants reporting lower income volatility, higher rates
of employment and overall improvements in health,
including less depression and anxiety.
Participants in the 2019 Stockton Economic
Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) program
received $500 a month for two years, no strings
attached, and documented the impact on their job
prospects, financial stability, and overall well-
being. The program’s impacts are summarized in
this NPR article.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 34
PRESERVE
PURPOSE Establish a Community Benefit Policy by which new developments preserve, replace, or
otherwise mitigate the demolition of existing housing units in return for an increase in development
capacity, with a focus on retaining or replacing affordability.
CONTEXT As explained at the start of this section, the City’s Housing Loss Mitigation Ordinance was
originally adopted in response to housing being lost to new development. Over the years, however,
the structure and mechanisms of the ordinance have come into question, and while it is focused on
mitigating the loss of units, it does not focus specifically on the affordability of those units.
When the City considers changes to zoning designations and amendments to master plans requested
by developers, it does so through a discretionary review process that is memorialized in a
development agreement. This agreement outlines the conditions for approval: that is, what public
benefit the development must provide in order to receive the increase in deve lopment capacity. The
final agreement is approved by the City Council and becomes part of the property’s entitlement (so
that if the property is sold, it carries with it the approved zoning as well as the conditions of
approval).
The purpose of the Community Benefit Policy is to guide developers, residents, staff and decision
makers in the development agreement process, setting expectations for public benefits to be
provided in return for changes to zoning and master plans. In this case, the specific benefi t to be
advanced is the preservation of affordable units that already exist on a property or the replacement
of those units with new units that are similar in size and affordability, as well as on ensuring
relocation assistance for the impacted tenants (see Priority 1A).
So for example if there are two older duplexes (4 units) on a property for which a developer is
seeking approval to rezone for development of a 40-unit apartment building, 4 of the units in the
new building would need to be affordable at a similar level as to what the duplexes were renting for,
and with the same number of bedrooms. Alternatively, if the site’s configuration allows it, the
duplexes could be retained and preserved as affordable units in conjunction with development of the
new apartments. In situations where the new development is not residential or creating the
affordable units on-site is problematic, an in-lieu fee could be calculated to be approximately the
same as the cost of providing the affordable unit on -site, but allowing the unit or units to be built on
another site via the City’s Housing Development Fund.
The City could also allow for other ways to provide the affordable housing benefit, like a land
donation (via another site or through subdivision of the site being developed), with the value of the
donated land being similar in value to the calculated in -lieu fee. Another option would be to
establish a deed restriction on unsubsidized units in another property (through purchase and
rehabilitation or other means). These options and how they would apply would be outlined in the
Community Benefits Policy and included in the City’s code, and then determined and applied through
the voluntary development agreement process.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2A
Develop and Adopt a Community Benefit Policy
Adopt a Community Benefit Policy to prioritize preservation or replacement of affordable
housing as a condition of approval for changes to zoning designations and master plans.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 35
PRESERVE
Important Note: When new development happens that can be implemented “by right,” without a
change in zoning or master plan, it may proceed without any mitigation for the impacted units
(although Tenant Relocation Assistance—Priority 1A—would still be available to support the impacted
tenants).
STEPS
1 Convene a Working Group of key City staff, housing experts, and community partners to work
together in undertaking the steps outlined below.
2 Craft a Community Benefit Policy and related code changes that factor in and address:
• Definition of Affordability. Define “affordable units” to include both deed-restricted housing
and lower rent unsubsidized housing (often referred to as “naturally occurring affordable
housing”) based on rent levels and area median incomes, with a focus on preserving or
replacing affordable units serving households at 80 percent of Area Median Income and below.
• Documentation of Impacted Units. Establish a process by which the size and affordability of
units proposed for demolition will be documented. This can be via City data related to the
property and the affordability of older housing units in the area (See Priority 4B, which calls
for collecting and tracking data that could be used for this purpose) and/or via information
provided by the developer in their application, including unit size and age as well as
substantiated rent data.
• Definition of Community Benefit. Define community benefit in the City’s code (Title 21A),
focused on the retention and expansion of affordable housing for lower income households
(80% of AMI and below). Include the payment of an in-lieu fee or land donation as options for
how an affordable housing community benefit may be provided in return for the increase in
development capacity and loss of existing affordable units. Establish a sliding scale that
factors the number of impacted units on the site as well as their size and affordability, and
relate the level of community benefit to the level of increase in development capacity.
• Options In-Lieu of On-Site Units. In addition to preserving or creating affordable units on-
site, define other options to meet the community benefit requirement:
o In-Lieu Fee Payment. Engage a consultant to analyze and establish a payment amount
roughly equivalent to the cost of preserving or replacing a unit on -site that the
developer could pay instead of providing the on-site unit. This is different than a
“nexus” fee study or impact fee study used to justify a fee that is being levied on a
project. The purpose of this fee is to provide the developer with flexibility in how t o
provide community benefit in return for an increase to the property’s allowed
development intensity. The fee calculation can be as simple as “square footage of the
impacted units multiplied by the current year’s average per -square-foot construction
cost” for the relevant type of development (e.g., mid -scale multi-family
development). Or it could be based on an annual survey of typical affordable housing
development costs, by type and size.
o Land Donation. The in-lieu fee calculation can also be used to establish an equivalent
land value if the developer would prefer to donate land rather than pay to
build/preserve the units on-site or pay the fee. This could be achieved through
subdivision of the subject property to create a separate site for affordable housing, or
through provision of another site in the area. The property chosen for donation must
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt La ke City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 36
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be agreed to by the City as a suitable housing site that the City and its partners can
use to create as many or more affordable units than the number being lost due to
demolition and is in a desirable location for affordable housing.
o Deed Restriction of Unsubsidized Units on Another Site. As a variation of the land
donation or fee payment option, the Community Benefit Policy could allow developers
to pay for deed restriction of unsubsidized units on another site, ideally one identified
by the City as a site or area where naturally occurring affordable housing is present
and could be preserved via purchase, rehabilitation and/or recording of a restrictive
covenant to preserve affordability for income qualified households.
• Tenant Relocation Support. Include a per-unit contribution to the Tenant Relocation Fund as
part of the community benefit package whenever income-qualified tenants are being
displaced as a result of unit demolition or reconstruction.
• Legislative Process. Establish a structure, criteria, and process for legislative approval of
zoning changes and master plan amendments in return for the retention or replacement of
affordable housing as a community benefit. While other community benefits (e.g., pedestrian
amenities, community green space, etc.) may be identified in the code and provided as part
of a specific development agreement, the primary objective should be focused on the
retention and creation of affordable housing.
• Business Process. Develop intake forms, guidance for evaluation of applications and
development of agreements, clarity on roles/responsibilities between divisions, clarity on
where in-lieu fees are paid and who manages them, and procedu res for documentation and
enforcement of agreements.
3 Adopt the Community Benefit Policy and related updates to codes, repealing the existing
Housing Loss Mitigation Ordinance.
LEAD Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS City Attorney’s Office; Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Planning Division, CAN; Housing
Stability Division, CAN; Building Services
SCHEDULE Develop and adopt by December 2024, including needed code updates.
RESOURCES Will require reprioritization of the Planning Division’s work plan and/or funding for
consultant support (for the in-lieu fee analysis) and/or staffing. Ongoing funding for
policy implementation, including enforcement and ongoing program management, will
be determined through the work steps outlined above.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
The City of Boulder, CO established a new Community Benefit Program in 2019 that in creases the affordable
housing requirements (from what is already required under its inclusionary housing program) for
developments that seek a modification to the City’s height limits. The program was put in place through
amendments to the City’s code for site review, as detailed in the Ordinance adopted by City Council.
Boulder is now undertaking Phase 2 of the program’s development.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 37
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Community Benefit Programs vary in how they are structured and implemented, but are based on the core
concept of “value capture.” This white paper from the California Planning Roundtable on Best Practices for
Implementing a Community Benefits Program provides an overview of that concept and guidance on how to
approach development of a program. Further, in defining “Community Benefit,” some might wonder how
affordable housing fits. This article in Forbes magazine, How Whole Communities Benefit from Affordable
Housing, outlines the multiple community benefits that can be realized by the retention and creation of
affordable housing.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS
CAPTURING COMMUNITY VALUE FROM LARGE, IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS
Similar in concept to the Community Benefit Policy, but different in its process and mechanisms, is a
displacement mitigation tool called Community Benefit Agreements, or CBAs. These project-specific
agreements are created through direct negotiation between community organizations representing residents
who will be impacted by the project (including those who will be directly displaced) and the developer or
agency undertaking the project.
CBAs are often associated with large-scale projects like a new stadium or convention center, a highway or
roadway widening, a large transit project or a multi -block redevelopment project. Because these projects
are often located in areas where historically marginalized communities live, they provide a valuable
mechanism for those communities to have a direct voice in how impacts are addressed and help ensure that
at least some of the value being created is applied to their benefit. The resulting legally binding agreements
often address issues like resident relocation, creation or preservation of affordable housing, construction
jobs for local workers, mitigation of construction impact s, and creation or preservation of community
facilities like parks, community centers or schools.
A CBA could be applied in any large-scale redevelopment
or infrastructure project that requires a rezone and/or
where public funds are being applied. Further information
about CBAs can be found in this 2005 paper titled
Community Benefits Agreements: Making
Development Projects Accountable, and even on the
website of the Federal Highway Administration, which
includes case studies like Atlanta’s Beltline (shown at
right) and the Gates-Cherokee Redevelopment in Denver.
The Utah Department of Transportation’s proposed
widening of Interstate 15 presents a near-term
opportunity for the State and City to collaborate on ensuring that the Westside communities that will be
directly impacted by the project have a direct voice in deciding how to best mitigate its impacts. These
communities have experienced decades of neglect from redlining and its associated disinvestment, and now
are bearing the brunt of gentrification and displacement’s impacts. The I-15 project and others like it
provide an opportunity to change this dynamic and ensure that public investments create benefits not only
for the larger region but also for those communities that most bear the impacts of the investment.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Jenni Gurtman
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 38
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PURPOSE Invest in the rehabilitation and deed restriction of existing unsubsidized housing in places
where it already exists, helping to stabilize neighborhoods at high risk of displacement.
CONTEXT Many older housing units rent for prices that lower income households can afford, without
any subsidy or restriction. They are typically more affordable due to their age, quality, and/or
location, and are referred to as “naturally occurring affordable housing.”
However, as rents have risen, many of these units are becoming unaffordable. The frequency and
impact of rising rents was brought up over and over during the Thrivin g in Place community
conversations and survey, and identified as a core driving factor in the displacement risk analysis.
Sometimes rents rise because improvements are made to the building or unit or because overall
expenses have risen due to inflation, but sometimes rents are just increased because there is more
demand than supply and there are people willing and able to pay more. This dynamic —of people with
higher incomes renting lower cost units—was highlighted in the Urban Displacement Project’s work.
While rent stabilization policies are not currently possible in Utah, the City and its partners can
invest in purchasing existing housing and then establish “deed restrictions” so that rents are set to
correspond with the incomes of the renter. This is already being done by the City and its partners,
but could be increased, as it is typically less costly than building affordable housing from scratch. It
also has the benefit of maintaini ng the existing neighborhood fabric and creating affordable housing
where lower income renters already live.
The Redevelopment Agency has a Housing Development Loan Program that can be used to incentivize
the preservation of affordable units, offered on an annual, competitive basis. It also allocates funds
to acquire properties within project areas, including the acquisition and preservation of existing
housing. These activities and investments could be expanded, and could be targeted to focus on
specific areas or properties with high displacement risk.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2B
Acquire and Rehabilitate Unsubsidized Housing
Invest More in the Acquisition and Rehabilitation of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing to
maintain it as a long-term community asset.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 39
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STEPS
1 Continue and expand funding for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of older
housing units.
• Set aside a higher proportion of City and Redevelopment Agency funds for acquisition and
rehabilitation, including grants or forgivable loans to small landlords in return for putting a
deed restriction in place.
• Pursue more state, federal, and philanthropic grant funds.
2 Identify priority acquisition opportunities working in partnership with community
organizations, with a particular focus on neighborhoods facing high displacement risk (Priority 5C)
or specific buildings where affordable units might otherwise be lost . Focus in particular on
opportunities in areas where other City or public agency inv estments might contribute to rising
property values and eventual displacement, and on meeting special housing needs, especially in
buildings where seniors, people with disabilities, and others already reside. Keep some funds
aside to support being nimble in response to unforeseen opportunities.
3 Develop a small landlord incentive program that provides low- or no-interest financing
and/or grants for rehabilitation of unsubsidized units in return for placing an affordability deed
restriction on the units.
4 Issues Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) or Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for
partner organizations to bid on acquisition opportunities or for landlords to apply for
rehabilitation funds. To the extent possible leverage other funding to undertake rehabilitation
and support ongoing management of the improved units as long-term affordable housing.
5 Ensure that partners work with tenants in acquired properties to identify priority
improvements and to develop strategies for managing building rehabilitation in a manner that
minimizes disruptions and displacement.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that works with local governments and communities to
create and preserve affordable housing for low-income families. This report, Preserving Affordability,
Preventing Displacement, provides an overview of their work in three Bay Area communities to acquire and
rehabilitate unsubsidized affordable housing and make it a part of each community’s long -term affordable
housing supply. It also summarizes key lessons from their work in these and other communities that can be
applied in further developing Salt Lake City’s acquisition and rehabilitation program.
LEAD Redevelopment Agency (RDA)
PARTNERS Housing Stability, Department of Community and Neighborhoods; Housing Authority of
Salt Lake City; Utah Housing Corporation; Utah Housing Preservation Fund ; and
community partners
SCHEDULE Ongoing, with annual or bi-annual identification of priorities and issuance of Notices of
Funding Availability (NOFAs).
RESOURCES Will need to be determined, guided by goal of expanding investment in this are a (see
Strategic Priority 4A and Attachment A).
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 40
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PURPOSE Grow the City’s Community Land Trust and support similar community -based initiatives to
help leverage land assets for long-term affordability.
CONTEXT Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are a form of shared equity housing (see Priority 1E) that
can support long-term affordability and wealth building. In a CLT, the underlying land stays in
community ownership while the homes on that land are sold at affordable prices, providing an
opportunity for lower income households to become homeowners and to build equi ty, eventually
selling their home to another income-qualified homeowner at an affordable price. CLTs can also
support long-term affordability in multi -family rentals, as well as other types of desired community
development, like affordable commercial spaces for local businesses. There are over 250 CLTs
around the US.
Salt Lake City created a CLT in 2017. With Council’s adoption of Resolution 12 that year (which
satisfied the requirements of Utah Code Section 10-8-2), they authorized the City to sell properties
at below-market value to facilitate affordable homeownership opportunities. City-owned property,
which is currently limited to single-family homes, is placed into the trust; homebuyers purchase the
housing unit and lease the land from the City at a below -market rate. When a homeowner decides to
sell, the homeowner and City share the accumulated equity.
The City’s CLT leverages its Homebuyer Program, which has been in operation since the 1990s. That
program provides mortgage financing for low and moderate-income households to achieve
homeownership. The City currently holds approximately 215 mortgages with about $19 million in
outstanding debt. Approximately two to three new mortgages are issued on an annual basis, although
escalating home prices has made finding suitable properties more challenging in recent years. If
homeowners that have a mortgage through the program want to sell within the first 15 years, they
must offer the home to the City for purchase pursuant to buyback provisions in the mortgage
agreement. Housing Stability has purchased several of these home s and placed them in the CLT to
ensure perpetual affordability. The City has a significant opportunity to continue to grow the CLT by
acting on the buyback provision as the homeowners elect to sell their homes.
In addition to the City’s program, NeighborWo rks Salt Lake operates a new CLT, and there is the
potential to expand the City’s current program to include multi -unit buildings as well as mixed use
projects that can support affordable commercial space in addition to shared equity housing.
Resources for growing the CLT model can include City-owned properties and other public agency
properties that are dedicated to affordable housing development (keeping the l and in the CLT while
partnering with developers to build affordable for-sale or rental units); land donations via the
Community Benefit Policy (Priority 2B) or via land set-asides in Redevelopment Agency Project Areas;
and philanthropic donations. Importantly, the Redevelopment Agency is currently in the process of
developing a Westside Community Initiative that proposes using tax increment funds and shared
equity housing models to help ensure long-term affordability for projects.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2C
Invest in Community Land Trusts
Invest in Community Land Trust Models to support long-term affordability and equitable
development.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 41
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STEPS
1 Convene a City working group to develop and refine the City’s CLT strategy and
legislative policy, helping to build alignment across the organization on the City’s vision and
goals for growth of its CLT and how it will be managed over time as it grows. This could be done
via the City Implementation Team (Priority 5A) or as an ad-hoc group.
2 Build Council and community awareness of the CLT model and how it contributes to
achieving long-term community goals. Highlight how the program operates; its current and
planned assets; and the strategy for growing the CLT program over time.
3 Ensure that City-owned lands contributed for affordable housing and related
development are held by the CLT or similar mechanism to ensure that the housing created
remains affordable in perpetuity as a community-serving asset.
4 Build the necessary capacity to manage CLT assets as they grow, through investment in
the City’s program management or through partnership with a suitable mission -driven
organization.
5 Seek private and philanthropic land donations that can add to the CLT’s holdings and
support the community’s long-term affordable housing goals, providing as possible tax benefits
for the donations.
6 Work with partners to grow and sustain other community -based CLTs, helping them to
fund, develop, and manage CLT-owned housing and other community-serving amenities that
advance equitable development.
LEAD Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods
PARTNERS Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Real Estate Services; Salt Lake City Housing Authority;
City Attorney’s Office; and community partners
SCHEDULE Adopt Community Land Trust (CLT) legislative policy by December 2023.
RESOURCES Will need to be determined, guided by goal of expanding investment in this area (see
Strategic Priority 4A and Attachment A). Publicly owned lands prioritized for affordable
housing (Priority 3D) can also be placed into the CLT.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The Grounded Solutions Network grew out of what used to be the National Community Land Trust Network.
Its website provides a great place to learn more about the Community Land Trust model and to access
resources like their Startup Hub, Resource Library, and Community Land Trust Technical Manual. Another
great resource is this Guide for Local Governments from the National League of Cities as well as this white
paper by two of the Grounded Solution Network’s leaders, Emily Thaden and Tony Pickett, that provides an
overview of the CLT model, its benefits, and lessons learned from three case studies in Boston, Minneapolis
and Houston.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Sal t Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 42
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PURPOSE Develop a cohesive policy for short-term rentals, with a focus on mitigating their impact on
the city’s rental housing and residential neighborhoods, with a workable enforcement mechanism.
CONTEXT Under the City’s zoning code it is illegal to have short-term rentals (STRs, i.e., housing
rented for less than 30 days, via Airbnb, VRBO, and similar services) in any part of Salt Lake City that
does not allow hotel/motel uses, which means they are not allowed in residential areas. However,
everyone knows that such rentals occur throughout the city, with a particularly high frequency in
some neighborhoods. According to a June 2022 Policy Brief, Short-Term-Rental Inventory, from the
Kern C. Gardner Policy Institute, there were 1,358 STRs in Salt Lake City in 2021, represe nting 1.4
percent of the city’s housing stock.
In some ways, short-term rental of a room in a house, a basement apartment, or a backyard cottage
can help households supplement their income, making it possible to afford housing that might
otherwise be out of reach. However, because the nightly rate for short-term rentals is higher than
what would be possible from a longer-term rental (i.e., renting for more than 30 days, under a
typical lease agreement), they can erode the supply of what would otherwise be l onger term rentals
and put upward pressure on rent prices in general (see this Harvard Business Review article from
2019, Research: When Airbnb Listings in a City Increase, So Do Rent Prices). Short-term rentals
also impact neighborhoods in other ways, with people having to live with hotel -like uses as their
neighbors.
Under current state law, it is extremely difficult for the City to monitor and enforce STR restrictions
because it is illegal to monitor STR online listings for enforcement. Despite the small percentage of
housing impacted (per the Kern C. Gardner Policy Institute’s report), there is value in developing a
long-term policy and enforcement strategy for STRs. At a minimum, the City should have a
mechanism for capturing revenue from these rentals to help mitigate their impact by funding
affordable housing initiatives. Beyond that, having a workable mechanism to monitor short-term
rentals and enforce where they are located and how they are managed will benefit everyone.
STEPS
1 Convene a working group with key internal and external stakeholders, including
representatives from landlord groups, the hospitality indus try, and neighborhood organizations.
2 Understand the extent of the issue and options for addressing key areas of concern,
including impacts on the rental housing supply, impacts on neighborhoods, and benefits to
property owners. Look to examples from other communities for options about how to structure a
local regulatory framework, including licensing requirements, limitations on types of properties
and locations, inspections, taxes and fees, and enforcement mechanisms.
3 Seek community input on options and trade-offs.
4 Develop policy and program recommendations and seek Council approval.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2D
Address Short-Term Rentals’ Impacts
Develop an Enforceable Strategy to Address the Impact of Short-Term Rentals on the
city’s rental housing stock.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 43
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5 Enact the new rules and ensure consistent enforcement, with monitoring and reporting to
support program adjustments over time in response to lessons learned and changing context.
LEAD Planning Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Housing Stability Division, CAN; City Attorney’s Office; Building Services; Business
Licensing; Civil Enforcement
SCHEDULE Initiate in 2024
RESOURCES Will likely require consultant support to complete a study and community process plus
staff time for project management, policy adoption process and implementation
(ongoing costs could potentially be covered by licensing fees or STR tax).
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Nearby Summit County is highly impacted by STRs, with the Kern C. Gardner Policy Institute’s report
estimating that 21.5 percent of the county’s housing units are STRs. Both the County and Park City have
adopted regulations for STRs, and have been actively considering additional regulations within the limits
established by State law (while lobbying the State to adjust those limit ations). When Salt Lake City begins to
develop its STR policy and enforcement strategy, these communities will be a valuable resource given that
they are operating under the same state regulatory framework.
Another community to learn from is Denver, CO, which like many communities requires STRs to be
someone’s primary residence (i.e., they cannot be undertaken as a business) and that they be licensed,
inspected, and taxed. This publication from Granicus can also be helpful: A Practical Guide to Effectively
Regulating Short-Term Rentals on the Local Government Level.
Photo by Romolo Tavani on Getty Images / iStockphoto
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 44
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PURPOSE Incentivize the creation of affordable units in new market-rate residential developments.
CONTEXT The City’s Planning Division is developing a proposal for Council’s consideration that would
incentivize the creation of affordable housing in the city’s residential zoning districts by providing
developers with choices that would provide them with benefits (additional development capacity) in
return for including affordable units in their development. The proposal is similar t o inclusionary
housing programs in other communities but operates on an incentive basis, in keeping with Utah
state law. Developers would not be required to utilize the incentive and could proceed to develop
their property under the regulations already in place for that zone district, without including any
affordable units.
The project is already in process, with anticipated adoption in 2024. The proposed changes would
advance the Thriving in Place strategy’s goal of producing more affordable housing and work in
conjunction with other priority actions aimed at creating more affordable housing in other ways
(e.g., through direct City and partner investment, use of public lands, etc.).
STEPS
1 Support adoption of the proposed Affordable Housing Incentives being developed by the
Planning Division, with refinements as needed based on community input and Council
deliberations.
2 Clarify how the Affordable Housing Incentives do or do not apply when the proposed
Community Benefit Policy is being applied to a new residential development that has
existing affordable housing on the site. Would retaining the existing housing be allowed to count
towards the affordability requirement in the incentives? If the units are replaced, do the new
units need to be of comparable size?
3 Ensure appropriate support for the policy’s implementation as well as for the
monitoring and enforcement of deed-restricted units created as a result of the policy (see
Strategic Priority 4C).
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3A
Adopt the Affordable Housing Incentives Policy
Adopt the Affordable Housing Incentives Policy to encourage the construction of additional
affordable housing in market-rate developments.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
LEAD Planning Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS City Attorney’s Office; Housing Stability Division, CAN; Redevelopment Agency (RDA)
SCHEDULE Anticipate adoption by June 2024.
RESOURCES Current effort is already staffed; however support will be needed for implementation.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY S alt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 45
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LEARNING FROM OTHERS
There are many examples of inclusionary housing programs around the country. While many establish
requirements for inclusion of affordable units, others are set-up as an opt-in incentive (often referred to as
density bonuses). For example, in California the State adopted a statewide density bonus law th at creates an
incentive for developers to include affordable housing in new developments as well as a path for going above
locally established density limits. Based on the law, a developer can apply for an increase in development
intensity in any jurisdiction in the state in return for including affordable housing. This table summarizes
the different levels of incentive. In addition developers can request up to three variances from standards
that might prevent them from achieving the higher density (e.g., height, setbacks, parking).
This webpage at Local Housing Solutions provides a helpful overview of how these programs work, along
with multiple case studies from around the country, including incentive -focused policies (like the
“Affordability Unlocked” program in Austin, TX, where mandatory inclusionary zoning is also prohibited at
the state level).
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 46
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PURPOSE Support the development of accessory dwelling units
(ADUs) in Salt Lake City to create new rental housing
opportunities in existing neighborhoods and provide income
generation for homeowners, with particular focus on helping
lower income homeowners create ADUs.
CONTEXT ADUs help add rental housing in established
neighborhoods, create more neighborhood diversity, and can
help owners generate income to offset other costs . While
ADUs are sometimes used for non-housing purposes (a home
office, a guest room, or an illegal short-term rental) they are
often used for their intended purpose: as a second housing
unit on a property where there was previously just one.
Creating ADUs can be challenging. Most homeowners don’t even know where to begin: how to
evaluate the financial costs and benefits; how to navigate city codes and processes; how to find a
designer and financing, or even how to go about being a landlord.
The City can make it easier and less expensive to build ADUs through improved information that is
understandable to homeowners; by helping connect homeowners to ADU designers and low - or no-
cost plans; by reducing fees; and by making review processes transparent, fast, a nd efficient. The
City can also support homeowners—especially lower income homeowners—by connecting them to
low-interest financing and having an identified ADU liaison to be their ally through the process.
There are also opportunities to encourage homeowners to rent their ADUs to income-qualified
renters.
The State has enacted some recent code changes to remove obstacles to ADU development, and the
City has been working on updates to its ADU ordinance as well. An ADU taskforce of City staff from
multiple departments currently meets quarterly to coordinate on ADU-related work efforts. Further
steps can be taken, as outlined below, to expand upon these efforts.
STEPS
1 Continue and expand upon the work of the City’s ADU taskforce, completing the work
already underway to update the City’s ADU ordinance, to identify a nd implement cost-reduction
strategies for new ADUs (such as utility fees), and to streamline the ADU review and approval
process.
2 Consider designating an ADU Liaison position within the City organization to assist
homeowners in understanding and navigating the City’s process, accessing ADU resources, and
coordinating the City’s ADU work efforts.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3B
Make ADUs Easier and Less Expensive to Build
Improve information, resources, and processes to help support the creation of accessory
dwelling units (ADUs) as a strategy for infill housing in existing neighborhoods.
Photo by Daniel McCullough on Unsplash
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 47
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3 Explore the potential for creating a staffed ADU Resource Center that could serve Salt
Lake City and other communities in the region to support homeowners, assist jurisdictions with
ADU policies and programs, and grow the ADU marketplace (see Food for Thought, below).
LEAD Planning Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Housing Stability Division, CAN; Building Services; Public
Utilities; Fire Department
SCHEDULE Adopt updates to the ADU Ordinance by 2023; other work continues.
RESOURCES May require additional staffing to implement some ideas and/or funding to support
development of specific ADU tools and resources .
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
The City of San Jose, CA has prioritized development of more
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as part of their response to an
extreme shortage of affordable housing. To make ADU development
as easy as possible, they have established a pre-approved ADU
plans program that provides a variety of ADU designs that have
already been reviewed for building code compliance as well as
same-day permit issuance. To make this possible, the City’s ADU
review team (which includes fire and utilities along with planning
and building) meets all together one day a week (ADU Tuesdays!) so
that applicants can schedule an appointment to bring thei r
completed materials in for review and —if everything is in order—
walk out the door with their permit in hand.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The Napa Sonoma ADU Center was launched in
2019 to serve the 16 jurisdictions of Napa and
Sonoma counties, north of San Francisco. Formed
under the auspices of the Napa Valley Community
Foundation, the center was made possible through
grant funding and jurisdiction contributions. It
works to train and support staff from all of the
jurisdictions to improve their ADU information and
processes while serving as a trusted ally and
advocate for homeowners. The Center provides
free or low-cost consults for homeowners exploring the idea of creating an ADU, helping them to
understand what’s possible and how much it might cost; provides regular training and information
programs; hosts events where homeowners can meet ADU designers and companies; and has a built a rich
resource library of tools, from a “Can I Build” tool and ADU calculator to a growing gallery of standard
plans that helps homeowners find designs and connect with ADU professionals.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 48
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PURPOSE Support zoning and code changes as well as City
investments that help to create more middle housing types
in neighborhoods throughout the city.
CONTEXT Older neighborhoods often have a rich mix of
housing types—single family homes, backyard cottages,
garden apartments, duplexes, fourplexes, and more—often
all within the same block, or at least within the immediate
area. However, over time both the market and City
regulations have driven two predominant housing outcomes:
single family homes and larger apartment buildings. This is
true in cities throughout the US, including Salt Lake City.
In recent years there has been a growing awareness of this
gap in our housing, referred to as “the missing middle,” and
a desire to create more diverse housing choices in new
construction. The City Council’s recent adoption of changes
to the RMF-30 zone district and upcoming consideration of
code changes related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are
both efforts that will increase the diversity of housing
choices. As these changes take effect, the City will need to monitor their effectiveness and consider
further potential changes to create more middle housi ng types.
During the Thriving in Place outreach, many people talked about the need for housing that was not
only affordable but that also met their needs. They talked about the large number of small one
bedroom and studio apartments being built in large ap artment buildings, which meets some people’s
needs, but not others. Creating more diverse housing choices can help respond to these community
concerns.
Last, but very importantly, the spatial patterns of segregation and disinvestment in Salt Lake City
reflect an intentional historic pattern that was the result of redlining and other discriminatory
policies and practices. As the City works to advance priority actions in the Thriving in Place strategy
and create more inclusive communities, attention must be given to ensuring that a diversity of
housing types for all income levels are created and preserved in all neighborhoods, including in areas
with high access to opportunity.
STEPS
1 Implement the RMF-30 code changes in conjunction with other aspects of the Thriving in
Place strategy focused on helping to mitigate displacement impacts and potential loss of existing
affordable housing.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3C
Facilitate Creation of More Diverse Housing Choices
Create More Diverse Housing Choices in All Areas so that people can find housing that
meets their needs in locations that work for them.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 49
PRODUCE
2 Adopt and implement additional middle housing policies and programs as part of the
Housing SLC plan and in conjunction with other Thriving in Place actions to ensure a diversity of
housing types in the city’s supply of affordable housing. This can also include the ADU policies,
tools, and resources described in Strategic Priority 3B.
LEAD Planning Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Housing Stability Division, CAN; Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Building Services
SCHEDULE Steps 1 and 2 are already in motion; completion is anticipated in 2023.
RESOURCES Addressed in existing efforts; new efforts may require additional funding and/or staff
support.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
There are a large number of resources available to help understand, communicate, analyze, and implement
“missing middle” housing, including the missing middle housing website developed by Opticos Design (their
principals literally wrote the book about it). A recent working group convened by the Association of Bay Area
Governments in collaboration with Community Planning Collaborative engaged Opticos Design as well as the
economics firm EcoNorthwest to look specificall y at zoning strategies, affordability strategies and tools for
“myth busting” about middle housing and its impacts.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 50
PRODUCE
PURPOSE Leverage the value of underutilized and surplus City-
owned and other publicly owned properties for affordable
housing and related community-serving uses, ensuring that they
provide for long-term affordability.
CONTEXT There are a variety of city-owned lands as well as lands
owned by other public agencies that could be utilized for
housing, including vacant rights of way, surplus lands, and
underutilized properties that could be developed with a mix of
affordable housing along with other community-serving uses.
These are significantly valuable assets that can be leveraged to
achieve community priorities like affordable housing with or
even without additional public investment.
There are many examples from other communities as well as from Salt Lake City where publicly
owned lands have been repurposed or integrated with housing, including joint developments of
facilities such as libraries, community centers, parks, schools, and even fire stations. The City is
currently in the process of doing such a repurposing of a city -owned property on the Fleet Block, an
8.1-acre property in the Granary District that was previously used for fleet storage and maintenance
that is being rezoned for redevelopment with a mix of uses, including affordable housing.
The Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business is piloting a
Putting Assets to Work Program to work with communities interested in inventorying and
understanding their assets and then develop a plan for leveraging those assets into desired
community outcomes. Related to this work, a study done in 2022 (described in this article)
documented approximately nine square miles of publicly owned land within a five-minute walk of
light rail stations in Salt Lake County and estimated that six square miles of that land would be
feasible for new development—meaning that it was underutilized, on suitable terrain, and had little
community importance (by their determination). Working with the County to utilize even a portion of
these land assets to help meet the region’s need for affordable housing could represent one of the
largest potential investments in affordable housing without needing to raise any new revenues.
STEPS
1 Build a database of City-owned and other public agency properties that could be
prioritized for affordable housing and related community-serving development, working
across departments and with partner agencies to determine which to move forward as near -term
priorities and which might be land-banked for future opportunities. Be certain that identified
properties can be used for housing (some properties have restrictions depending on their funding
source).
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3D
Utilize Publicly Owned Property
Utilize Publicly Owned Property to leverage land assets in support of long-term
affordability and equitable development.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 51
PRODUCE
2 Define the desired development program for priority properties and deve lop
partnerships for implementation through an RFP process or via existing development
relationships. Ensure engagement of community representatives in defining the desired mix of
housing types, income levels to be served, special needs to be met, and non -housing amenities to
incorporate (including but not limited to community green space, supportive services such as
daycare centers or community center space, and affordable retail space).
3 Establish the necessary zoning and other enabling policies to facilitate the desired
development outcome on the prioritized properties.
4 Ensure that publicly owned lands utilized for affordable housing and related
development remain in some form of community ownership and control, like a
Community Land Trust (see Priority 2D), and that structures are in place to ensure the housing
created remains affordable in perpetuity as a community-serving asset.
LEAD Redevelopment Agency (RDA)
PARTNERS Real Estate Services; Planning Division and Housing Stability Division, Department of
Community and Neighborhoods; Salt Lake City Housing Authority; City Attorney’s Office
SCHEDULE Ongoing, with initial priorities identified by June 2024.
RESOURCES Staff and/or consultant time will be needed for Steps 1 and 2. Steps 3 and 4 will require
staff time.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
This Local Housing Solutions website offers many relevant resources for local housing strategies, including a
page focused specifically on the use of publicly owned property for affordable housing. The page provides
guidance for identification and use of publicly owned properties as well as several case studies from
Maryland, Washington State, and Washington, DC.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
In the Puget Sound region of Washington State, the regional transit agency, Sound Transit, is in the process
of planning and building one of the largest infrastructure investments in the State’s history . With
substantial property acquisition needed to build the regional light rail system, the State Legislature
established a requirement for the disposition of surplus lands from the project (i.e., lands acquired to
facilitate construction but then not needed once the light rail is built). The policy is referred to as the 80-
80-80 policy: 80 percent of surplus lands (including air rights) that are suitable for housing must be offered
to qualified entities (local governments, nonprofit developers, and housing authorities) to build housing
where at least 80 percent of the units are affordable to those earning 80 percent of the area median income
or below. The legislature’s action subsequently led Sound Transit’s board and staff to develop and adopt
their Equitable Transit Oriented Development Policy and is already resulting in taxpayer-funded transit
investments helping to create hundreds (and eventually thousands) of new transit-oriented affordable
housing units.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 52
PRODUCE
PURPOSE Create housing that will be affordable in perpetuity , supports lower-cost living, and that is
integrated with needed services.
CONTEXT Depending on how deed-restricted affordable housing units are created and funded, the
term of their affordability restriction may vary from 15 years up to “in perpetuity.” While a minimum
term of 15 years is required for developments utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits, an extended
compliance period of 30 years can be required under the program’s guidelines. Whe n projects also
receive local financial support or other forms of assistance, even longer terms can be required.
Units with any term of deed restriction help to meet Salt Lake City’s affordable housing needs, but
they present a future challenge when deed restrictions expire and the units shift to market rate
rents. While the general logic is that those units will then be older and therefore lower cost than
comparable new units, the experience in many strong market communities is that the expiration of
rent restrictions translates into rent increases and displacement of lower income renters.
To help avoid the future challenge of expiring deed restrictions (and the need for additional public
investment to extend affordability), the City and its partners should prioritize longer deed
restrictions whenever possible, with the aim of having units “affordable in perpetuity.” In practical
terms, this often translates into a 99-year deed restriction or ensuring that long-term ownership and
management of affordable units is under a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to maintaining long-
term affordability.
Additionally, City investments and land donations should prioritize housing developments in areas
that are walkable and with good transit access, so that lower income residents can access
opportunity without having to own a car. And whenever possible , affordable housing should be
integrated with needed services, and developed and managed by partners with a long-term
commitment to supporting tenants. Examples of services that could be integrated with housing
include daycare centers, health clinics, job training centers, arts programs, and community space,
depending on the population being served in the housing development.
STEPS
1 Identify key opportunities for changes to City and partner policies and practices that
can create longer term deed restrictions. This includes maximizing the period of deed
restriction that can be achieved through policies such as the Affordable Housing Incentives
(Priority 3A) and Community Benefit Policy (Priority 2A) as well as requirements for projects that
receive City funding or land contributions (Priority 3D).
2 Work with mission-driven development partners and service providers to identify the
highest areas of need and key opportunities for delivering housing integrated with
support services. This can be advanced as part of the proposed community partnership
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3E
Prioritize Long-Term Affordability , Integrated Services, and
Transit Access
Prioritize Long-Term Affordability, Integration of Support Services, and Access to Transit
and Other Amenities to create stable living environments where lower income families and
residents can thrive.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 53
PRODUCE
program in Strategic Priority 5C as well as in conjunction with the acquisition and rehabilitation
investments of Strategic Priority 2B and the Community Land Trust (2C).
3 Incorporate identified priorities in Notices of Funding Availability and Requests for
Proposals in City and Redevelopment Agency funding and land development
opportunities. Identified priorities could also be connected to potential agreements developed
as part of Priorities 2B and 3A, through which developers could acquire and deed -restrict
unsubsidized housing (or currently subsidized housing with expiring deed restrictions) in return
for an increase in development capacity on another property.
LEAD Redevelopment Agency (RDA)
PARTNERS Planning Division and Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and
Neighborhoods; Housing Authority of Salt Lake City; Economic Development Department
(including the Arts Council)
SCHEDULE Ongoing
RESOURCES This is more focused on how existing resources are applied. However, expanding
investment in long-term affordability will require additional resources (both funding and
staffing): see Strategic Priority 4A and Attachment A.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The Grounded Solutions Network provides guidance on affordability preservation and various mechanisms—
deed restrictions, covenants, ground leases —for achieving it in both rental and homeownership affordability
programs. They also provide case studies, more information on why long-term affordability matters, and
examples of different approaches for shared equity resale formulas.
Photo via Grounded Solutions Network
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 54
EXPAND FUNDING
PURPOSE Ensure that the City and its partners have the resources needed to implement the Thriving
in Place strategy.
CONTEXT Many of the actions outlined in the Thriving in Place strategy will require financial and
other resources for implementation. While some of the desired outcomes can be achieved by working
or investing differently, others will require reprioritization of existing resources (budget, staffing,
work plans), working with partners to leverage each other’s resources, and additional funding to
support investments and staffing.
The City is fortunate to have a strong base on which to build, including funds generated through the
Redevelopment Agency’s Project Areas and via the Funding Our Future sales tax. Some of these
resources are managed via the Redevelopment Agency’s Housing Development Loan Program while
others flow through various programs focused on delivering assistance or other services to those in
need (managed by the Housing Stability Division in the Department of Community and Neighborhoods
and others, often channeled through community partners who are contracted to do service delivery
through competitive bidding processes).
City staff estimate an average of $13 million has been invested annually in recent years by the City
to support affordable housing (for development, acquisition, and rehabilitation) and $6.5 million a
year has been spent on rental assistance and tenant support services (about $2.5 million from
Funding Our Future sales tax proceeds and about $4 million from federal entitlement funds , not
including pandemic-related federal funds like Emergency Rental Assistance). However, additional
funding will be needed to advance the Thriving in Place strategies. While new federal funds that are
anticipated from recent legislation as well as new state funding opportunities, additional City
investment will be needed. See the Two-Year Action Plan in Attachment A.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4A
Develop New Funding / Leverage Existing Resources
Develop New Funding Sources and Leverage Existing Resources to better meet the level
of need in supporting tenants at-risk of displacement and expanding the supply of deed-
restricted affordable housing.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 55
EXPAND FUNDING
STEPS
1 Convene a City working group to review current and potential funding sources to
support implementation of Thriving in Place priorities as well as Housing SLC
implementation.
2 Evaluate options for new or expanded revenue sources that could create substantial and
ongoing funding for affordable housing and anti-displacement programs. Some of these options
will require additional research to determine viability, and all of them should be evaluated to
determine their relative strengths, including:
• Political viability – can it be structured to work within the state’s legal frameworks and
garner support from City Council and the community?
• Relevance – does it capture revenue from activities that are contributing to the community’s
displacement and affordability challenges?
• Fairness – does it distribute costs in a fair and equitable manner, such that no one person or
group is over-burdened,
• Equity - does it help reduce inequity when considering where the costs will apply and where
the benefits will flow?
• Return on investment – does the amount of revenue that could be generated justify the
effort needed to put it in place and manage it over time?
• Longevity and resilience – does it create a long-term funding stream, and will it withstand
fluctuating market conditions? Ideally, at least part of the City’s funding stream should
generate revenue to invest in affordable housing when the development market is down and
costs are lower.
• Scale of impact – does it create enough revenue to make a difference?
Not all options need to perform high on every factor, but together the mix of funding sources
should position the City to have the desired impact even (or especially) during economic
downturns.
Options to consider and evaluate include a potential new tax on short-term rentals; an additional
increment to the City’s transient occupancy tax (temporary lodging tax); a vacant property tax or
fee; and/or an affordable housing bond measure. Determination of funding needs should also
factor in projected in-lieu fees paid by developers as part of the proposed Community Benefit
Policy’s implementation.
3 Leverage potential contributions from new development through expanded incentives
programs and community benefit linkages, recognizing that policies which create expanded
development capacity are generating significant wealth, a portion of which can be channeled to
help meet the community’s affordable housing needs.
4 Pursue state, federal and philanthropic resources in collaboration with key partners,
including funds focused on energy efficiency and transit-oriented development that can be
targeted to affordable housing.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 56
EXPAND FUNDING
5 Work closely with partners to coordinate investments, pursue funding opportunities
and leverage each other’s resources. For example combining funds to acquire key
properties; jointly pursuing grant opportunities, or partnering to create new affordable housing
on city-owned lands.
6 Ensure strong and transparent management of City funds and investments, including
funds invested in and through the Redevelopment Authority’s Housing Development Fund,
Community Land Trust and other mechanisms. Ensure alignment and coordination between these
different mechanisms via the work of the City Implementation Team.
LEAD City Implementation Team (see Priority 5A)
PARTNERS Salt Lake City Housing Authority plus community and regional partners
SCHEDULE Evaluate and prioritize long-term funding options by December 2023; implement in
2024/25.
RESOURCES See overview of resource needs in Attachment A.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
In 2019 nearly 80 percent of voters in Durham,
NC voted in favor of a $95 million bond
referendum to fund the City’s Affordable
Housing Bond Investment Plan. The bond’s
principal and interest would be paid back by a
1.6 cents per $100 of assessed value, which
would translate into about $37 a year for a the
City’s median assessed home value of
$229,266. Based on the City’s plan and
comprehensive housing strategy, the bond
funds would be would bring in approximately
$443 million in additional capital and $130
million in contracting opportunities while
creating 1600 new deed-restricted affordable
housing units, preserving 800 affordable rental
units, supporting 400 first-time homeowners,
transitioning 1700 homeless households into
permanent housing, and stabilizi ng 3000 low-
income renters. Durham’s story and other case
studies can be found on the Local Housing
Solutions website.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 57
EXPAND FUNDING
PURPOSE Agree on key indicators for tracking displacement work and ensure efficient and workable
systems are in place to collect needed data and provide regular reports.
CONTEXT Success of the Thriving in Place strategy relies on having reliable, shared, and easily
accessible data to track progress, inform policy development, and make it possible to course -correct
as needed as conditions change. This action is focused on establishing key metrics to track conditions
over time and ensuring that investment is made in devel oping the necessary data systems.
Phase One of Thriving in Place documented the extent of displacement in Salt Lake City as well as its
community impacts, providing data that informed important conversations about how best to
respond to the challenges of displacement. That data shaped this strategy. While undertaking a year-
long study and engagement process was important, the strategy going forward needs to be more
nimble. Key parts of the strategy are focused on ensuring structures for ongoing dialogue and
partnership (all of the actions in Goal 5) and on setting up better systems to track key data metrics.
Page 59 provides a draft of key indicators for tracking displacement and potential sources for
collecting the needed data. This can serve as a starting point for developing a web -based dashboard,
overseen by the City Implementation Team (Priority 5A) and Anti-Displacement Coalition (Priority 5B)
as part of their work to track and report on progress and identify new and emerging needs.
STEPS
1 Refine the list of displacement indicators that the City team will track and report on,
using the list on page 59 as a starting point. Ensure that the list is robust enough to provide a
meaningful understanding of progress as well as current and emerging trends, and tha t it is as
streamlined as possible to make the data collection a manageable task. This work should be led
by the City Implementation Team (Priority 5A) and reviewed, refined and confirmed with
members of the Anti-Displacement Coalition (Priority 5B).
2 Develop manageable systems for collecting the needed data, automating it as much as
possible and drawing upon existing, easily available data even if it’s “close but not perfect.”
3 Develop a web-based dashboard for reporting the latest data on each indicator and
provide an annual report to Council and the community in conjunction with recommendations
on next-up action priorities, policy or program revisions, and annual budget needs to support
continued progress.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4B
Define Displacement Indicators + Develop Data Systems
Define Indicators to Track Displacement and Develop Systems to Track Progress to better
know where and how the City’s anti-displacement policies and actions are working.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 58
EXPAND FUNDING
TRACKING PROGRESS ON THRIVING IN PLACE: DRAFT LIST OF INDICATORS
Tracking key indicators of displacement and affordability help measure progress. They also help
inform course corrections and the evolution of policies and practices that can more effectively
create a community where all residents can stay and thrive even as the city grows. As always,
striking the right balance is key: knowing enough to inform and shape meaningful action while
prioritizing resources for actually doing something about the issues being highlighted.
Following is a draft list of indicators and data sources for tracking progress on implementation of
Thriving in Place. These will be reviewed and vetted by the City Implementation Team (Priority 5A)
and members of the Anti-Displacement Coalition (Priority 5B) to ensure a robust but streamlined
approach to measuring progress, with the aim of informing effective action and refinement of key
policies and practices.
LEAD Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Business Licensing, Department of Finance; Planning Division, CAN; Building Services;
Information Management Services
SCHEDULE Develop systems and launch initial reporting by March 2024.
RESOURCES Will require funding for initial data systems / dashboard development plus ongoing
staffing to update and report out on data on a regular basis.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
The City of Seattle has been one of the fastest growing large cities in the US over the past decade, with
significant increases in rents and home prices driving unprecedented neighborhood change and displacement.
These impacts have been particularly profound for communities of co lor, who have faced extremely high
rates of displacement in the city’s historically Black and immigrant neighborhoo ds.
In response the City undertook a number of actions, including an analysis of its growth strategy in
conjunction with an update to its Comprehensive Plan, Seattle 2035. The resulting report, Growth and
Equity: Analyzing Impacts on Displacement and Opportunity Related to Seattle’s Growth Strategy , was
developed in conjunction with the City’s first Equitable Development Implementation Plan in 2016 and
launch of the City’s Equitable Development Initiative. A more recent (May 2021) analysis revisits the 2016
analysis in preparation for the City’s Comprehensive Plan update currently in process.
As directed by the 2016 plan, the City subsequently developed the Equitable Development Monitoring
Program, leading to the September 2020 Community Indicators Report and the Displacement Risk
Indicators Dashboard. That webpage tracks nine displacement metrics across three types of displacement,
with the data sources for each indicator identifi ed along with the ability for any user to access the data via
the City’s open data platform.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 59
EXPAND FUNDING
THRIVING IN PLACE INDICATORS
Indicator Purpose Data Sources
NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION AND INCLUSION
• % change in households by income, by neighborhood
(including by race and by owner/renter)
• Is the trend of lower income household displacement being
stopped and/or reversed?
• Is neighborhood diversity and inclusion being advanced?
US Census American
Community Survey
HOUSING COST BURDEN
• By race/ethnicity (owner/renter)
• % renters that are cost burdened
• % renters severely cost burdened
• % owners that are cost burdened
• % owners severely cost burdened
• Map by area
• Is the incidence of people overpaying for housing being
reduced?
US Census American
Community Survey
AFFORDABILITY + AVAILABILITY OF RENTAL UNITS
• Average and median rents by age of unit,
size and location
• # + % of renter households by income
• # + % of rental units by rent bracket
• Ratio of affordable units to households
• Approx. % of rental units licensed
• Approx. # of short-term rentals
• Map by area
• Are the supply and cost of rental units being more
responsive to the community's needs?
US Census American
Community Survey
Business Licensing
TENANT ASSISTANCE
• No. of households that received Tenant
Relocation Assistance
• No. of households that received rent
assistance (one time and ongoing)
• No. of households that received legal
and/or mediation services
• Requests for assistance unmet due to
lack of resources
• Map by area to extent possible
• Are renter households at-risk of displacement receiving
support to help them remain in place or find alternative
housing?
Housing Stability Division
DIRECT DISPLACEMENT
• No. of evictions
• No. of foreclosures
• Map by area
• No. of units lost to new development + No. of units
created on the same sites, by level of affordability
• Is the incidence of households being directly displaced by
eviction, foreclosure, and/or demolition being reduced?
• Are the affordable units being lost to development being
replaced?
UT Courts Eviction Filings
Salt Lake County Recorder
(Foreclosures)
Building Services Division
HOUSING PRODUCTION + CHOICE
• Total no. of housing units by type,
tenure, size, and location
• Construction permits for new housing
units (no., type, + location)
• % increase by type, tenure, size and
location
• Map by area
• Is new housing development (existing and pipeline) helping
to create more diverse housing options throughout the city
(are we losing diversity, gaining diversity, or holding
steady)?
Building Services Division
DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES
• No. of developments that opted in for
Affordable Housing Incentives
• No. of AHI units created by type, size and AMI
• No. of development proposals subject to the
Community Benefit Policy
• No. of CBP units created or
preserved by type, size, and AMI +
amt of in-lieu fees
• Map by area
• Are developers being responsive to the affordable housing
incentives available to them?
• Are the incentives helping to achieve affordable housing
goals?
• Is the Community Benefit Policy serving as an effective tool
for mitigating the loss of affordable units?
Planning Division
DEED-RESTRICTED UNITS
• No. of deed-restricted units by tenure, size, AMI, and length of restriction
• No. of pipeline units by tenure, size, AMI, and length of restriction
• % of housing stock under long-term affordability restrictions
• No. of households placed in deed-restricted units using the Displaced Tenants
Preference Policy
• Waiting lists for deed-restricted units
• Map by area
• Is the supply of deed-restricted housing in the city
expanding and better meeting the level of need?
• Is the goal of increasing the number of units affordable “in
perpetuity” being achieved?
• Are deed-restricted units being dispersed throughout the
community?
Housing Stability Division
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 60
EXPAND FUNDING
PURPOSE Ensure that deed-restricted units are managed in accordance with their established
requirements and fair housing laws, and that they are maintained as long -term, high-quality
community assets
CONTEXT Many of the actions in the Thriving in Place strategy and current City work efforts and
investments will create hundreds (hopefully thousands) of new affordable housing units in Salt Lake
City. Some of these units will be scattered among new market-rate developments with differing
lengths of deed restriction and affordability requirements. Other units will be in 100 percent
affordable rental buildings managed by mission-driven nonprofits, but also with differing lengths of
restriction and levels of affordability, and sometimes intended for specific populations (e.g., seniors,
families, or people with disabilities). Some will be single
family homes or townhomes for income-qualified
homeowners that also will have specific requirements
attached to them.
Effectively managing these units will require that the
City grow its housing management capacity —internally,
with key partners, and potentially with contractors—to
ensure compliance with each development’s and unit’s
established requirements, consistency with fair housing
laws to ensure nondiscrimination, and maintenance of
the long-term quality and affordability of these valuable
community assets. This will likely include, for example:
training for staff across multiple divisions to ensure that
development agreements and affordability covenants are
properly written and archived, data and management
systems to track assets and affordability requirements, training and systems for property managers
to certify the income qualifications of tenants and owners, procedures for ongoing compliance
checks and enforcement actions, and more.
STEPS
1 Convene a working group to review current capacities, identify gaps, and define a
shared vision for how deed-restricted units are managed to inform development of both a l ong-
term strategy and near -term actions to move toward the vision, including staffing needs, system
needs, budget needs, and organizational structure and practices.
2 Ensure consistency in how deed restrictions are written to help clarify management
practices and facilitate implementation and enforcement.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4C
Strengthen the City’s Capacity to Enforce Deed-Restricted Housing
Commitments
Develop Capacity to Enforce Deed-Restricted Housing Commitments to ensure that
agreements are upheld, maintain quality and affordability, and meet fair housing
requirements.
Photo of deed restricted affordable housing via Park City, UT
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 61
EXPAND FUNDING
3 Determine City and partner roles and where the management of deed -restricted units should
be located within the City organization.
4 Regularly report on the status of deed-restricted units, ensuring at a minimum that the
metrics established through the Displacement Indicators (Priority 4B) are tracked and reported on
a regular basis and available via the Displacement Indicators Dashboard.
LEAD Housing Stability Division, Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Redevelopment Agency (RDA); City Attorney’s Office; Planning Division, CAN; Building
Services; Business Licensing, Department of Finance
SCHEDULE Identify near-term capacity-building priorities by December 2023.
RESOURCES Will require staff time and potentially consultant support to develop management
strategy plus funding for ongoing staffing (City staff or community partner) to oversee.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation, or LISC, provides a resource library that includes white papers and
case studies related to affordable housing management, among many other topics. A couple key resources
include their Scattered Site Single-Family Rental Property Management Guide and Against All Odds: The
Business of Managing Affordable Housing.
There are also national organizations and networks focused on supporting governments, nonprofits, and
private sector groups engaged in affordable housing management. These include the Affordable Housing
Professional Certificate Program from NeighborWorks America, the National Affordable Housing
Management Association, which provides training and other resources and includes a Rocky Mountain
Heartland chapter, and the National Center for Housing Management, established in 1972 by an Executive
Order of President Nixon to help meet the country’s housing management and training needs .
Photo of deed restricted affordable housing via Park City, UT
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 62
PARTNER + COLLABORATE
PURPOSE Ensure clarity on departmental and division roles and responsibilities for implementation of
Thriving in Place, and an ongoing structure and process for coordination, oversight, and course
corrections to support success.
CONTEXT Achieving the priority actions of Thriving in Place will be a significant undertaking,
requiring ongoing coordination, engagement, resources, decision making, and problem solving. It is
critical that everyone knows who “owns” implementation of the strategy and its various components,
and that those charged with its ownership are empowered to convene, facilitate, delegate, and act.
STEPS
1 Review and finalize the list of core and on-call team members for the implementation
team and secure the buy-in of leadership and participation of key staff.
2 Convene key leadership and staff of the Implementation Team’s members to articulate and
agree on the team’s purpose, authorities, roles and responsibilities, operating agree ments,
meeting schedule, budget needs, and decision making framework, including how conflicts will be
resolved. Determine who will be responsible for convening and coordinating the team’s work.
3 Develop a Team Charter, summarizing all of the information from Step 2, and have it signed
by department directors to ensure clarity and agreement. Revisit and update the charter on at
least an annual basis to ensure it remains a relevant and useful tool.
4 Commit to an initial two-year pilot period for the team, with continuation and changes to
the team’s membership and Charter in response to lessons learned, achievements, and emerging
needs.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 5A
Form a City Implementation Team
Form a City Implementation Team to oversee and coordinate implementation of the
priority actions in the Thriving in Place strategy, monitor progress, engage partners, and
identify needed updates and next steps.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
LEAD Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Core: Housing Stability Division, CAN; Planning Division, CAN; Building Services;
Redevelopment Agency (RDA); Civic Engagement; Business Licensing, Department of
Finance
On Call: City Attorney’s Office; Economic Development (including the Arts Council);
Parks and Public Lands; Public Services; Public Utilities; Sustainability; Transportation;
Youth and Family Services
SCHEDULE Form team by June 2023.
RESOURCES Will require prioritization of existing staff’s time on the Implementation Team and a
lead staff person for the effort.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 63
PARTNER + COLLABORATE
PURPOSE Provide a regular platform for communication, coordination, and collaboration across the
key agencies and organizations working on displacement -related issues, projects, and programs in
Salt Lake City and across the region.
CONTEXT Effective action to address displacement and stabilize neighborhoods takes time,
coordination, and persistence. The City is one part of a regional ecosystem that needs to work
closely together to achieve goals related to housing affordability and neighborhood stabilization. This
ecosystem includes other governmental agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, research
centers, private sector developers, financers, and others. During the community engagement
process, multiple stakeholders identified the need for the agencies and ind ividuals working on
displacement issues to meet regularly to share information, coordinate action, problem -solve, and
build trust. Many also pointed to the regional nature of the housing affordability challenge, and the
need for engaging with regional partners to identify shared priorities for action.
STEPS
1 Identify groups and individuals to include in an initial meeting of the proposed Anti-
Displacement Coalition, ensuring representation from key governmental partners, nonprofits,
service providers, tenant groups, and those involved with developing and managing affordable
housing and related facilities and services in Salt Lake City and the region.
2 Extend an invitation to participate in a launch meeting of the Coalition.
3 Host a launch meeting to engage the group in defining the group’s purpose, membership,
frequency of meetings, agenda-setting, coordination/facilitation, and potential priorities for
their first year. Use as an opportunity to share the Thriving in Place priorities and identify near -
term priorities for coordination and collaboration. Identify a chair or co -chairs to serve as the
group’s lead conveners and to work with staff in developing the Coalition’s meeting agendas.
4 Establish a regular meeting schedule based on the outcome of Step 3 and provide staff and
facilitation support as needed, working with the chair or co -chairs to develop agendas,
coordinate meeting preparation, facilitate, take notes, and follow up on key a ction items.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 5B
Work with Partners to Form a Regional Anti-Displacement Coalition
Work with regional partners to convene a Wasatch Front Anti-Displacement Coalition as
an ongoing platform for cross-agency and cross-sector discussion and collaboration on priority
actions, tracking of progress, collective problem solving, and responding to emerging issues and
challenges.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
LEAD City Implementation Team (see Priority 5A)
PARTNERS TBD
SCHEDULE Convene group and have first meeting in fourth quarter of 2023.
RESOURCES Will require at least a portion of a staff person’s time to coordinate outreach and
communications, manage logistics, prepare meeting information, and follow up.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 64
PARTNER + COLLABORATE
PURPOSE Establish an ongoing interdepartmental structure and process for meeting regularly with
community representatives in areas experiencing the highest displacement risk to share and discuss
the City’s work efforts, identify new and emerging needs, and partner on priority actions.
CONTEXT Communities facing the brunt of displacement experience its impacts in “real time.” While
studies and engagement to develop a strategy like Thriving in Place have value in ensuring that
actions are driven by data, they also take time. Developing strong ongoing partnerships are essential
to ensuring ongoing communication and alignment, allowing implementation work to respond more
nimbly to changing realities, new challenges, and emerging opportunities.
In addition, City-led work efforts are often very department-specific, while effectively countering
the forces and challenges of displacement require holistic, well-coordinated cross-departmental and
cross-sectoral action. At a minimum, all of the relevant departments as well as community partners
and other agencies need to be aware of what everyone else is working on, enabling them to
coordinate and leverage efforts and investments whenever possible.
The focus of this action is on ensuring a structure and process for place -based partnership that can
support better coordination on anti-displacement efforts in Salt Lake City’s most impacted
neighborhoods, with an initial focus on the Westside and in the Ballpark/Central City/Liberty Wells
area. This work can build upon valuable structures already in place or being developed, like the
Redevelopment Agency’s Westside Community Initiative, the University of Utah’s University
Neighborhood Partners program, and the My Hometown Initiative (a volunteer-led, interfaith
initiative already operating in Poplar Grove and Rose Park, based on the program model in West
Valley City).
While communication and coordination are key, a true partnership also creates opportunities for
collaboration and co-creation, leveraging actions and investments by working together and co -
investing to maximize impact.
STEPS
1 Convene key stakeholders and draft the partnership’s charter, bringing together
departmental and division representatives as well as community stakeholder representatives —to
define the purpose, membership, structure, staffing, and operating agreements of t he
partnership. Consider establishing the partnership for an initial two -year period, subject to
extension by mutual agreement of all involved.
2 Define the partnership’s goals, priority actions, and measures of success, building off
priorities already in place from City capital investment plans and key partner agencies, and
identifying opportunities to coordinate and leverage actions and investments as well as to
identify what’s missing. Clarify immediate/near-term priorities for coordination and mid - or long-
term priorities that might take additional time for planning, budgeting and fundraising.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 5C
Launch an Ongoing Community Partnership to Coordinate Action
Partner with Impacted Communities to Coordinate Action and Investment to preserve
affordability and counter displacement.
★ NEAR-TERM PRIORITY
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 65
PARTNER + COLLABORATE
3 Coordinate community engagement via the partnership whenever possible to avoid the
“participation fatigue” that is prevalent in the current project-by-project approach to community
outreach and input, while recognizing that some City policy projects or processes (such as private
petitions) have defined schedules that must be adhered to.
4 Provide an annual report to Council and the community on the partnership’s work,
highlighting accomplishments, identifying upcoming priorities, and providing an opportunity for
reflection on what is working, what is not working, and how the partners hip could be
strengthened.
LEAD Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN) with Mayor’s Office and Civic
Engagement Team
PARTNERS Planning Division, CAN; Housing Stability Division, CAN; Redevelopment Agency (RDA);
Economic Development (including the Arts Council); Parks and Public Land;
Sustainability; Public Services; Public Utilities; Transportation; and community partners
SCHEDULE Launch partnership by December 2023.
RESOURCES Will need staffing for a lead convener/facilitator as well as commitment of staff time
for each participating department. Ideally will also have budget set-aside for smaller
community-defined project initiatives that can leverage other resources in addition to
the major capital projects that will be coordinated with and through the partnership.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Seattle’s South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods have
some of the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods and
populations when it comes to displacement pressures,
environmental impacts, racial inequities, and risks
associated with climate change. In 2015/2016, a
combination of major initiatives and investments in
addition to several community assessments and planning
efforts led the City to launch a new multi-department
community partnership initiative to “work differently” in
planning and delivering multi-benefit outcomes through
City investments and other activities.
The resulting Duwamish Valley Program was jointly led by the City’s Department of Environment and Office
of Planning and Community Development with members from multiple City departments as well as King
County, the Army Corps of Engineers, and multiple community groups. The program’s prioriti es and action
plan work together as an environmental justice, equitable development, and anti -displacement strategy. As
of 2021 the partnership was focusing on advancing their goals through a Resilience District concept and had
achieved a number of hard-won victories in pairing investments in parks and affordable housing with efforts
to address flooding and other environmental issues—all through a strong ongoing community partnership
model.
Seattle’s Mayor with Duwamish Youth Corps at Earth Day celebration of
Duwamish Alive! Photo by Alberto Rodríguez
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 66
ADVOCATE
PURPOSE Continue to ensure that Salt Lake City’s priorities are supported and advanced in state
legislation, working with regional and state partners to achieve changes in state law as well as
commitments of state funding that help counter displacement, stabilize neighborhoods, and create
long-term affordability.
CONTEXT A number of actions that could be taken and are used in cities in other states to help
stabilize neighborhoods are not possible in Salt Lake City due to e xisting state laws that prohibit or
limit potential local policies and actions. During the Thriving in Place community and stakeholder
engagement processes, the issue of state preemption was raised repeatedly along with the
perception that the state legislature is overwhelmingly pro-landlord and that even small
improvements in tenant rights would be hard to win.
At the same time, the state has been increasingly concerned about housing affordability statewide,
with increases in funding for affordable housing development and to address homelessness as well as
passage of legislation like Senate Bill 174, House Bill 364, and House Bill 406 in the last legislative
session, all of which focus on streamlining housing appr ovals and making development more
predictable.
While alignment on housing affordability poli cies and funding holds significant promise, it will be
important to keep working on changes that can better support tenants to avoid eviction from rising
rents and to preserve existing affordable housing. It will also continue to be important to help
community members understand the limits on City action from state preemption and how they can
help lobby for change.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 6A
Tenant Rights and Affordable Housing at the State Level
Work to Advance Tenant Rights and Affordable Housing at the State Level to remove state
preemption obstacles where possible, develop a stronger state -level policy framework for countering
displacement, and expand resources committed to housing affordabilit y and neighborhood
stabilization.
Photo by Michael Hart on Unsplash
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 67
ADVOCATE
STEPS
1 Work with the City Council, City Implementation Team, Anti-Displacement Coalition,
and other partners to identify priority policy initiatives for each legislative session
that can help support and advance the City’s anti -displacement work.
2 Collaborate with state agency partners to facilitate the delivery of investments, projects
and programs in Salt Lake City that help to advance the priori ties of Thriving in Place and Housing
SLC.
3 Partner with other agencies and community partners to pursue state resources that
can preserve housing, support tenants, build new affordable and transitional housing, provide
supportive services, and advance other priorities.
4 Report back to the community and adjust City policies and programs as changes in
state law occur and new opportunities emerge.
LEAD Department of Community and Neighborhoods (CAN)
PARTNERS Mayor's Office; City Attorney’s Office; Council Office; and partners
SCHEDULE Annually
RESOURCES Utilizes existing staffing; additional funding or staffing may be identified as -needed.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Like the Utah Housing Coalition, Housing Colorado is a member organization that advocates for state law
changes, supports professional development, and provides technical assistance for Colorado’s affordable
housing community. While the political cultures of Utah and Colorado differ, they share a border, a similar
geography, and a very similar set of affordable housing challenges. Ongoing exchange between these sibling
networks as well as between similar groups in other states can provide valuable learning and the opportunity
to shape more effective advocacy and action.
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displacement Strategy 68
ATTACHMENT A:
TWO-YEAR ACTION PLAN
THRIVING IN PLACE SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake City’s Anti -Displa cement Strategy 69
TWO-YEAR ACTION PLAN Key Steps Toward Implementing Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy
Implementation of Thriving in Place will require staff time, increased and redirected investment, new forms of partnership, nimbleness, hard work, and persistence. Adoption of the strategy isn’t the end of the work, it is the beginning.
Form Action Teams
There’s a lot to do, and it can’t all happen at once—even for the near-term
priorities. Critical first steps toward effective implementation include:
u Form the City Implementation Team (5A) and ensure it is adequately staffed
and resourced. Create the team in conjunction with the plan’s adoption. It will
be the main coordinating body for implementation of Thriving in Place, and will
form the action teams listed below, bringing in additional partners as necessary.
This team will also update and refine the action plan and overall strategy as
necessary in response to new information and emerging challenges.
u Organize Action Teams of Key Staff and Partners to lead groupings of near-
term priorities. See “Commit Needed Resources” for specific resource needs to
support the teams’ work. Actions highlighted in bold are part of the package of
actions to replace the Housing Loss Mitigation Ordinance.
TENANT SUPPORT TEAM
This team will lead the near-term priorities focused on
better supporting tenants facing displacement:
§ Develop Tenant Relocation Assistance Program (1A)
§ Adopt a Displaced Tenants Preference Policy (1B)
§ Improve / Expand Tenant Resources and Services (1C)
§ Create the Tenant Resource Center and Navigation
Service (1D)
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TEAM
This team will expand affordable housing opportunities
through City investments and partnerships:
§ Help Tenants Become Owners (1E)
§ Acquire and Rehabilitate Unsubsidized Housing (2B)
§ Invest in Community Land Trust Models (2C)
§ Make ADUs Easier and Less Expensive (3B)
§ Utilize Publicly Owned Property (3D)
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT POLICY TEAM
This team will put in place the tools to track progress and
policies to incentivize preservation and creation of
affordable housing:
§ Adopt a Community Benefit Policy (2A)
§ Adopt the Affordable Housing Incentives Policy (3A).
§ Define Indicators to Track Displacement and Develop
Data Systems to Track Progress (4B)
Commit Resources
Some priorities can be advanced by repurposing existing resources, but more
investment will be needed. Exact figures will be determined through the budget
process. Here is an overview of where resources will be needed in the near term:
u Partnership staff and resources for the the City Implementation Team (5A),
Regional Anti-Displacement Coalition (5B) and Community Partnership (5C).
u Consultant support to develop the data and reporting mechanisms for tracking
progress (4B), complete the in-lieu fee study for the Community Benefit Policy
(2B), and support implementation of the Affordable Housing Incentives Policy.
u Tenant support funding for Tenant Relocation Assistance (1A) and expanded
services (1C, 1D).
u Development funding to increase near-term investment in affordable housing,
including acquisition/rehab (2B), helping tenants become owners (1E), and
Community Land Trusts (2C). These areas of investment will be the primary
focus for developing new funding sources (4A).
Prioritize Partnership
Thriving in Place was developed in partnership with those who are experiencing
and working daily to counter the impacts of displacement in the community.
Successful action will require continued investment of time and resources in
those partnerships as well as continued listening, collective problem solving, and
relationship building.
u Work with partners to create a Regional Anti-Displacement Coalition (5B) and
identify key priorities that the group can work on together in addition to serving
as a sounding board for City-led actions and platform for regional collaboration.
This will require staff time and budget.
u Organize and launch the Community Partnership (5C) with key representatives
from the Westside, Ballpark, Central City and Liberty Wells neighborhoods. This
will require a staff lead as well as set-aside funds to support action on
community-defined priorities in addition to coordinating on City-led initiat
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: prioritize tenant protections / partner with those most impacted / increase housing everywhere / focus on affordability / build an eco-system for action
The table at left
identifies the lead,
resource needs, and
timing for each near-
term action priority.
For resource needs:
$ = less than $200k
$$ = $200k - $1m
$$$ = $1m - $5m
$$$$ = more than $5m