UTAH COUNTY GENERAL PLAN CHAPTER 2: MODERATE INCOME HOUSING ELEMENT Utah Code Annotated, 1953, as amended, requires each county of the State of Utah to adopt a plan for moderate income housing. After adoption of the plan, the county legislative body with a population of over 25,000 is required to prepare a biennial review and report of its findings. Moderate Income Housing Element and its implementation The key policy of the county’s general plan is for all types of housing to be directed into the incorporated municipalities that can provide adequate governmental infrastructure, public health, emergency services and private community services. This policy is based on the premise that a valid evaluation of housing quality is not solely a look at the structure itself, but also includes a look at the adequacy of supportive services available to householders. This key policy is still in effect. Notwithstanding the above policy, the unincorporated area has its certain economic pursuits, such as agriculture, transportation, and mining; each requiring housing to serve those involved. It continues to be a policy of the county to have a fair share of its housing to be considered affordable housing. Proposed programs Farm Labor Housing. The pre-eminence of agriculture as a land use in the unincorporated area of Utah County is acknowledged. It identifies a need for unincorporated county farm labor housing. This need is for both those farm laborers hired to work year round and those who are hired on a seasonal basis during periods of harvest. The Utah County Land Use Ordinance allows for such housing, requiring the farm owner to be the provider. On Site Housing for Caretakers of Agriculture and Commercial/Industrial Business Sites. Many of the businesses and industrial establishments in the unincorporated area are relatively remote from police, fire and other essential emergency services. The Moderate Income Housing element proposes that housing for caretaker personnel continue to be made available through the land use ordinance. Efforts made by Utah County to reduce, mitigate, or eliminate local regulatory barriers to Moderate Income Housing The two zones best suited to accommodate moderate income housing, the RR-5 and TR-5 zones, contain enough land for 18,352 dwelling units at a rate of four units per acre (although a density of six to eight units per acre can be allowed for planned unit developments or mobile home courts). The 2000 Census states that the unincorporated portion of Utah County has 3.59 persons per household, down from 3.86 in 1990. That number is projected to remain nearly constant over the next five years. That would mean that these areas could sustain a population of 65,884 people at 3.59 persons per household. The population for unincorporated Utah County was 11,164 for the year 2000 and is projected to be 9,443 by the year 2010. If all 11,164 persons lived in the RR-5 and TR-5 zones, only 11% of the capacity of these two residential zone districts would be utilized. The amount of land zoned for housing is not found to be the critical factor which limits moderate income housing. The lack of public facilities and other services needed for development, and the cost of installing or providing such facilities and services, are the more critical factors. Actions taken by Utah County to encourage the preservation of existing Moderate Income Housing and the development of new Moderate Income Housing Preservation. Typical housing economies are such that those with higher incomes are the ones who construct new homes; those with modest incomes “move up” to the units vacated by those who have built the new homes; and those with still lower incomes move up to the homes vacated by the second-tier income individuals. New units are seldom available to lower-income households without the availability of government subsidies. Toward Lower Cost Development. Utah County continues with the following programs which tend to encourage the development of new moderate income housing units: 1. Sponsorship of the Utah County Housing Authority. 2. Policy of having a low property tax rate (which lowers monthly escrow fees for home loans). 3. Policy of having no impact fees. 4. Prohibits by accounting procedures the placement of any portion of the building permit fees into the general funds, cutting the permit fees to a level that meets just the costs of providing the permit and building inspections. 5. Publishes a building permit checklist to speed up the plan approval process. 6. Maintains the zoning and subdivision provisions on-line so developers can eliminate frequent trips to the office for regulatory information thus speeding up the approval process. 7. Policy of single approval, rather than the preliminary and final approval for subdivisions, thus speeding up the approval process. 8. Program of holding pre-application conferences between the developer, the Community Development Department, and other agencies involved in the subdivision plat approval process to eliminate potential delaying conflicts. 9. Provision to not require curb, gutter and sidewalks, and use drainage swales in many situations. 10. Provision for planned unit developments which allow clusters with greater densities than conventional subdivisions and lower land costs per unit. 11. Maintains the county’s participation in the national flood insurance program to reduce flood insurance costs to the homeowner. 12. Allow manufactured homes as an alternative to site-built homes. Projects. The Utah County Housing Authority has a number of on-going projects and programs to meet the housing needs of low and moderate income people. The areas served include both the incorporated and unincorporated portions of Utah County and involve a Utah County share of federal funding, as well as a municipal share. The projects and programs include: 1. The Rental Assistance Program provides rental subsidies to low-income families and elderly people who live in privately-owned housing units throughout Utah County. The family pays no more than 30% of their income to the landlord, and the Utah County Housing Authority pays the balance. 2. Family Self Sufficiency Program where financial training and counseling is provided, along with an escrow of the subsidized portion of rent monies. Although in the past the money held in escrow could be used to match Olene Walker Trust Fund money to purchase a residence, the State of Utah no longer permits this. 3. The Loan-to-Own Program for the unincorporated area and the municipalities other than Provo and Orem. Home buyers can obtain a government grant of up to $7,000 for money to apply as a down payment on a home mortgage. There is a limit on the purchase price of the home relative to which homes can qualify for this program. 4. Public Housing Program provides rental housing to handicapped, disabled and low- income families. 5. The Willow Cove Project provides housing for abused women and children. 6. Home Improvement Loans provide low interest loans for qualifying households owning homes that need repair. 7. The Weatherization Assistance Program provides funding to insulate, caulk, repair windows, install weather strips, repair or replace furnaces, and take other steps to reduce heating costs to lower income households. 8. The Utah County Housing Authority administers HUD Section 8 rental assistance to individuals and families at or below 50% of the area median income. 9. The Carillon Court project of the Utah County Housing Authority provides 16 elderly housing units in Orem. 10. The Yarrow Apartments project provides housing and rental assistance to clients of Wasatch Mental Health. 11. Sunflower project of the Utah County Housing Authority provides housing to three low-income severely-handicapped persons in Orem. 12. The Rural Housing Development Corp. (RHDC) has constructed 100 homes in Utah County since 1999 for households earning less than 80% of the median area income. This agency has ten homes under construction at one time, with the qualifying families required to contribute a minimum of 65% of the construction hours. Upon completion of the dwelling, the family has approximately $25,000.00 of equity with an affordable mortgage. 13. The Utah County Housing Authority has a single family dwelling in Lindon named Hollow Park. It provides housing for physically disabled persons. 14. The Utah County Housing Authority completed construction of 13 units of farm- labor rental housing in Spring Lake. This facility is designed for families who derive more than 50% of their annual income by working in agriculture. Annual incomes must be below 80% of area median income for eligibility to live there. 15. Carillon Court is 16 units of housing for the elderly, in Orem. 16. Emergency Housing Rehabilitation Fund provides for the correction of building code violations and emergency home repairs. Progress made within the County to provide Moderate Income Housing, as measured by permits issued for new units of Moderate Income Housing The need for moderate income housing in the unincorporated area of Utah County in the initial Plan for Moderate Income Housing (as adopted February 16, 1999) was calculated from the 2000 Census and the Mountainland Association of Governments Population Projections. The calculations are as follows: Year   Population 2000   11,164 2005   10,438 2010   9,443 2020   7,533 The median area income for Utah Valley is $56,150 for 2005, according to HUD. Moderate income households consist of those households who earn 80% or less than the mean area income. This means that any household earning $44,920 or less in 2005 would classify in the moderate income category. The figures below show the number of permits that were issued for dwellings and the number of dwellings that were below the moderate income level, including the price of the lot, according to Utah County Community Development records. Year Building Permits Issued Housing <$ 149,335   (Single family & Manufactured)   2002 49 11 22% 2003 41 15 36% 2004 64 12 19% Year Permits Issued SFD & MH Housing<$149,700 2005 55 4 7% Unincorporated Utah County has maintained a high percentage of moderate income housing for new single-family structures, due mainly to the zoning that allows manufactured homes as an alternative to a site-built structure in any location where a zoning compliance permit for a single family dwelling can be approved. Efforts made by the County to coordinate the Moderate Income Housing Element with neighboring counties Utah County’s only ongoing project with neighboring counties relative to moderate income housing is the 13 units of farm-labor housing in Spring Lake, Utah, listed above. ------------------------------------------------ 1Fannie Mae, HUD Median Family Income 2003 http://www.fanniemae.com/tools/hudmedian/hud_income_results.jhtml
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