State lawmakers prohibited municipalities from requiring affordable housing as part of new developments in 2022.
Now, whenever Heber works on master development agreements for new homes, it must negotiate any affordable housing requirements every time.
The city aims for at least 10% of new units to be affordable and deed restricted. Developers can also bypass that requirement by paying a fee in lieu – a fee “in place of” the affordable construction.
In Park City and the Snyderville Basin, the policy is 20% affordable units.
Up to now, those fees have been paid to the Wasatch County Housing Authority. But that system could soon change if the Heber City Council adopts a new ordinance at its meeting Tuesday, as city manager Matt Brower explained on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Monday.
“Heber City is interested in undertaking some affordable housing projects itself,” he said. “So, rather than obligate the money to the county’s affordable housing board, Heber City simply wants to maintain the option of investing some of that money in its own affordable housing projects.”
Brower said the change could help ensure that affordable housing is constructed close to infrastructure and services people with lower incomes might need.
“Maybe move them closer to town where there’s schools, there’s more shopping, more transportation options – and so we’re looking at how we can move many of the obligations currently negotiated in development agreements into the downtown area, where they can be better served,” he said.
The ordinance, if approved, would enable Heber to use the fees in lieu to buy land or pay for the construction of affordable units.
According to a 2023 city report, in 2020, Heber was over 300 units short of the demand for affordable housing. Based on growth projections, the city estimated it would need to construct over 1,100 units by 2028 to close the gap and meet the needs of a growing population.
Affordable housing is typically designated for people who earn 80% of the area median income or less. For 2025, the Mountainlands Community Housing Trust reports that 80% threshold is around $76,000 for one person or $109,000 for a family of four in Wasatch County.
The Heber City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday. For an agenda and a link to attend online, visit the city website.
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