Park City-area leaders earlier this year stalled in creating a unified regional housing authority after months of work but Summit County officials are now considering their own path forward, signaling a possible shift in strategy for addressing the area’s pressing housing needs.

Momentum to create a regional housing authority in the Wasatch Back slowed down in January after members of the Park City Council and Summit County Council failed to reach a consensus on how to proceed with a joint venture.

Staff began exploring the possibility of a regional housing authority in April 2023 and formed an exploratory committee to meet with community partners about its implementation. The discussions continued throughout the fall, but concerns arose about the overall benefits of the program. The two councils in January ultimately postponed a vote to form the quasi-governmental body, and the idea has not been broached since.

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Yet the problem still persists. So Summit County will consider creating an independent housing authority tasked with coordinating a collaborative, strategic response to the problem instead. 

Economic Development and Housing Director Jeff Jones is scheduled to present the concept to the County Council at 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday. The new approach focuses on four specific areas and doesn’t require any additional staff.

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First, Jones proposes the Summit County Housing Authority build and maintain a housing and economic data dashboard to help provide metrics to residents, community advocates, developers, business leaders and elected officials. This will be used to drive decision-making and help Summit County file its annual Moderate Income Housing Plan.

Officials are required to submit a housing report to the state, which includes information about the number of single-family, townhome and multi-family residential units that are entitled but have not applied for a building permit and the number of lots that are zoned residential.

The dashboard would also improve data integrity. For example, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah reports there are 570 deed-restricted housing units in Summit County but Jones said the actual number is more than 1,100.

The second focus area of the housing authority would be an employer-assisted housing program. This would provide an avenue for businesses to help their workers with the cost of owning or renting a home. Assistance could be provided in a variety of ways, including down payment grants, loans that are forgiven over a certain period of employment, homeownership counseling and education, rental subsidies, or direct investment in the construction of rental housing.

Cities, towns and counties could also incentivize private-sector employers to create their own programs to help workers find housing. Staff said this approach would increase funding available for affordable housing while also improving recruitment and retention efforts.

It would also address some concerns from officials about what they perceive as expectations for Summit County to resolve the housing issue alone rather than partnering with private businesses to accommodate the area workforce.

Staff will also explore creating an annual utility allowance assessment and maximum rent report to assist with tax subsidy program income limits.

The stipend can be used to cover any utilities a household is required to pay except for telephone, cable or internet and is used to help determine maximum rents for Low-income Housing Tax Credit developments. 

Other options Jones proposes: establishing a financial incentive program to offset the cost of developer fees and permits particularly in eastern Summit County; making a predesigned accessory dwelling unit program to assist with approval; creating a housing supply committee tasked with providing guidance about site design, conservation or construction management to the future Summit County Housing Authority Board; and developing a grant writing program to pursue additional support.

It was originally estimated to cost about $1.5 million to create the joint regional housing authority with an estimated $300,000 in annual expenses. That number doesn’t include the price to build any housing units. A cost estimate for the new approach wasn’t included in the staff report.

The County Council is required to adopt a resolution creating the Summit County Housing Authority if members like the change in course. It must say “that there is a shortage of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations in the city or county available to persons of medium and low income at rentals or prices they can afford.”

Utah Code requires no less than five and no more than seven people to be appointed as commissioners of a housing authority. It’s likely a county councilor would be selected as well as other community stakeholders, experts and residents.

The conversation on Wednesday is intended to inform and direct staff. No formal action is scheduled.