WHEREAS, Utah’s population growth is among the highest in the
nation, the result of a strong economy, larger family sizes, and high quality
of life measures; and
WHEREAS, the developable land in Utah’s most populated valleys
is rapidly disappearing; and
WHEREAS, research conducted by the University of Utah has shown
that for the first time in 40 years Utah has had more new households than new
housing units provided, resulting in a housing shortage that is contributing to
housing costs that financially strain many Utah families who are struggling to
meet their housing needs; and
WHEREAS, since 2011 this “housing gap,” or shortage of housing,
is estimated to be above 50,000 units and growing each year, even as Utah led
the nation, in percentage terms, in housing construction last year;
and
WHEREAS, "housing affordability" means the ability of a
household to occupy a housing unit while paying no more than 30% of the
household's income for gross housing costs, including utilities; and
WHEREAS,
“affordable housing” refers to housing affordability for residents who earn
less than the area’s median income and describes the availability of affordable
housing units targeted for low-, very low-, and extremely low-income groups;
and
WHEREAS, while the current affordable housing crisis in Utah is
concentrated in households with incomes below the median income, with
housing prices rising, the crisis may grow to affect households with incomes
above the median income if the supply and availability of affordable housing
units does not begin to satisfy demand, and affordable housing could become far
more scarce, impacting a majority of Utah families; and
WHEREAS, accommodating a significant portion of Utah’s
population growth in proximity to employment opportunities allows people to
live closer to work, reduce driving, reduce air pollution, reduce household
transportation costs, decrease infrastructure costs, and maintain and improve
the quality of life for Utah’s residents; and
WHEREAS, cities that adopt measures encouraging and supporting
housing affordability will improve overall prosperity and air quality, as well
as reduce housing and transportation costs, not only for their cities, but for
the region and state; and
WHEREAS,
the Municipal Council of Provo City has included multiple measures supporting
housing affordability and affordable housing in the city’s General Plan; and
WHEREAS,
the Provo City Housing Authority found that 29 (62%) of 47 affordable housing
projects in Utah County are located in Provo City, and that 1,093 (58%) of the
1,870 affordable housing units comprising these projects are located in Provo
City; and
WHEREAS,
the Municipal Council of Provo City supports the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce
and the Utah League of Cities and Towns in raising awareness about the choices
to promote and increase housing affordability and affordable housing, to
preserve our strong economy and protect the quality of life in the face of
rapid growth.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF PROVO, UTAH:
SECTION 1.
Pledge of support. We, as municipal leaders of Provo
City, pledge to consider housing affordability issues with a regional
perspective. We also pledge that together with other Utah local governments and
community stakeholders, Provo City will continue to work towards the goal of housing affordability for all Utah residents. We
recognize our ability to implement various smart growth strategies to promote
and maintain housing affordability, and we call upon other cities in Utah County to join with us as we
endeavour to find solutions to the shortage of affordable housing.
Section
2. Measures to be taken. Within the
context of the General Plan, the Municipal Council of Provo City pledges to:
1. Seek
to minimize barriers to the provision of housing opportunities for all incomes
and life stages;
2. Review
existing practices that would negatively impact housing affordability;
3. Plan
and seek to allow significant housing opportunities near employment centers,
public transportation, and other amenities;
4. Increase
public and government awareness and understanding of the housing affordability
needs of our city, region and state;
5. Think,
and coordinate regionally, about local land use decisions;
6. Seek
to align housing, infrastructure, and economic development efforts; and
7. Promote
collaboration with other communities, elected officials, and stakeholders on
additional solutions.
Toward these ends, we will review and, as needed, update our General
Plan, comply with the 2018 moderate-income housing legislation, and take other
steps as appropriate.
SECTION 3.
Effective Date. This resolution shall be effective immediately.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Comment below (requires Google+ account), on our Facebook page, through our online comment form, or by contacting Council Members directly. Comments/input on items appearing on an upcoming meeting agenda will be compiled and provided to Council Members the day before the meeting. **Note - your comments will be part of the public record.
No comments:
Post a Comment