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Solving the Affordable Housing Crisis in Southern Utah
By Carol Hollowell, CEO, Switchpoint
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Because no two people experiencing homelessness have arrived there in the same manner, no one source can provide the pathway to self-sufficiency. The same is true about the housing crisis in southern Utah; no one person or no single organization can or will be the solution. As we say at Switchpoint, “It takes all of us.”
• It takes social service agencies moving beyond their own turfdom and weaving together a support system that fills the gaps through which individuals and families have fallen. • It takes governmental units identifying the most vulnerable in our communities and prioritizing their housing needs. • It takes entrepreneurs and millionaires recognizing that they have a moral obligation to reach out and help. • It takes churches, service organizations, and neighbors stepping up and reaching out to those who need it most.
Our housing crisis impacts every facet of our community, from young families, teachers, and police officers to seniors citizens and veterans. Without a vast and growing web of partnership, the housing crisis will continue to spread unchecked.
Switchpoint never misses an opportunity to invite partnerships; everyone has something to give. Their recent housing project, Riverwalk Village Apartments, is a prime example. The City of St. George donated the land and provided significant funding. The State of Utah awarded federal lowincome tax credits. St. George Housing Authority provided eight subsidies. Private foundations and churches donated more than $3 million to round out the funding. The net result is a fifty-five unit 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom apartment complex that serves a wide range of incomes. 172 individuals call it home. Unfortunately, fifty-five units is only a small portion of the 1400 units currently needed. Jerry moved to St. George from Chicago and never imagined he’d find himself staying at Switchpoint in a homeless shelter. He moved to the area to take a full-time position as a supervisor at Dean Foods. He is not struggling financially. He does not have a criminal record or a substance abuse history. However, in June 2021, he was given notice that the town home he was leasing had been sold. He had fifteen days to vacate. Because of the current housing crisis, he was unable to secure another rental. Jerry stated, “I’ve had a successful life and career. I’ve had a great life. This is like the lowest low. Quite frankly, I can hardly look anyone in the eye.”
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute did a study in 2020 and provided the following highlights:
The level of participation in housing issues by the Utah Legislature, cities and counties, the Salt Lake Chamber, nonprofit organizations, and corporations is unprecedented. The convergence of three issues has prompted this engagement: (1) the homeless crisis, (2) the housing shortage, and (3) the housing affordability challenge. These related issues pose near- and long-term threats to the economic well-being of Utah households, individual opportunity, and the state’s economic prosperity. But given the more favorable political and civic environment, the chances of meaningful local land-use revisions to mitigate these threats are the best in years.”
Land Use Regulations Determine the Effectiveness of All Best Practices—
Land use regulations control what type of housing gets built, where it gets built, and its affordability. Without accommodative land use regulations, there is little chance a city’s housing policies can influence prices, provide diverse housing types, or meet changes in homebuyers’ preferences. Recently, housing preferences have moved toward multifamily housing (condominiums, twin homes, townhomes, and apartments). From 2000 to 2009, multifamily units accounted for only 27% of all new residential units in Utah, but from 2010 to 2019 the share of multifamily units increased to 44%, and in the last three years, it climbed to nearly 50%. Zoning ordinances, in many cities, do not reflect the shift in preferences to higher density, more affordable housing. Zoning often lags changes in market preferences.”
Leadership and Political Will—Progress on the housing crisis needs continued state and civic leadership. Without it, today’s children, Utah’s next generation, will face an even greater scarcity of affordable housing and more burdensome housing prices.”
Less restrictive zoning is a necessary condition for improved housing affordability and increased housing production. Complementary policies that would enhance less restrictive zoning includes streamlining and standardizing the uncertain and time-consuming approval process and adopting form-based code for selected zones. Business, civic, government, and organization leaders in southern Utah must embrace innovation. Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” The housing crisis has thwarted far too many well-intended efforts. Innovation and creativity are key to finding new ways to charge through the present barriers. Old methods won’t work anymore. For instance, take an innovative opportunity Switchpoint encountered in St. George. After connecting with owners of the Studio 6 motel, Switchpoint asked if they would be willing to sell for the purpose of converting their building to deeply affordable housing units. When they said yes, Switchpoint partnered with individual donors and government agencies, including the City of St. George, to secure the sale. Switchpoint created an innovative solution to add fifty-two housing units to the St. George market. In November 2021, Switchpoint opened another converted hotel in Salt Lake City, providing 134 seniors and veterans with deeply affordable permanent housing. By encouraging leading-edge thinking, we opened our organization and the lives of our clients to all sorts of possibilities. Every organization with a stake in the affordable housing solution should be asking the question, “What if?” No ideas or solutions should be rejected out of hand. No consideration should be given to cost, government regulation, or societal bias during this creative phase. We dream first, and then, we plan. The “what if” question for the business community is this: Can we come together and create 1400 housing units now? For the future of our children and our community, we must!
