Advocates urge officials to include affordable housing in new sports and entertainment district

SALT LAKE CITY — Advocates for Utahns experiencing or at risk for homelessness are prompting Salt Lake City to mandate the inclusion of deeply affordable housing in the proposed sports and entertainment district.

The call came in an open letter by Crossroads Urban Center executive director Glenn Bailey, addressed to the Salt Lake City Council and Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

The proposal made by the Smith Entertainment Group for the sports and entertainment district will be heard by the Salt Lake City Council Tuesday night, along with a public hearing to gather community input.

The center asks that any zoning amendment made to enable increased density in the proposed district around the Delta Center require 10% of the units be affordable to households earning less than $30,000 per year; and an additional 10% be affordable to households earning less than $60,000 per year.

“It is long past time to quit giving our city away to developers without expecting a tangible benefit for our community, especially low- and moderate-income residents struggling to get by each month. Let’s set the precedent now that community benefits and inclusion matter before confronting similar decisions regarding the Olympic Games and a new baseball stadium,” wrote Bailey.

The proposed zoning changes for the new district could eliminate the current height restriction in the area, of 125 feet, with the potential to increase it to 375 feet. The change could allow for an increased density of housing units, potentially bringing an apartment building from 11 to 34 floors.

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