Federal housing vouchers in Utah in high demand
Nov 25, 2024, 8:00 PM
The Aster, a three-building development that includes low-income housing, commercial and public spaces, is pictured in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The waitlists for federal housing vouchers in Utah are years long according to reporting from the Utah Investigative Journalism Project and KSL.com.
Because of the long wait times, officials say some areas have simply stopped adding new names.
For example, the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City notes a seven-year wait for its federal housing vouchers. The wait times are a sign that federal funding for the grants is just not enough to cover the needs in Utah, according to Brittney Dabb with the Salt Lake Housing Authority.
The vouchers are part of the Housing Choice Voucher Program. This federally funded program, formerly known as Section 8, is run by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. It’s designed to help people who earn a lower income, the elderly, and those with disabilities pay their rent.
The waitlist in Weber County is still open said Jessica Gutierrez with the Weber Housing Authority. But people are still in wait mode there.
“Ours is roughly about four years long,” Gutierrez said. “We have about 1,400 people on the waitlist.”
The housing vouchers are meant to subsidize rent for low-income individuals and families. If they qualify, the renter must slate at least 30% of their income for rent. The voucher covers the rest.
Other reading:
- Utah is falling behind on affordable housing, state homeless coordinator says
- Newly reelected Gov. Cox says housing, energy are priorities
- A once potential affordable housing site to be torn down. Could a new plan make up for it?
