Salt Lake City Council approves rezone for deeply affordable housing project in Central City. 

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The Salt Lake City Council voted Tuesday to rezone a property in Central City, which will facilitate the construction of deeply affordable housing. The vote followed a hearing and debate that focused on the stress associated with concentrating resources for at-risk residents in certain neighborhoods. The Council also heard a series of speeches from the YouthCity Government program and approved funding for local community organizations.

Affordable Housing
The Council held a public hearing on a rezone request related to a proposal to build supportive housing units at 273 E. 800 South, roughly two blocks west of Liberty Park. During the public hearing, several nearby residents expressed opposition, leading the Council to later discuss the burdens created by the concentration of public services.

“We are dealing with a system that's already stretched to its limits: under-resourced law enforcement, overloaded social services and lack of real, long-term solutions for homelessness and addiction,” said Mckenzie Macias, who works at the nearby River Rock Apartments. “Introducing another high-density property without first addressing these deep-rooted problems will only make things worse.”

The rezone was petitioned by First Step House, an organization that offers substance abuse and mental health treatment, permanent supportive housing, employment and healthcare targeted toward low-income individuals. The new development the organization hopes to build in Central City would include 34 one-bedroom apartments affordable to those making 30% or less than the area median income.

“Where we build matters," said Jenny Starley, a Central City resident. "Clustering low-income housing in just a few areas—like the already overloaded 700 to 800 South corridor—leads to worse outcomes, poor health, fewer opportunities and long-term inequities."

Residents like Starley, Macias and several others said Salt Lake needs long-term plans for addressing homelessness and inequity in the city before overloading resources in areas that are already stretched thin.

Two representatives from First Step House also spoke at the hearing.

“There's a reason that the homeless concentrate in downtown Salt Lake City. They have access to services,” said Sean McMillen, executive director of First Step House. “While I agree, as a citizen of Salt Lake City, that we need to have a larger conversation about the siting of these kinds of projects, we also need to keep those things in mind.”

Carl Woodruff, the applicant representing First Step House, also said they chose this location knowing Intermountain Health is working to build a new hospital on State Street.

The Council ultimately voted to approve the rezone, after engaging in a back-and-forth debate on the issue that included a failed motion to defer action to a later date. Council member Chris Wharton noted that approving the rezone request now would give First Step House access to federal funding that could make the project a reality.

“I appreciate the comments that we've heard tonight, and definitely understand those concerns,” Wharton said.

But Council member Eva Lopez Chavez, who represents District 4 and Central City, pushed back on adopting the rezone.

“I want to be very clear that I will no longer be voting to rezone and to support deeply affordable or permanent supportive housing in District Four until we adopt a policy that better informs how we place and distribute these types of housing apparatuses and services across all districts,” she said.

She echoed the concerns shared by many of the Central City residents who spoke, suggesting that her district has already borne more than its share of the city’s affordable housing burden.

“It's unfair to District Four and to other districts in our cities that are encumbered with the responsibility of maintaining, preserving and creating long-term safety,” she added.

After Lopez Chavez spoke, Council member Darin Mano took the floor to “remind” the Council that the city has limited control over the purchase, development and use of private land.

“So, us saying we're not going to approve any more deeply affordable housing in one district until there's an equal number in other districts would be like saying we're not going to let you build another grocery store in my district … until we have the same number of grocery stores in another district,” he said.

But Council member Victoria Petro agreed with Lopez Chavez, saying that the city and the Council need to start having discussions on how to equitably distribute resources across districts.

“We are creating schools that are stressed out because there are families working multiple jobs without the ability to support the teachers,” she said. “We are creating food deserts because it doesn't pencil for grocery stores to be in one place.”

Petro said she’d ultimately support the Central City development due to First Step House’s track record and successful past. But she joined Lopez Chavez in saying she’d push for a development agreement for the project to address the concerns of residents who spoke.

State of the YouthCity
The Council also hosted several members of YouthCity Government (YCG)—a program for teens—who delivered “State of the City” addresses. This consisted of five speakers, each sharing how YCG has impacted them and the changes they hope to see and make in government.

Fatma Ozkanlar, a senior at East High School, said YCG helped her gain confidence after moving to the U.S. from Turkey.

“YCG’s purpose is to help young people grow into strong, capable leaders by challenging them to face their fears and build on their strengths,” she said. “That's exactly what it has done for me.”

The other speakers shared similar sentiments, describing how YCG helped them gain leadership skills and showed them the importance of community service.

"What stood out to me most was seeing just how ready young people are to create change,” said Louise Pedersen, a junior at Highland High. “The passion and potential are there, but what's often missing are the tools, the access and the connections.”

Another speaker, Jeamediateri (Medi) Rivuzimana, East High senior, said YCG has inspired him to “give back in my own way.” Even though he makes minimum wage at a fast-food restaurant, Rivuzimana said he still donates 5% of his paychecks to a local cause.

“Thank you for your thoughtful and for your inspiring messages,” Council member Sarah Young said at the conclusion of the speeches.

Wharton also addressed the students, reminding them that “you and anybody else that wants to be in government, you do belong in these spaces.”

Utah House Minority Leader Angela Romero—who is also a programs manager with the Salt Lake City Corporation and oversees YCG—handed out certificates to the students at the conclusion of their address. Each student received a round of applause from the Council and audience as they were recognized.

Green Team Funding
The Council also approved funding allocations for the Housing and Urban Development Department’s community development grants. In total, the grants amount to nearly $7.8 million.

Programs that received funding included Wasatch Community Gardens’ Green Team, a job training program for women experiencing or facing homelessness.

The Green Team was not recommended for funding by the Mayor or Community Development and Capital Improvement Program Advisory Board. But after several advocates for the program spoke on the importance of the program at a Council meeting earlier this month, they were awarded roughly $33,000 of their original $40,000 request.

Other organizations that received funding included First Step House—which recently opened a new facility downtown in the historic Stratford Apartments—The Road Home, Utah Community Action and Volunteers of America. Funds from HUD’s community development grants are allocated once every year.

The Council adopted a Memorandum of Understanding between the city and the Salt Lake Police Association, establishing a base wage schedule for 2026 through 2028. A new historic district in Yalecrest was also adopted at Tuesday’s meeting. Known as “Upper Yale” the new district includes 24 homes and brings the total number of local historic districts in Yalecrest to nine, more than the rest of the city combined.