| Salt Lake City |
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| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
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| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
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| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
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| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
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| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
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| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
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| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
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| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
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| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
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| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
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Games housing leaving a legacy
But projects fall short of needs, advocate says
By Carrie Kennington
Deseret News staff writer
The housing built for Olympic media, security personnel and other workers is turning into mixed-income housing, leaving Salt Lake City an invaluable legacy, some say.
But one advocate for low-income Salt Lake residents is saying it's not enough.
Olympics-related housing projects include 654 units, 452 of which are tax-credit or affordable units.
At a recent reception, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and Fannie Mae, an affordable-housing funder, praised the efforts of developers Simpson Housing Solutions, the PSC Group, the Utah Housing Corp., the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City and partners that made the housing projects possible.
While the projects will be filling a great need in Salt Lake City, Glenn Bailey of the Crossroads Urban Center, which is a member of Salt Lake Impact 2002 and Beyond, said more housing should have been built. Salt Lake Impact 2002 and Beyond is a coalition of groups representing disadvantaged communities.
Bailey said the coalition has met with SLOC over the past few years and has watched the number of planned affordable housing units become smaller and smaller.
"Not enough attention was paid to (ensuring construction of affordable housing)," he said. "On our last report card we gave them a D-minus for community development and affordable housing."
SLOC spokeswoman Caroline Shaw said no such promises were made to build more affordable housing.
"Our largest priority is the athletes," she said. "Our role wasn't to leave low-income housing."
The housing projects include:
- Northgate Apartments at The Gateway, made up of 330 units, 156 of which are intended for rent to low- and very low-income tenants who earn 40 to 60 percent of the area median income.
- Jefferson School Apartments in Salt Lake City, made up of 84 units, 36 of which are classified as affordable; five of the 36 will rent for even less, to persons with special needs.
- Rose Cove in Farmington, made up of 144 units, all of which will rent to senior citizens whose incomes are 60 percent (or less) of the area median income.
- Todd Hollow near Park City, made up of 184 units, 40 percent of which will be rented to tenants earning 60 percent or less of the area median income. The remaining units will be at market-rates.
- Utah Housing Corp.-SLOC Program, consisting of 42 manufactured homes that will be shipped to American Indian reservations for low-income families after the Games. Plans are to continue providing homes through this program.
Bailey said that more housing is needed for people who earn only 35 percent or less of the area median income and that many of the new units still aren't priced low enough. The actual number of affordable units needed is quite shocking, he added: "It scares people." Bailey added that the housing crisis was especially evident during the Games, when Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson opened a temporary homeless shelter near 300 S. 500 West — days before the Olympics began.
Still, many believe the projects were a step in the right direction. U.S. Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, both Utah Republicans, praised the housing developers.
Bennett said much like the legacy that sports facilities will leave after the Games are gone, housing for Olympic workers will provide much-needed places for low-income families to live.
"They are attractive, not slums," he added. The Northgate project was built to blend in with The Gateway, and the Park City apartments fit with the rustic look of other buildings in the area.
Hatch, who like Bennett, has supported legislation that helped the projects go forward, said, "We're grateful to those of you who are providing affordable housing."
John Sindelar, director of accommodations for SLOC, added, "The challenge has been finding a way to blend our goals. We had to find housing for 19-30 days . . . you have to for a lot longer."
"Affordable housing is a real tough fight," said Peter Cooke of the PSC Group.
E-MAIL: ckennington@desnews.com
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March 4, 2002
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