Chapter Eight
MODERATE INCOME HOUSING PLAN
MODERATE INCOME HOUSING PLAN
The purpose of this moderate-income housing element of the general plan is to ensure that the City of West Jordan provides a reasonable opportunity for a variety of housing, including moderate income housing, to meet the needs of the population desiring to live in the City. Utah Code §10-9a-401(3) requires a moderate income housing plan be adopted as part of the City’s General Plan.
West Jordan is the third most populous city in Utah. Nineteen U.S. Census Tracts correspond with West Jordan’s neighborhood precincts. The population of West Jordan is 116,541 residents in 2022 and projections indicate a population of 123,341 by 2030. Population growth may strain the City’s supply of moderate income housing.
Many new single family homes are only affordable to households earning more than 100% of the area’s median family income of $92,900.00. Over one third of all households in West Jordan earn 80% or less of the area median income of $92,900.00 per year. The demand for moderate income rentals and home ownership opportunities are projected to increase. Analysis of data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) indicate that a high percentage of households, particularly renters earning a moderate income, are expending more than 30 percent of their household income on housing costs.
Current Land Use Ordinances
West Jordan City is divided into zoning districts segregating ten different types of land uses ranging from agriculture to industrial. West Jordan City has thirty residential zoning districts. Each of the residential zones are different and can generally be categorized by lot size and whether they are single family or multi-family.
West Jordan is predominantly a low to medium density single family suburban community. Single family residential has been the vision of the city as it has transformed from a rural farming community over the last 50 years. Single family residential comprises 39% of the residentially zoned property in West Jordan. The R-1-10 zone (Single family 10,000 Square foot minimum lot size) comprises 16.4% of the 39% of the land area of single family zones and is the most used single family zone in the city. The average density of all of the combined single family zones is 3.4 units per acre. When all of the currently zoned single family zones, which does not include Planned Community PC zones, are developed, using West Jordan’s average household size of 3.42, approximately 94,000 people could live in that type of housing density.
West Jordan has 3,258.58 acres or 15.56% of the land area in Planned Community (PC) zones. Planned Community zoning allows a mixture of single family and multi-family residential, retail, office, schools and institutions with planned open space and other amenities. The average residential density of the PC zoning in West Jordan is 6.54 units per acre. When all of the current PC zones are developed, using West Jordan’s average household size of 3.32, approximately 70,750 people potentially could live in planned community zoning.
Traditional multi-family residential zones in West Jordan City comprises 3.5% of the City’s zoning districts or 734 acres. This zoning consists of large apartment complexes and all other attached housing from duplexes on up. The average density of the traditional multi-family zoning is 12 units per acre. All of the traditional multi-family zoning in the city has been developed and it is estimated that 30,000 people live in this type of zoning in the City.
Table 8.1 shows the existing number of single family units vs. multi-family units in the City with 77% single family and 23% multi-family. The information demonstrates that West Jordan is a “cradle to grave community” meaning that every type of housing needed, from apartments to single family, from townhomes to senior care housing is available in the City.
Data Type | Existing | Entitled Projects |
Citywide Residential Density (Dwelling units/developed residential land) | 37,418/9754 acres = 3.83 Units per acre | 7972 combined units/1412 acres = 5.62 Units per acre |
Ratio of Single-family vs. Multi-family dwellings | 27,321 Single Family vs 10,097 Multi-Family | 4,163 Single Family vs 2,854 Multi- Family |
Combined existing plus future residential when built | 31,484 Single Family 13,382 Multi-family | Residential density when all entitled constructed 4.08 units per acre |
Persons per acre (3.42 household size) x 3.55 | 12.41 persons per residential acre | 37.6 persons per residential acre |
Entitled construction persons per acre | 13.1 persons per acre | 3,524 persons per square mile (based on Census) |
NAICS Code | Acres | Percent of Total | Net Residential | Land Use Designation |
NAICS Code | Acres | Percent of Total | Net Residential | Land Use Designation |
RR-20 (Rural Residenti al-20,000 sq. ft.) | 774.04 | 3.70% | 1.75 | Very Low, Low |
RR-30 (Rural Residenti al-30,000 sq. ft.) | 4.96 | 0.02% | 1.16 | Very Low, Low |
RR-40 (Rural Residenti al-40,000 sq. ft.) | 470.91 | 2.25% | 0.87 | Very Low, Low |
RE-20 (Rural Estate-20 ,000 sq. ft.) | 68.62 | 0.33% | 1.75 | Very Low, Low |
RE-30 (Rural Estate-30 ,000 sq. ft.) | 4.72 | 0.02% | 1.16 | Very Low, Low |
RE-40 (Rural Estate-40 ,000 sq. ft.) | 0 | 0.00% | 0.87 | Very Low, Low |
*R-1-4 ( Single Family 4000 sq. ft.) | 137.82 | 0.66% | 8.7 | High * No longer available |
R-1-5 (Single Family 5000 sq. ft.) | 0 | 0.00% | 6.9 | High |
R-1-6 (Single Family 6000 sq. ft.) | 890.05 | 4.25% | 5.8 | High |
R-1-8 (Single Family 8000 sq. ft.) | 1617 | 7.72% | 4.3 | Medium |
R-1-9 (Single Family 9000 sq. ft.) | 11.4 | 0.05% | 3.8 | Medium |
R-1-10 (Single Family 10,000 sq. ft.) | 3405.65 | 16.26% | 3.4 | Medium |
R-1-12 (Single Family 12,000 sq. ft.) | 646.09 | 3.09% | 2.9 | Low |
R-1-14 (Single Family 14,000 sq. ft.) | 52.9 | 0.25% | 2.4 | Low |
Multi-Family Zones | ||||
RM (Mobile Home Residential) | 132.85 | 0.63% | 5.8 | High Density |
R-2 (Two-Family Residential) | 171.31 | 0.82% | 8.7 | High Density |
R-3 (Multiple-Family Residential) 7 Zones | 359.42 | 1.72% | 6 to 22 | High, Very High |
Planned Community Zones | ||||
PRD (Planned Residential Development) | 119.32 | 0.57% | 1 to 24 | Very Low to Very High |
PC (Planned Community) | 2034.85 | 9.72% | Established by CC | Very Low to Very High |
West Side Planning Area Zones | ||||
HFR (High Density, Multi-Family) | 160.65 | 0.77% | Varies | High |
LSFR (Low Density, Single-Family) | 522.83 | 2.50% | Varies | Low |
MFR (Medium Density, Multi-Family) | 150.33 | 0.72% | Varies | Medium |
MU (Mixed Use) | 0 | 0% | Varies | High |
VLSFR (Very Low Density, Single-Family) | 143.63 | 0.69% | Varies | Very Low |
Total City Acres 20,759.37 | ||||
Potential Barriers to Moderate Income Housing
The majority of West Jordan’s Zoning does not prohibit the development of housing for low to moderate income households. However, lot size, and house size requirements in zoning districts could make it difficult to develop moderate income single-family units. The City Council has stated in the Balanced Housing ordinance that multi-family dwellings should be planned in the most appropriate areas of the city. The appropriate areas to look at first are areas adjacent to mass transit where the housing densities are a minimum of 45 units per acre rather than the more restrictive density maximums as required in single family zones. The city should be more willing to entertain developments that provide a variety of housing types, including townhomes, condominiums, and apartments, in the appropriate areas. However, denser development should be carefully designed so it will integrate into and not impact lower density neighborhoods.
Impact fees are imposed so that new development pays for the impact that it imposes upon the City’s infrastructure. Impact fees come in a variety of forms to pay for different types of infrastructure and services. Impact fees have a direct impact upon the affordability of new construction, as they add to the price of developing property.
Therefore, redevelopment areas could be prime areas for Moderate Income Housing because of existing road and utility infrastructure.
Household Income
The median household income in West Jordan is $87,006 per year. Two thirds of West Jordan households make $50,000 or more per year, with the other one third making less than $50,000 per year. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of the households of West Jordan make more than $100,000 per year.
The percentage of households living below the federal poverty level in West Jordan is 5.4% The federal poverty level is one person making $13,788.00 or less. Poverty thresholds are shown in Table 8.3.
(In Dollars)
Size of family unit | Weighted average threshold | Related children under 18 years | ||||||||
None | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight or more | ||
Size of family unit | Weighted average threshold | Related children under 18 years | ||||||||
None | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight or more | ||
One person (unrelated individual): | 13,788 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Under age 65 | 14,097 | 14,097 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Aged 65 and older | 12,996 | 12,996 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Two people: | 17,529 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Householder under age 65 | 18,231 | 18,145 | 18,677 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Householder aged 65 and over | 16,400 | 16,379 | 18,606 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Three people | 21,559 | 21,196 | 21,811 | 21,831 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Four people | 27,740 | 27,949 | 28,406 | 27,479 | 27,575 | — | — | — | — | — |
Five people | 32,865 | 33,705 | 34,195 | 33,148 | 32,338 | 31,843 | — | — | — | — |
Six people | 37,161 | 38,767 | 39,921 | 38,119 | 37,350 | 36,207 | 35,529 | — | — | — |
Seven people | 42,156 | 44,606 | 44,885 | 43,925 | 43,255 | 42,009 | 40,554 | 38,958 | — | — |
Eight people | 47,093 | 49,888 | 50,329 | 49,423 | 48,629 | 47,503 | 46,073 | 44,585 | 44,207 | — |
Nine or more people | 56.325 | 60,012 | 60,303 | 59,501 | 58,828 | 57,722 | 56,201 | 54,826 | 54,485 | 52,386 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Analyzing the household income of the West Jordan residents is critical to understanding the City’s moderate income housing need. Moderate income housing is defined by statute as housing that is affordable to those households whose income is less than or equal to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) of Salt Lake County. Salt Lake County AMI is $92,900.00 per family of four as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of the families in West Jordan City, 9,840 (38%) earn a moderate income or less. In 2018, 80% of AMI is a yearly salary of $74,320.00. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has further defined moderate income into 3 categories; less than 30% of AMI (Extremely Low Income); 30% to 50% of AMI (Very Low Income) and 50% to 80% of AMI (Low Income). In West Jordan, 1930 (7.5%) of families earn less than 30% AMI; 3498 (13.5%) earn 30% to 50% AMI; 4412 (17.15) 50% to 80% AMI.
The State of Utah requires that municipalities facilitate a reasonable opportunity for moderate income housing in the City. The households that earn just 30% of the AMI find it more difficult to find market rate housing at their income. It is important that households of all income levels have moderate income housing options.
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