Ahead of a December funding deadline, Weber Housing Authority is crossing its fingers it’s finally found a home for a permanent supportive housing project: an office building in Roy.
There are still financial and logistical hurdles to clear at the site, said Andi Beadles, executive director of Weber Housing Authority. She’s not confident this location will pan out, but she’s hopeful.
“If it doesn't happen at this place, it probably won't happen,” she said.
Beadles said the housing authority has an offer on the Roy property. The former call center is marked as under contract on a real estate listing.
If things go according to the housing authority’s plan, the site at 4102 South 1900 West in Roy would be converted into housing for 33 chronically homeless and disabled individuals, plus office space for supportive services. Residents would pay a portion of their income in rent. The rest would be subsidized.
This project was originally proposed for a former assisted living facility in Ogden. But after city leaders declined to vote on whether to approve the project, the housing authority sold the property to the city in March. Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski wanted the project to take shape outside of the city, which hosts a disproportionate amount of the county’s subsidized housing.
The authority will lose roughly $1 million in Deeply Affordable Housing Funds if it doesn’t have a plan to use them by the end of December. With the organization’s other obligations, Beadles said it’s unlikely they could find a different feasible space before that deadline.
The good thing about the site in Roy, Beadles said, is that it’s a large, open space, so they don’t have to worry about tearing down many load-bearing walls. But getting windows into every living unit will be a puzzle, and not every former office building is a good candidate to convert to housing.
The lack of walkability is another challenge. Residents would likely visit Weber Human Services for mental health and substance use support, and they may also need access to the Social Security and Department of Workforce Services in Ogden. That would cost the authority in staffing time, Beadles said. They’re looking at buying bus passes and a van.
“We've had to add in some additional expenses for transportation, because we'll just have to bus everybody back to Ogden for services.”
The agency has considered other locations since selling their first choice, but those have fallen through for one reason or another. The owner may have decided to lease instead of sell, or the price tag was too high.
Right now, the project is clearing environmental review before the federal government can release funds. The Utah Department of Workforce Services’ Housing and Community Development Division found the project would not have a significant environmental impact, but it is accepting public comment through Dec. 3.
Plus, Weber Housing Authority does not want to move forward with the project without the host city’s full support, Beadles said.
Outgoing Roy Mayor Robert Dandoy said the city hasn’t received a formal application for the project, and he did not agree to KUER’s interview request, citing a lack of information about the housing authority’s plans. The city’s position, he said in an email, is that any organization can operate in Roy as long as it complies with zoning codes or a development agreement.
“We are NOT sure what involvement Roy City will have, if any, going forward,” he wrote in his email.
Macy Lipkin is a Report for America corps member who reports for KUER in northern Utah.
