Show 1 t. t f. Wasatch Fronts Front's Low- Low or Moderate-Housing Moderate Limited Home situation expected to worsen next neat two years Nancy Contributor Q THE Wasatch Fronts Front's low- low 1 and moderate-income moderate renters V will get no relief in the immediate immedi- immedi S. S ate future from the areas area's painful housing crunch said a housing official Tim Funk director of the they y Community Coalition of Utah c said that the housing situation will worsen during the next two years He emphasized that for forthe forthe l- l the next 12 to 24 months there will be no low- low or moderate in come housing built in Salt Lake County Funk said that one reason for forthe forthe the crunch was the immigration of highly paid workers from out of state He believes this will increase in increase increase in- in crease because Utah's economy is healthy compared to the nation nation nation na na- tion as a whole This economic invasion was not foreseen by state county or city planners he said i We haven't done a very good job in taking laking a look at things Funk said If someone needed to be faul ted with the situ Funk said it would start with i national leadership and filter down through state and local govern- govern ments Funk said he was guardedly optimistic for the future It takes Utah a long time to clarify problems problems problems lems he said and added that it proceeds cautiously to solutions j But the state usually makes the i j right move he added i Along with lack of f planning 1 another major f factor in the less than 2 percent vacancy rate of 5 1 rental units arises from low-in- low terest rates for mortgage loans Funk said this puts lower mid- mid income die earners in a wage position position position po po- to buy the properties that 1 have usually been rental units Of equal importance in the crunch is the failure of the savings savings savings sav- sav savi i ings and loan institutions Funk j said Savings and loans were the major suppliers of loans for 1 housing construction Funk said c the glut of new apartments units in the i four years from 1988 to 1992 i ended with the savings and loan i failures The rise of construction costs added to the problem Funk also said while no new construction was taking place there has been continued demolition of traditionally traditionally tradition tradition- ally lower income rental units Funk said the future does offer affer some hope Governor Mike Leavitt has appointed the Governors Governor's Housing Housing Hous Hous- ing Task Force to make recommendations recommendations recommendations for the use of more state tate money in public and private private private vate partnerships These partnerships partnerships partner partner- ships hips would match every 1 of public money with at least 5 of private money for housing devel- devel The Utah legislature also will willbe be DC Je considering four to five major hanges changes in the states state's han handling ling of f affordable housing From 5 nillion million to 10 million is expected ex- ex to be generated Community Coalition of Utah's main emphasis is advocacy acy cacy for the disabled and low-in- low ome come citizens Funk said But he added that the housing situation affects seniors students welfare recipients and the homeless as well veil |