SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 30, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has announced a possible location for a proposed tiny home project, designed to help ease the city’s burgeoning homeless crisis.
“Salt Lake City will consider a zoning amendment request by The Other Side Academy to locate its proposed tiny home project, The Other Side Village, at 1850 W. Indiana Ave.,” according to a statement from the Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office.
The amendment request asks that the parcel of land, which is owned by Salt Lake City Corporation, be rezoned from Public Lands (PL Zone) to a Formed Based District (FB-UN2), which would accommodate the development of the village.
“It’s exciting to see The Other Side Village moving along in this process, which we hope will have an important, long-lasting impact on the chronically unsheltered segment of the homeless population, in particular, people for whom resource centers have not been a solution,” Mendenhall said. “Of course, there will now be a robust and transparent public process to provide Salt Lakers the opportunity to hear about and give feedback on this proposal and we welcome that.”
The request follows the work of The Other Side Village and its Land Search Committee to evaluate properties within the city with 30 or more acres of space to accommodate the initial village and future expansion, the news release said.
“The community will have an opportunity to learn more about the proposal and provide input in the coming weeks following the required early engagement process, which entails notice to community councils and nearby neighbors, and a meeting — either virtual or in person — in a 45 day period,” the mayor said. “After the early engagement process is concluded, the request will then be heard by the Planning Commission to determine how it helps achieve city goals found in Plan Salt Lake, Growing SLC, and the Westside Community Plans, after which it will go before the City Council for consideration.”
No determination has been made on whether the city would eventually lease or donate the land for this project. “However in the event of either a discounted lease or donation, a Public Benefits Analysis would take place wherein a public hearing will be held for the community to consider the proposed village’s benefit to Salt Lake City and its goal of providing affordable housing to its residents,” according to the mayor.
This news follows an announcement earlier this year by the city that it had partnered with The Other Side Academy to create a tiny home village, intended to serve people experiencing chronic homelessness.
It is anticipated that the village will eventually house up to approximately 400-plus residents in cottage homes and similar-sized attached housing units, such as duplexes and triplexes. Support services for the village are anticipated to include on-site health care, dental, and social services along with a convenience store, deli, and community gathering spaces.
