April 2026 | Urban Utah Homes and Estates

HOUSING HOPES

April 22, 2026/in Living Here: Urban Utah Blog /by Babs De Lay

As March came to a close we look behind us and wave at our legislators and say ‘Buh-bye’ for another year. There were a record number of bills presented by our elected officials-1,015 were introduced during this past session. This is the fourth year in a row that saw such a huge number of bills flow across their desks at the state capital and 541 actually passed.

What I paid attention to were housing bills, since predictions are from some experts that we’ll need 200,000+ housing units in the state in the next 30 years. We all know is we’re facing a ongoing housing shortage, but maybe there’s some light to this dark topic with the few bills that passed. HB492 will reportedly help make a dent in our low inventory, specifically to help local governments pay for infrastructure and allow for new roads and water/sewer lines to be installed. The adage “If you build it, they will come” is true, as you can’t have a new housing subdivision without basic improvements to the land.

Another bill (SB284) requires cities in our state to allow ADU’s (detached accessory dwelling units) on lots at least 11,000 sq. ft. To give you an idea of what that looks like, a small home in the Avenues of Salt Lake takes up about .06 of an acre-about 2600 sq. ft. You might notice on real estate listings for homes for sale in the Avenues that if a home is listed with .09 acres, it probably doesn’t have room for either a garage or an ADU. However, if you head to the west side or south end of the valley there are many subdivisions with .50 or 1.0 acre lots-that’s about 22,000-44,000 sq. ft and plenty of room to add a tiny home.

In 2019 the state passed into law that St. George and all cities in the state were mandated by Senate Bill 34 that they must allow ADU’s in residential areas. Current city codes there allow for ADU’s up to 800 sq. ft in a side or rear yard with some restrictions on how close the structure is to lot lines and height of the building. Given the high number of seniors and retirees in Washington County, this is a great addition to the housing shortage where adult children and many seniors can’t afford high rents or home prices there. Over the years demand has grown exponentially of local builders in Dixie to offer homes with mother-in-law apartments or tiny homes in the rear yards called ‘casita’s’ and they have tried to keep up with demand as St. George and surrounding towns keep growing and growing.

According to Utahadubuilders.com, a free-standing ADU in Utah costs between $200-400,000 to build. It’s interesting that during WWII housing was at an even greater premium in this state and local officials would knock on doors to see if any part of the home could be rented (rooms, unfinished basements, etc.). It’s how we got so many illegal (now) mother-in-law apartments here!

Artsy Fartsy

April 8, 2026/in Living Here: Urban Utah Blog /by Babs De Lay

There’s TWO new museums coming to our capitol city. I believe I have mentioned before that I’m very excited for the grand opening of the Museum of Utah that will be housed in a new building that’s almost finished, located behind the actual state capitol building at 450 N State Street.

The grand opening will be June 27^th and it’s Utah’s first state history museum and will celebrate our unique history, culture and art through world class exhibits, programming and community spaces. The building is six floors, and the top four are dedicated to the museum displays and the first two floors are legislative offices. It’s an extension of the Utah Historical Society and although the place isn’t open yet, the museum store is Monday-Thursday 9AM to 8 PM and Friday-Sunday 9AM to 6 PM full of books, stuffies, flags, shirts, cards, etc. They just acquired the iconic Mormon Meteor III land speed racer (think Salt Flats) that was commissioned by legendary driver Ab Jenkins and it will be on display in time for the grand opening.

The second museum is the Salt Lake Art Museum, which is being touted as the city’s first new fine art gallery in three decades. It is going into the historic B’nai Israel Temple, the oldest synagogue in the state as the first permanent Jewish house of worship in Utah…built before the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Although the building hasn’t been used for religious services since the 1970’s it has seen other tenants like a café, offices and even a school. The structure was designed by a German architect who modeled the Salt Lake building after a synagogue in Berlin, Philip Meyer. Sadly, Meyer died in a Nazi death camp in 1943. He was related to Frederick Auerbach, the co-founder of the historic but now defunct Auerbach’s department store that competed with ZCMI department store in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

The SLAM (249 S. 400 E.) will open in July, this summer. The first event will celebrate the architect Richard Kletting, famous for designing the Utah Capitol Building, the Oquirrh School, the first Saltair Resort Pavillion, Utah’s first fire-proof building (The Mcintyre Building), the Fisher Mansion and Carriage House, the first Salt Palace, various religious buildings in the state, four of the University of Utah Circle buildings, and the Territorial Insane Asylum to name a few! He was also born in Germany and was one of 16 children, moved to Paris where he learned design there. He migrated to the U.S. in 1883 and his first project in Utah was at the University of Deseret (the U of U).

The new owner of the Synagogue is Michah Christensen who notes that he’s half-Jewish and half-Mormon pioneer by descent and that his great grandfather was a member of the congregation. He purchased the building for $3 mil and plans to build a seven-story, 113-unit apartment complex behind and next to the building.

FREE BUS SERVICE

April 3, 2026/in Living Here: Urban Utah Blog /by Babs De Lay

Utah Transit Authority operates buses, TRAX and Front Runner in Box Elder, Davis, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, and Weber Counties, from Brigham City to Santaquin and west to Grantsville and was created in March of 1970 to provide public transportation services to a growing population here. The UTA took over routes and services from the former Salt Lake City lines which started up in 1953 and used buses built in the 1950’s and painted them light blue and white with a red belt rail.

Funding was the biggest challenge to getting public transportation growth here and it wasn’t until 1973 that our Legislature took profits from liquor store sales to fund the buses. In that year, Davis and Weber County transportation services joined up with Ogden coming on board in 1974 and then Utah County joining in 1984. Monies from sales taxes were thrown into the pot and soon annual ridership reached 600,000 passengers. Note too that bus service to Snowbird and Alta came in the late ‘70s and it cost a more 25-cents per ride. TRAX (light rail) service opened in 1999 and ran along the first tracks from Salt Lake City to Sandy and back and have expanded in virtually all directions since then.

Here’s what most people don’t know about our public transportation in Salt Lake City: there is a FREE fare zone in the downtown area that has been in place for 40 years! UTA doesn’t advertise this fact much, and in my opinion should be on signs placed around downtown and printed on flyers handed out to all conventioneers. Simply Google UTA Free Fare Zone (images) and you’ll see the map or go onto rideutah.com and see it here.

Working downtown I see many conventioneers trucking along our sidewalks in the hot summer sun, sporting their badges around their necks as they encounter our huge city blocks from their hotels located within several blocks of the convention center. And, have you ever tried to park by or near the state capitol building during the 45 days of our legislature? Yike! Yet, anyone can hope on a UTA bus that goes from downtown up there and back.

If you begin your ride in the Free Fare Zone but plan to exit outside of it, you will have to buy a ticket, and if you board outside the zone and travel into it you will have to provide proof of payment if asked. And if you use your electronic fare card, you must tap it on or off depending on your trip.

Fares are $2.50, some fares could be $5 for express bus and ski buses, a day pass is $5 and a monthly pass is $85. Next time you think you don’t want to walk so much, hop on a bus or TRAX downtown-easy peasy. And hey, UTA…ADVERTISE THIS and get more fans of public transportation here!