Year after year housing in Grand County has become increasingly unattainable for local residents. The following list summarizes past and current programs or efforts the County has implemented to help alleviate this stress for our residents and seasonal employees.
Increasing opportunities for Multifamily developments in Grand County -- Currently, there are very limited areas where multifamily developments are allowed to exist. As a response to this and the need to provide a variety of housing types for a variety of income levels, the County is developing a Future Land Use Plan, which will identify areas where increased density would be appropriate, such as near the City core and other emerging commercial nodes. This Plan will generate a Future Land Use Map, which will help to guide decision makers as rezone requests are made to change zoning designations from lower density to higher density. Several public workshops have been held to date, to gather community input on the vision for future development and housing diversification in the unincorporated County areas south of Moab and in Spanish Valley. Learn more about this effort by viewing the Future Land Use Planning page.
Alternative Dwelling Overlay -- The Alternative Dwelling Ordinance was approved in late 2022 and is a pilot program for permitting Alternative Dwelling Communities/Long-Term Camp Parks as a Special Purpose Overlay District. The ADO District provides a sanitary, regulated, and environmentally responsible living situation for the local workforce who choose to live in their RV’s, Trailers, or other types of Alternative Dwellings throughout the Moab Valley. The ADO District standards ensure that Alternative Dwelling developments are designed in a manner that addresses the impacts and the increased service needs they generate while also providing much needed designated workforce housing, which in turn, supports local businesses and the local economy.
The Workforce Housing Nexus Study -- A study currently being conducted by BAE Urban Economics, a consultant firm the County has contracted in the past for a housing study in 2018, which provided the basis for the Assured Housing Ordinance. The update to the 2018 study will provide the data we need to develop policies that will ultimately encourage and increase the availability of housing for local residents. It will also provide a feasibility analysis for incentive based initiatives the County is interested in pursuing in order to increase housing attainability across the entire continuum of households.The results from this study will posted here soon!
The High Density Housing Overlay District (HDHO) -- To date the Commission has approved ten HDHO developments' final plat, totally 353 housing units, and of those, 286 are deed restricted for Actively Employed Households. The HDHO was a pilot program which has since closed. The Planning Department continues to track and monitor HDHO developments to guage the program's success.
Moab Area Community Land Trust (MACLT) -- Grand County provides financial support for MACLT, by funding a full-time paid position to operate and manage the Land Trust. Currently, MACLT owns the ground where the Arroyo Crossing subdivision is being built. There are 300 homes planned for the Arroyo Crossing Subdivision and all are restricted to households with various levels income.
Moab Area Housing Task Force (MAHTF) -- This voluntary body of community members lobbies for fair housing opportunities for every resident of the Moab area. The MAHTF recently completed an update to the Moab Area Affordable Housing Plan, a joint long range plan between the City of Moab and Grand County that sets goals and strategies for increasing housing affordability into the future. The MAHTF also hosted a three-part Housing Series in the winter and spring of 2022 to provide residents with a forum to discuss housing issues as well as information on recent policy updates, resources for families, renters, prospective homeowners, and current homeowners, and those looking to build ADUs on their property. More information can be found at www.moabhousing.com.
Housing Market Research -- Periodically, Planning & Zoning staff conduct housing market "snapshot" research, identifying the quantity and price of all homes for rent or sale in the Moab area on a given day. The most recent Housing Continuum Market Snapshot was conducted on May 25, 2023, and is shown below. Previous snapshots are available to the right.
HELP US GATHER DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MOAB AREA'S HOUSING CRISIS
Year after year housing in Grand County has become increasingly unattainable for local residents. The following list summarizes past and current programs or efforts the County has implemented to help alleviate this stress for our residents and seasonal employees.
Increasing opportunities for Multifamily developments in Grand County -- Currently, there are very limited areas where multifamily developments are allowed to exist. As a response to this and the need to provide a variety of housing types for a variety of income levels, the County is developing a Future Land Use Plan, which will identify areas where increased density would be appropriate, such as near the City core and other emerging commercial nodes. This Plan will generate a Future Land Use Map, which will help to guide decision makers as rezone requests are made to change zoning designations from lower density to higher density. Several public workshops have been held to date, to gather community input on the vision for future development and housing diversification in the unincorporated County areas south of Moab and in Spanish Valley. Learn more about this effort by viewing the Future Land Use Planning page.
Alternative Dwelling Overlay -- The Alternative Dwelling Ordinance was approved in late 2022 and is a pilot program for permitting Alternative Dwelling Communities/Long-Term Camp Parks as a Special Purpose Overlay District. The ADO District provides a sanitary, regulated, and environmentally responsible living situation for the local workforce who choose to live in their RV’s, Trailers, or other types of Alternative Dwellings throughout the Moab Valley. The ADO District standards ensure that Alternative Dwelling developments are designed in a manner that addresses the impacts and the increased service needs they generate while also providing much needed designated workforce housing, which in turn, supports local businesses and the local economy.
The Workforce Housing Nexus Study -- A study currently being conducted by BAE Urban Economics, a consultant firm the County has contracted in the past for a housing study in 2018, which provided the basis for the Assured Housing Ordinance. The update to the 2018 study will provide the data we need to develop policies that will ultimately encourage and increase the availability of housing for local residents. It will also provide a feasibility analysis for incentive based initiatives the County is interested in pursuing in order to increase housing attainability across the entire continuum of households.The results from this study will posted here soon!
The High Density Housing Overlay District (HDHO) -- To date the Commission has approved ten HDHO developments' final plat, totally 353 housing units, and of those, 286 are deed restricted for Actively Employed Households. The HDHO was a pilot program which has since closed. The Planning Department continues to track and monitor HDHO developments to guage the program's success.
Moab Area Community Land Trust (MACLT) -- Grand County provides financial support for MACLT, by funding a full-time paid position to operate and manage the Land Trust. Currently, MACLT owns the ground where the Arroyo Crossing subdivision is being built. There are 300 homes planned for the Arroyo Crossing Subdivision and all are restricted to households with various levels income.
Moab Area Housing Task Force (MAHTF) -- This voluntary body of community members lobbies for fair housing opportunities for every resident of the Moab area. The MAHTF recently completed an update to the Moab Area Affordable Housing Plan, a joint long range plan between the City of Moab and Grand County that sets goals and strategies for increasing housing affordability into the future. The MAHTF also hosted a three-part Housing Series in the winter and spring of 2022 to provide residents with a forum to discuss housing issues as well as information on recent policy updates, resources for families, renters, prospective homeowners, and current homeowners, and those looking to build ADUs on their property. More information can be found at www.moabhousing.com.
Housing Market Research -- Periodically, Planning & Zoning staff conduct housing market "snapshot" research, identifying the quantity and price of all homes for rent or sale in the Moab area on a given day. The most recent Housing Continuum Market Snapshot was conducted on May 25, 2023, and is shown below. Previous snapshots are available to the right.
This survey is intended to be completed by businesses and employers in the Moab area as part of the County's efforts to address the current housing crisis.
