Weber County affordable homes project is first under new state plan

OGDEN — A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Weber County Thursday morning, marking the first affordable homes project under a new state plan.

The goal of that plan, funded in part by the state Legislature, is to build tens of thousands of affordable homes for Utah families by 2028.

It seems new homes are going up everywhere in Utah, but as we all know, housing prices are a big problem.

Sharon Bolos, Weber County commissioner and resident, would love if her kids and grandkids could stay in the county, or anywhere in Utah.

"How do you get into a house? It's just becoming impossible. I have grandkids. I don't want them to go anywhere," Bolos told KSL TV. "The prices are so astronomical."

It's projects like this one, located just northwest of Ogden in Weber County, that are designed to help families get into homes at a more affordable price.

"This is an existential crisis," Gov. Spencer Cox said. "It is the crisis of our time."

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday morning at the construction site to announce the homes. The project is the first of many planned to bring 35,000 affordable homes to Utah in the next five years. It's part of the Utah Legislature putting aside $300 million for builders to get low-interest loans to build these types of communities.

Nilson Homes in Weber County is the first, owned by Jed Nilson.

"It was so important to us that we created something that we can all be proud of," Nilson said.

This project will include almost 300 homes priced under $400,000, when the median home price in Utah right now is about $500,000. These homes will be available to first time homebuyers, first responders, military members and teachers.

"I want all of them to have the opportunity to achieve the American dream in Utah," Nilson told KSL-TV.

The project will also help the dreams of parents who want to keep their families closer.

"We want to keep our kids around us; we want to keep our grandkids around us and give them opportunities to stay close to home," Bolo said.

To register to buy a home and to find information on rules under this program, visit nilsonhomes.com/starter-home.

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