Salt Lake County enters West Valley apartment fray
Housing for formerly homeless seniors worries parents
Legally the council can do nothing to stop the Salt Lake County Housing Authority from building the Kelly Benson Apartments. The council has no power over the housing authority, other than to appoint members to the housing authority board.
But the council can use some of its political clout.
And Jason Jones hopes that's enough.
"We believe it's the right project but most definitely in the wrong location," said Jones, who wants to make sure his 5-year-old will not have to walk by the apartments on the "safe route" to and from school. "I can't think of a worse location."
Jones is not alone. More than 1,100 people have signed a petition asking the housing authority to moved the proposed Kelly Benson Apartments away from 3120 S. 3600 West.
The apartment complex is in the path of the "safe route" that neighborhood children use to walk to school, but housing authority executive director Kerry Bate says it's unlikely the facility will be changing locations.
Councilman David Wilde believes the county can come up with a better location.
"It seems like there is not anything we can do. Ultimately, the decision is in the hands of the housing authority," Wilde said. Still, he's not giving up, and is making a last-ditch attempt to resolve the problem.
On Tuesday, the council voted to task two of the council's subcommittees to get together and try to come up with a solution that will work for both the neighborhood and the housing authority.
But not everyone is convinced the facility should be moved.
"In all neighborhoods, there is fear and trepidation, but somehow things work for the better," Councilman Randy Horiuchi said.
Jones insists the Kelly Benson Apartments will bring increased crime into the area, and he says he's got the data to back him up.
That prompted Councilman Jeff Allen to say government officials should consider imposing restrictions on any facility that brings in additional crime — be it a sexually oriented business, liquor store or housing for the chronically homeless.
E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com
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