Archives: Project Areas

Through the Backyard Keys program, Salt Lake City homeowners on the Westside now have access to affordable financing to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) — also known as a basement apartment, backyard cottage, or mother-in-law suite.

This new program, administered in partnership with the Community Development Corporation of Utah (CDCU), is designed to increase affordable housing options and help residents build wealth.

What the Backyard Keys Loan Program Offers

Who’s Eligible for Backyard Keys?

Owner-occupants building an ADU on their west side property (west of I-15 in Salt Lake City) may qualify.

Homeowners located within Salt Lake City’s 9-Line Community Reinvestment Area — which runs along 900 South between I-15 and the Jordan River — will receive loan priority, as this area has dedicated funding set aside for ADU development.

✔️ Must live west of I-15
✔️ Must use the property as a primary residence
✔️ Must complete Salt Lake City’s Good Landlord training
✔️ Must participate in financial counseling

There are two ways to participate:

Curious how you’d qualify? Learn more about Area Median Income (AMI) and use an online calculator to estimate your household income level.

How to Apply for the Loan Program

Loans applications are accepted as funding is available. All will be administered through CDCU.

Want to be notified when applications open? Join the interest list here.

Additional Resources

Looking to build an ADU but not sure where to start? These resources will help you understand the requirements, streamline your approval process, and connect with city planning staff for support.

Get an overview of what’s allowed, how to apply, and key zoning and building code requirements.
View the ADU Handbook (PDF)

Speed up your project with pre-approved ADU designs. These plans meet city building codes and can simplify the permitting process.
Explore Pre-Approved ADU Plans

The 9 Line Community Reinvestment Area is located less than two miles from Downtown Salt Lake City, and spans the communities of Poplar Grove to the north and Glendale to the south. The area is characterized by single-family neighborhoods, industrial uses, and small- to mid-scale commercial centers. It also has several parks and two trail corridors. The RDA is working to leverage the neighborhood’s existing assets while encouraging commercial revitalization, housing stability, economic development, and enhancement of the public realm.

Located on the southern periphery of Downtown Salt Lake City, the West Temple Gateway Project Area is a gateway to the City’s business district by way of an attractive, urban residential environment. The area’s rising neighborhood business district on 900 South, aptly branded Central Ninth, is surrounded by an eclectic mix of multi-family developments, single-family homes, and a growing number of small-scale commercial and office buildings. The centrally-located 900 South TRAX Station, which was built with RDA assistance in 2005, provides area residents and businesses with excellent transit connectivity to other commercial and residential nodes located throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

Located between 300 and 800 North, and between 200 and 400 West, the West Capitol Hill Project Area (WCH) includes portions of Salt Lake City’s historic Marmalade neighborhood, and its many pockets of charming residential and commercial structures. The redevelopment plan for WCH seeks to stabilize the residential neighborhoods, while strengthening the commercial business corridor along 300 West. While we partnered with other City entities to make 300 West safer and more welcoming, and aligned with Preservation Utah on the rehabilitation of several historic homes on Pugsley Street, much of the RDA’s focus has been spent on the Marmalade Block development, a 4-part, multi-year project comprised of roughly 3.5 acres between 500 and 600 North, and 300 West and Arctic Court. For many years prior to 2005, we purchased several parcels on this block with the intent to redivide the properties and redevelop them separately with several development partners. This allowed for a mix of design ideas that would be built side-by-side, while also keeping the overall look and design of the project within the scale of surrounding neighborhood, like Arctic Court directly to the east. Three of the four elements of the Marmalade Block have been completed:

• Marmalade Branch Library – Completed in 2016
  • The community cornerstone of Marmalade Block, the two-story modern structure offers more than 18,000 square feet of interior space for the community to utilize. We managed the right-of-way and design process for the public plaza on the east side of the building, which includes a promenade to the middle of the block comprised of a double row of trees.
• Grove Townhomes – Completed in 2018
  • Built east of the library, the 12 for-sale townhomes were specifically oriented to face the public plaza planned for the interior of the block. We wanted owner-occupied residences here so that they could further stabilize and transition the single-family residential Marmalade neighborhood to the east. This project contributed to the RDA’s goal to diversify the tax base of the West Capitol Hill Project Area to keep it healthy and economically sustainable far into the future.  
• Harvest Apartments – Completed in 2022
  • Across three buildings lie 252 residential units, 12 live-work units, and two (2) 2,400 square-foot commercial spaces with frontage on 300 West. The mixed-use development will activate the block’s community-oriented open space (the forthcoming Marmalade Plaza).

Covering a large expanse of Salt Lake City, the State Street Project Area is bounded by: 2100 South and 300 South on the south and north; Interstate-15, 200 West, and West Temple on the west; and 200 East on the east. It is comprised of a range of districts and neighborhoods with differing land uses, urban design characteristics, and transportation features. A key component of the project area is State Street, once the primary north/south highway connecting Salt Lake City with adjacent cities prior to the construction of Interstate-80 and Interstate-15. This automobile-focused corridor continues to be a critical gateway to Salt Lake City. There is opportunity to expand the street’s uses by including more pedestrian-friendly and livable features through infrastructure enhancement and creation. There is also opportunity for new development, the renovation and rehabilitation of existing buildings, and the creation of safe, welcoming public spaces.

The North Temple Project Area is a major entryway to Salt Lake City. Served by the TRAX airport light rail line, the North Temple Corridor connects Downtown to the Salt Lake City International Airport, making the area an opportune site for new transit-oriented development. The RDA is working to attract catalytic and infill development to the area by promoting its loan and tax increment reimbursement programs. The area’s form-based zoning and significant street improvements are transforming it into a vibrant, walkable, transit-oriented corridor. The RDA’s recent purchase of an unsafe and dilapidated motel property and the current construction of a mixed-use development is also contributing to positive change in the neighborhood.

The Granary District Project Area was historically utilized as an industrial and railroad corridor serving Salt Lake City. More recently, additional housing and service-oriented commercial developments have been added to the project area’s mix of land uses. The redevelopment plan aims to create mixed-use neighborhoods that support commercial businesses and services by improving public infrastructure, addressing deterioration, preserving historic structures, financially supporting adaptive reuse development, and creating open space. Granary District is the only project area to have a financial program all its own, The Granary District Adaptive Reuse Loan Program. This unique forgivable loan program has helped bring new local businesses to the Granary neighborhood through providing financial assistance to renovate structurally sound industrial buildings to serve more modern and active uses.

The Depot District Redevelopment Project Area (DD) is located just west of Downtown, covering the area from North Temple to 400 South Street and 400 West Street to Interstate 15. Historically, the area has been part of the City’s industrial and railroad corridor. With the reconstruction of I-15 off-ramps and the consolidation of rail lines along 700 West Street, the improved accessibility of the area has made investment more desirable.

The Central Business District Project Area (CBD) includes much of downtown Salt Lake City, the commercial heart of not only the city, but the State of Utah. The guiding plans for the CBD call for strengthening the City’s tax base through economic development and growth. These efforts should provide for new commercial and housing development, as well as rehabilitation of existing downtown buildings. The CBD Project Area Plan also recommends installation of public improvements, including transportation enhancements and cultural facilities. Within the area’s 266 acres, which are bounded by North Temple and 500 South, and by 400 West and 200 East, the RDA generates tax increment from a selected 100 acres. The remaining 166 non-tax increment generating acres are still eligible for RDA programs and funding.