Local tourism leaders say the 2021 outlook for Salt Lake remains uncertain. (PHOTO credit: Paul Nelson)
SALT LAKE CITY — Nearly 40 tenants at The Annex on South Temple face evictions after their apartment building was sold to new ownership. Renters were told they have until the end of the month to find a new place to live.
Several tenants expressed concern over the surprise eviction notices, noting the rent at The Annex is some of the lowest available in Salt Lake City. Renters pay between $600-$750 a month — far below other available places throughout the capital city.
“I can’t afford $1,000 a month,” Jerry Hagen, who has lived at The Annex for 11 years, told KSL TV.
Hagen said he received his eviction notice on his birthday last weekend.
“I opened the door and the envelope fell down and it said we’re evicted,” he said. “That’s it. They said you’ve gotta move.”
The evictions reflect a larger problem looming over Salt Lake City: Affordable housing. In other words, several Utahns struggled with unaffordable housing, spending at least 50% of one’s income on rent.
South Temple, where The Annex is located, is lined with newly-built apartment buildings with high rent. For tenants being evicted, they must now decide where they should go — that is above their budget.
Jim Wood, who studies housing and economic development, said 25,000 families in that counties now face that same challenge. In fact, he calls it a “housing crisis.”