Jordan Valley Senior Housing opens in West Jordan

Judy Jensen has looked all over the valley for affordable senior housing, but hasn’t found anything nearly as spacious or nice as the new Jordan Valley Senior Housing at 7832 South 3200 West, opening to residents mid-January.

“This one is a lot better than any of them,” Jensen said at the facility’s grand opening on Dec. 13. “There was the one in Taylorsville that I wanted to go to, but they are real small. This is a lot bigger than any of them. I like the space and I like the atmosphere.”

Jensen was one of the fortunate ones to have a secured room. Billie Downey is still waiting to hear about her application.

“I’m all packed,” Downey said.

She toured the model rooms and grounds and has liked everything she has seen. Like Jensen, she has looked at other apartments, and this one has been her favorite.

“It has plenty of room,” Jensen said. “It has the patio and I love the closets for storage and for everything. I think it’s great.”

Marion Willey, Utah Non Profit Housing Corporation Executive Director, said they listened to the input they had received from seniors, which was for more storage.

“So we took that, with additional storage in the building,” and a drive-through where residents can be dropped off, Willey said.

Amenities include on-site management, outdoor recreation areas, a secured entry system, an elevator, a great room with a fireplace and piano, salon, exercise room, wellness room, library, computer space, laundry facilities, individual storage units and covered parking.

To make the project affordable, they needed the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund, which contributed $1 million toward the project.

“Without those funds, it wouldn’t work,” Willey said. “I think that’s what we keep forgetting. We have all these partners. If all these people didn’t come together to do something, affordable housing wouldn’t work.”

Gordon Walker, director of Utah Division of Housing and Community Development, had come up with a plan to give $1 million to a selected three communities, of which West Jordan was one.

“This is a terrific program because the communities are now in the driver’s seat in making this work,” Walker said. “So the communities can determine what it is that they need in their communities, and then we will help to make that happen.”

And he plans to make it a revolving loan fund, so more projects can be a reality in the future.

To further make the housing affordable, the Utah Housing Corporation allocated tax credits to the tune of $696,000 to the project.

“Which is a miracle of the federal tax code,” said Utah Housing Corporation President Grant Whitaker.

The tax credits created $5.7 million of investment, which in turn created equity for the project. This allowed UNPHC to get a smaller loan, translating into more affordable housing for the residents living there.

“The people who live here need to be rewarded for all they’ve done through their lives and contributed to our society,” Whitaker said.