Salt Lake City voter guide 2023

Mayor

Ranked choice voting. Voters will rank up to three candidates.

Ross C. ‘Rocky’ Anderson

Occupation: Presently, full-time mayoral candidate; previously, lawyer (primarily commercial and civil rights litigation).

If elected, what would you do to ensure middle-income Utahns who want to buy a home in Salt Lake City will be able to do so?

Truly affordable housing at all income levels is a crucial public need. The way out of the Salt Lake City affordability crisis, which has become much worse these past four years, is to take profit out of housing subsidized by the city.

The city should end the subsidies of many millions for profit-driven developers who have built mostly architecturally awful, unaffordable, family-unfriendly (studios and one-bedroom) housing throughout our city. Instead, the city or a nonprofit developer should build beautifully designed, mixed-income, nonmarket, permanently affordable housing, where rents and sale prices will be much lower because the profit margin is eliminated and because the city will maintain low rents and sale prices, regardless of the ever-increasing market.

Millions of people throughout the world are affordably housed in nonmarket housing. That’s why Seattle voters passed an initiative requiring nonmarket housing and why 80%-plus of Singaporeans own affordable homes. Together, we can do this.

What type of development would you like to see replace Smith’s Ballpark?

I’d seek to aggressively explore the prospect of continuing Salt Lake City’s approximately 112-year tradition of professional baseball by attracting another triple-A baseball team if Major League Baseball (MLB) doesn’t happen in Salt Lake City. Bringing a triple-A baseball team to the city, in the absence of an MLB team, is a real possibility. Losing professional baseball altogether in Salt Lake City would be sad and unnecessary. Also, we should do what we can to retain the taxpayer-financed, beautiful Smith’s Ballpark, with its unparalleled, sprawling views of the Wasatch Front.

My preference would be to develop a world-class venue for women’s sports (e.g., soccer, football, baseball, softball, rugby, and/or volleyball) and coordinate that use with a triple-A team, if one is brought to the city. We should further coordinate the use of the ballpark with the University of Utah baseball team and utilize it when possible for music and arts festivals.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge Salt Lake City faces, and how would you address it?

The desiccation of the Great Salt Lake would be devastating to city residents and businesses, as well as millions of migratory birds, brine flies (vital to the ecosystem), and brine shrimp. Metals, including arsenic, from the dry lakebed will blow into the city, resulting in heightened risks of severe respiratory illnesses, heart disease, lung disease and cancers. The cascading effects would severely undermine our economic vitality and overall quality of life.

Although individual conservation efforts are important for dealing with droughts, the lake will survive only if water is diverted from alfalfa farming, which contributes only 0.2% to our economy, yet uses 68% of available water. A third of the alfalfa grown in Utah is exported to China. Under my leadership, the city will create a long-overdue coalition with other communities to pursue and effectively advocate for legal remedies, legislation, and public policy changes to save the Great Salt Lake.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I’m a pescetarian and exercise enthusiast who believes aging is inevitable, but growing old is a choice.

Erin Mendenhall

Occupation: Mayor of Salt Lake City

If elected, what would you do to ensure middle-income Utahns who want to buy a home in Salt Lake City will be able to do so?

We need more housing of all types not just in Salt Lake City but also statewide. As mayor, I’ve invested more than $55 million in affordable housing, creating 4,000 new units of affordable housing so far — more than every other mayor combined. By investing in others’ planned projects, we’ve been able to create 18 times more affordable units than if the city tried to go it alone in building its own housing projects. We’ve increased the volume of affordable housing units backed by the city by 413%. We’ve also invested $10 million in an innovative Perpetual Housing Fund model to create at least 1,000 new units of very affordable housing and 500 resident-owned homes that will create millions in equitylike nest eggs for residents.

What type of development would you like to see replace Smith’s Ballpark?

I love that stadium and while the Bees only open it 70 days a year, it should be an exciting hub of economic and community activity 365 days a year. That’s what I want to see most there. We launched the Ballpark NEXT project because I wanted to be sure the community is involved in the reimagining of that property and the immediate neighborhood at every step. The process has already yielded some inspiring, creative ideas — including some that still utilize the existing stadium — and I’m excited to see the process and creativity continue moving forward.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge Salt Lake City faces, and how would you address it?

We’ve taken legitimately historic steps to improve our air quality and bold action to help save the Great Salt Lake over the past four years, but given the terrifyingly short timeline scientists have given the lake, that feels like the bigger challenge today. We’re working to protect our 13 billion-gallon a year contribution to the lake from being raided by commercial interests, we’re imposing a temporary drought surcharge on the city’s biggest water consumers to incentivize lower usage, and we created a special blend of grass seed designed for our climate that uses less water. The results of a top-to-bottom audit of city water usage I ordered will inform new steps to reduce the government’s usage, and I plan to prioritize helping other municipalities learn from Salt Lake City’s successes if elected to a second term.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I love riding around the city on my bike and e-bike. My favorite is named “Kraken.”

Michael Valentine

Occupation: Small-business owner/student.

If elected, what would you do to ensure middle-income Utahns who want to buy a home in Salt Lake City will be able to do so?

It’s no secret we have to lower housing prices across the board, from apartments to single-family homes and everything in between. Restructuring the city’s Redevelopment Agency would allow us to do this, only using public money to build housing at 0% to 30% of the area’s median income ($500 for one bedroom; $750 for two bedrooms). From there, we can start focusing on housing ownership, which has declined, especially with us millennials getting priced out. I support more missing-middle housing, condos, tiny homes, etc. I also support first-time homeowner assistance from the city, mortgage assistance, and doing a lot more so people can buy and not just be stuck as renters.

Ownership is how the middle class was built. It’s how regular people build equity, wealth and stability. We must push back against a real estate industry that is striving to destroy the American Dream. Everyone deserves to own a house, no matter the size.

What type of development would you like to see replace Smith’s Ballpark?

I have called for this entire deal to be investigated. Gail Miller, the owner of the Bees, has repeatedly donated to Erin Mendenhall’s campaigns, and donated $3,640 on Nov. 23, 2021, seemingly while this move was being negotiated behind closed doors. This is a concerning pattern as Mendenhall took $2,000 from Pantages Theater developer Joel LaSalle on Oct. 14, 2019, while that deal was being negotiated, after he already had a contract to purchase the theater from the city. Elected officials should not be taking any donations from parties they are actively negotiating with on behalf of the public. This deal to move the Bees to Daybreak blindsided the entire public, who had no input into it at all. I support whatever the general public wants to see there, but personally think that baseball should stay in the Ballpark neighborhood for another century.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge Salt Lake City faces, and how would you address it?

There are so many big issues, which is one of the reasons I released an extensive platform, but a lot of those ideas can be categorized as economic inequality and livability. I’m worried about Salt Lake City becoming more and more expensive for

locals, people having worse quality of life every year, and not more prosperity and opportunity. Our great city needs to be a place where everyone can flourish, especially younger generations who are starting to build families and set down roots.

I also speak a lot about corruption, having elected officials who serve the people, not developers and corporations. Bringing back accountability, transparency, and ethics to our city as the foundation of trust in government. How can we accomplish anything together if we can’t even trust our leaders and hold them to account? I’m not sure if we can.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I’m a licensed drone pilot and used to have a creative summer job painting small Warhammer miniatures. Very nerdy :).

City Council

District 2

Alejandro ‘Ale’ Puy

Unopposed.

District 4

Ranked choice voting. Voters will rank up to three candidates.

Eva López Chávez

Occupation: Project manager and consultant for small businesses.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district?

We have an opportunity to increase affordable housing in our neighborhood starting with prioritizing multifamily units, town homes, and investing in existing affordable housing. I’m excited by the opportunity to follow our Thriving in Place plans. I’m also excited by the opportunity to work with Salt Lake County and build housing options on government-owned land, such as our senior centers. We need to look at density as a tool to keep our families in District 4 and as a tool to adaptively reuse existing structures that share the history of our neighborhoods. I want to make District 4 a place where students, families, workers, and seniors alike can find permanent homes; a place where the opportunities of this city are at their front doorstep.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

I hope that this project is successful and builds a pipeline for chronically unsheltered people to have better access to permanent housing solutions. That being said, District 4 currently shoulders a great responsibility in hosting shelters (homeless resource centers), permanent-supportive housing and other types of mixed-income housing.

Calls of service are going up, and quality of life for both clients and neighborhoods is strained. We need to solve safety issues in this district. I would like to see this responsibility shared in other parts of our city while I work with the mayor’s office to have better security for our existing facilities. We should not expand services in District 4 until our neighborhoods are safe for everyone.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge Salt Lake City faces, and how would you address it?

The ecological collapse of our Great Salt Lake keeps me awake at night. I intend to take this to Capitol Hill with our legislative representatives. Our lake needs life support, and while each council member has power to guide city water-use policy and pricing structure, we also have to be willing to advocate, to tell its story to legislative leaders who oversee statewide water use. I want to set a citywide target depth for our lake, which, while symbolic, also helps us better understand water conservation and the dire consequences of falling behind in our goal.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I love sports and fly fishing. I’m an avid outdoors enthusiast and love anything that involves playing with a football. I used to play football for the Utah Falconz, a nationally recognized all-women’s tackle football team. You can catch me most weekends somewhere on a lake paddleboarding, fishing a stream, or hanging out in a park catching a ball with friends.

Clayton Scrivner

Occupation: Communications manager for Park City.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district?

Salt Lake City becoming unaffordable to so many people fundamentally threatens our quality of life. In District 4, we are not constructing affordable housing at an effective rate, nor are we funding it the right way. We need to be more focused on the needs of our current and future residents rather than developers or business interests. To help fix this we should:

• Accelerate the development of affordable housing — using mostly nonprofit partners — on three District 4 (or adjacent) areas where the city has been a de facto land banker for years: Depot District, Fleet Block and the Public Safety Building site.

• Prioritize affordable for-purchase opportunities as we are creating a generation of District 4 residents who cannot invest in our neighborhood.

• Finally fix the transit station area zoning on 400 South that has led to a largely unaffordable and uninteresting built environment.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

First, I would need to know the definition of success. My major considerations would be:

• Is it helping people — short term and long term?

• Is it reducing the impacts of unsanctioned camping?

• Are the costs being shared equitably with other entities?

District 4, as the urban core of not only the city but also the entire state, has always been at the table when it comes to solutions. So, yes, I would be supportive, but, as a city, we must uphold promises we make to residents about any potential impacts and the mitigation tactics for our neighborhoods.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge Salt Lake City faces, and how would you address it?

I’m deeply concerned about the pressing environmental crisis our city is facing. Our air quality, water resources and public lands are at risk from pollution and climate change, and I believe it’s crucial that we take immediate action. We must:

• Be a city that has the infrastructure necessary to make car ownership an option, not a requirement, with transit that is free, frequent and focused on our neighborhood — and streets that are the safest in the nation.

• Put everything we can on the table legislatively to ensure both the health and longevity of the Great Salt Lake.

• Remain committed to our carbon-neutral sustainability goals.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I love music. I collected vintage records, and I’ve been a DJ at weddings, wakes and even inauguration parties.

Ana Valdemoros

Occupation: Small-business owner.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district?

First, I will invest in the first affordable homeownership program in the city. I started by making policy changes as Redevelopment Agency chair to incentivize family-size housing and ownership. I will collaborate with local organizations to leverage resources and support first-time homebuyers, making it easier for families, first responders and young professionals to achieve homeownership.

Second, I will continue to work on partnerships between public and private sectors to create more affordable housing without straining the local budget. I will advocate to increase the percentage of affordable units in new developments.

Last, I will advocate for increased funding for affordable housing initiatives at city, state and federal levels. This will allow us to expand existing affordable housing programs and create new ones tailored to the needs of our community. I am committed to making affordable housing a reality for everyone, fostering economic stability and a stronger sense of community.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

Yes, I wholeheartedly support hosting a sanctioned homeless camp in my district if the city’s pilot project proves successful. I’ve already taken significant steps in this direction by allocating $500,000 for secure outdoor spaces that prioritize dignity, including essential amenities like restrooms.

Furthermore, my track record demonstrates my commitment to addressing homelessness and its related challenges. I established the Community Health Access Team, which, in just one year, significantly reduced police calls by providing specialized and compassionate responses, thus improving overall community well-being.

When reelected, I will make my primary objective securing increased funding to establish a comprehensive, RV-inclusive sanctioned camping ground. This will build upon the foundation I’ve laid with the initial allocation, ensuring that we continue to prioritize the dignity and well-being of our homeless population while addressing their specific needs.

By expanding these initiatives, we can work toward a more compassionate and effective approach to homelessness.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge Salt Lake City faces, and how would you address it?

Undoubtedly, the other most pressing concern is the dwindling Great Salt Lake. I propose a two-pronged approach: strengthening water conservation policies and fostering collaboration with neighboring municipalities to set a reasonable standard for environmental preservation.

My track record of collaboration with Salt Lake City’s Sustainability Department staff reflects my dedication to sustainable practices. During my tenure as a city planner, I played a pivotal role in implementing an ordinance that mandates new multifamily projects include dedicated spaces for regular refuse and recycling. Despite initial resistance, this initiative is now a recognized cornerstone of sustainable waste management.

Furthermore, my ability to build bridges is invaluable in our polarized political climate. With established rapport with our Legislature, I’ve facilitated meaningful collaborations. For instance, I provided direct feedback to the executive director of the Utah Inland Port, advocating strongly for its environmental sustainability. These dialogues are possible only when mutual respect and trust exist.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I rode the world’s fastest roller coaster, I love cotton candy, and my childhood crush was Ricky Martin.

District 6

Ranked choice voting. Voters will rank up to four candidates.

James Alfandre

Occupation: Award-winning urban designer and housing policy expert; business owner; father of five great kids.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district? Would you support higher-density housing?

Continue supporting owner-occupied accessory dwelling units that look like they fit into existing neighborhoods and finding creative opportunities to provide well-designed, appropriately located and scaled attainable housing while protecting our single-family neighborhoods. My kids are fourth-generation District 6 residents, and we care deeply about this community. We shouldn’t have to choose between tearing down homes and providing diverse housing options for young families, teachers and police officers. We can do both; we just need leaders who have the expertise and vision like myself.

What traffic-calming measures would you support within your district?

We’re fortunate to have a grid system in place. Let’s use it to ensure all modes of transportation are safe, pleasant and efficient, including bikes, pedestrians and cars. No one should have to wait until 16 years of age for mobility independence and everyone should feel safe. Families are fleeing Salt Lake City, and we need to create a city that is safer and transportation-rich with better infrastructure, including updated parks and recreational opportunities.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

Homelessness is not just a problem in one area; it’s all around us, a real regional challenge. We’ve got to come together, all of us, to tackle it head-on. Any solution, no matter the district, has to be near robust mass transportation and essential health services that doesn’t disrupt our single-family neighborhoods. It’s about striking that balance, making sure everyone’s needs are met without losing what makes our communities feel like home.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I’m an award-winning urban designer who spearheaded the revitalization of the Granary District and who is always recreating in the mountains.

Jack Bellows

Disqualified but will still appear on ballots. Votes for Bellows will not count.

Dan Dugan

Occupation: Council member District 6, former Naval aviator and engineer.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district? Would you support higher-density housing?

The City Council is fully focused on affordable housing at all levels. We recently passed the “Thriving in Place” strategic plan to address keeping residents in their current housing (protecting residents), preserving the current housing choices (naturally occurring affordable housing), and producing more affordable housing. We are currently reviewing an affordable housing incentive ordinance and how we increase affordable housing across different housing zones. Although this is a complex issue, I am committed to protecting the character of our existing neighborhoods while still finding solutions to affordability in Salt Lake City. I have heard from my constituents, and I am opposed to the current draft of the ordinance that includes the allowance of triplexes and fourplexes in single-family zones. That being said, it is essential to our future generations to address housing stock issues, affordability and increase homeownership potential. The city and state need more affordable housing.

What traffic-calming measures would you support within your district?

I’m proud of the work I have done to promote increased traffic calming and safety strategies in District 6. We have appropriated funding for two projects currently in the planning stage: Sunnyside Ave/1400 East and Foothill/2500 East. Additionally, we are installing speed pillows and raised crosswalks along 1300 East. I approach this work by engaging with residents on neighborhood traffic-calming measures and working with city engineers on the best way to decrease speed and increase driver awareness. In the past budget, the council appropriated $2 million in traffic-calming measures and hired four new transportation planners. To reduce dependency on cars and reduce traffic, the council appropriated funds for bus/TRAX light rail passes for all Salt Lake City School District K-12 students, teachers, staff and one parent. I want to expand this program with state support, and I am excited to continue championing transportation programs to improve safety and accessibility across our city.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

I have heard from many residents of District 6 that our approach to tackling homelessness should be led with compassion and empathy. I have been proud to support innovative solutions like the sanctioned campsite because this problem requires a multipronged approach. Although the sanctioned campsite could be one part of the solution, the most important thing we can do is increase access to affordable and deeply affordable housing throughout our city and county. District 6 is compassionate and caring but has limited, if any, open city property that could house a campsite.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I still play lacrosse at an annual tournament and this year my team took home the championship trophy.

Taymour B. Semnani

Occupation: Civil litigation attorney.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district? Would you support higher-density housing?

Housing affordability extends beyond one-bedroom apartment rental rates, affecting various aspects of our community, including public school enrollment, infrastructure, policing and water resource management. It’s essential to address affordability for two- and three-bedroom units to support Salt Lake families. While a developer can fit around 350 apartments on 5 acres, achieving the same efficiency using fourplexes would require removing 90 single-family homes from the market. With only about 7,000 homes in the district, removing single-family homes will only increase demand and cause prices to further skyrocket. Salt Lake City has added 4,000 rental units in the past five years without reducing single-family home availability. Fourplexes in single-family neighborhoods won’t significantly impact this number, and the cost-benefit analysis doesn’t support their widespread use. Density belongs downtown.

What traffic-calming measures would you support within your district?

I believe that, as our city grows, we need to think about pedestrian safety, public transit, cars, law enforcement and clean air as an interconnected ecosystem. Narrowing streets with striping, parking demarcations and bike infrastructure are some low-overhead ways to make streets safer to walk and bike on, while keeping streets convenient for those who rely on cars to travel. We also need to rethink enforcement. As an example, the driving record penalty for driving 20 mph over in a 20 mph zone is the same as the penalty for 20 mph over in a 65 mph zone. That makes no sense. I am particularly concerned with distracted drivers using cellphones and rolling-stop right turns while drivers are looking left for oncoming traffic, but ignoring the pedestrians entering the crosswalk from the right.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

No. To best serve homeless populations, sanctioned encampments need close access to public transit, free medical resources specializing in treatment of homeless populations and detox centers. District 6 is composed mostly of single-family homes, has the worst access to public transit, and does not have medical facilities that specialize in treating homeless populations. Our city’s downtown has efficient access to UTA’s TRAX light rail and bus lines, the Fourth Street Clinic and access to detox centers. There is no rational policy reason to have a sanctioned encampment in District 6, and no stakeholders would benefit from doing so.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I enjoy salvaging and restoring antique Schlage door hardware. Initially skeptical, my wife finally appreciates our home’s unique aesthetic.

District 7

Voters will select one candidate.

Molly Jones

Occupation: Small-business owner.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district?

The Sugar House Commercial Business District has many new projects coming before the council in the next year. I would like to negotiate with property developers to ensure that the mix of units for rent (or preferably for sale) are socioeconomically diverse to ensure that we get a range of income levels that live in these new developments.

What would you like to see done at the old Sizzler property at the corner of Sugar House Park?

I would like to find a way for the city and/or the county to purchase the property and convert it into a pedestrian entranceway to Sugar House Park. I believe that we could create a welcoming walkway that showcases the beautiful native plants that thrive in our area, inspiring gardeners and visitors alike. This would also tie in nicely with the Sego Lily Dam art installation, tying together the two areas into one inviting entryway to District 7′s “crown jewel.”

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

Yes, but with extensive research and community input before hosting to ensure that the location is the most appropriate to meet the demands of this population.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I love to cook. I am an adventurous home cook who never shies away from a complex recipe.

Sarah Young

Occupation: Chief of staff at the Utah State Board of Education.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options within your district?

My foremost priority will be to secure affordable, multifamily housing for residents at or below the area’s median income. First, offering more incentives to encourage developers to include three-plus-bedroom family affordable units in new projects. Second, I will collaborate with the City Council to mandate development agreements for affordable housing, linked to rezoning requests. This approach will ensure that affordable housing becomes an integral part of our district’s growth.

Additionally, I will collaborate closely with all city department leaders, making approvals for affordable housing more efficient. I will also work in alignment with the “Thriving in Place” plan to guide resource allocation and zoning policies. This strategy will also extend its influence to the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City. My ultimate goal is to turn affordable housing into a reality within our district, so if you work in Salt Lake City, you can live in Salt Lake City.

What would you like to see done at the old Sizzler property at the corner of Sugar House Park?

The old Sizzler property at the corner of Sugar House Park is currently privately owned, limiting the city’s influence on its future use. However, in the event that the city gains control of the property, I strongly recommend its incorporation into Sugar House Park, primarily to bolster the protection of the watershed in this area. This would not only enhance the park’s environmental value but also provide more recreational opportunities for the community.

If the property remains in private hands, I would like to encourage a familiar presence, such as the return of the Training Table, in District 7. Reestablishing a beloved establishment like Training Table would not only offer a touch of nostalgia but also contribute to the local business landscape, benefiting both residents and visitors. Regardless of the outcome, I aim to prioritize the best interests of the community in any decisions regarding this property.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project is successful, would you support hosting one in your district?

I believe in a compassionate and citywide approach to addressing homelessness. District 7 has a history of supporting unhoused individuals by hosting the winter overflow shelter, and I’m dedicated to continuing our commitment to helping our neighbors in need.

If the city’s sanctioned homeless camp pilot project proves successful, I would support the idea of hosting one in our district. However, it’s crucial that we approach this with careful consideration and open communication with our residents. Identifying an appropriate location for any potential expansion would be done in consultation with the community. We must ensure that the chosen site not only helps those experiencing homelessness but also takes into account the concerns and input of the residents. Together, we can work toward a more-inclusive and supportive community for all.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

Although I’ve written “The Gourmet Lab” for teachers, my culinary skills are lacking. I’d advise against eating anything from my kitchen.