EAGLE MOUNTAIN UTAH – Eagle Heights Village, is one of the many developments in Eagle Mountain but is one of the few that accepts the “affordable tax credit” to help those who are on a very fixed income that meets the requirements for the program. The development even says it is Eagle Mountains’ most affordable community.
Discover affordable luxury living at the Eagle Heights Village Community. Nestled in the foothills of Eagle Mountain, you will experience rural living at its finest combined with state-of-the-art amenities. Our 1st phase will consist of 80 duplex-style homes and will include both affordable tax credit and market-rate units.
Amenities include private 2-car garages, enclosed backyards, energy star appliances, central air/heat, playgrounds, community planter boxes, sports court, pocket parks, clubhouse, business center, and fully equipped exercise room. Come find out what awaits you at Eagle Mountain’s first affordable community.”
https://www.eagleheightsvillage.com/
Residents recently received notice that their Lease Amendment has been modified and that on July 1, 2022, their rent would be going up.
One resident says, “We might have to move out we won’t be able to afford it but are unable to find somewhere else to live causing some terrible stress, we make enough to barely cover our bills, and are oftentimes left with only $100 to buy groceries for 2 weeks. Not only are there random fines and the feeling of trying to keep a nice home that nails are quite literally coming out of the Walls by themselves, curtain rods that fall off if you just hang a curtain, and the walls being painted with a mixture of primer and flat paint which causes any Mark to stick and if you try to wash it off, the paint comes off then you are charged a fine when they come and do inspections. These homes have no cabinet space or storage space so you can’t put anything in your garage unless you are going to get fined we obviously live in low-income homes so how are we supposed to afford storage units let alone a higher rent price. There’s inflation but no one’s raising income, as a place that’s supposed to be helping people with low income they haven’t done a very good job. I understand that they want to keep a nice community but they’re more worried about people having to keep something in the garage or worried about people who have kids that might touch a wall or grass that wasn’t cut right, honestly for the past month I’ve felt nothing but judgment for things I can’t control.”
The notice reads, “This Lease Amendment is to provide you with Thirty (30) Days written notice that effective July 1, 2022, your monthly rent amount will increase… ” The notice continues, “This notification amends the paragraph of your lease agreement which sets forth the amount of rent you pay each month. All other provisions of your lease remain in full force and effect. The Utah state law regarding late fees has changed. Late fees will be charged at the greater of $75.00 or 10% of your monthly rent amount.” In this case, the late fee would be $103.00.
In April the residents were sent a letter like the one below, where they are told that the Management would start paying the utilities on their behalf due to a change in Eagle Mountain City Law.
The letter states, “To offset this cost to the owner, you will see an increase in your monthly rent by an amount to be determined in the next coming weeks. Since you will no longer be paying for utilities, the increase in rent should offset the cost in utilities that you were paying previously.”
Who manages Eagle Heights Villiage?
The two Limited Liability Corporations listed in the letter have J Kirton Peterson as the Registered Agent. The Management LLCs are also under Kirt’s name, as well as the Home Owners Association LLC. All of which belong to the Horizon Property Management group of properties. Which also shows Kirt as the registered agent. The Horizon Property Management website states, “In addition to developing its own projects, Horizon serves as a consultant on other tax-credit communities and market-rate apartments. We have provided guidance to other developers and have worked closely with government entities and financial institutions on various aspects of development and construction and other issues related to residential housing projects.”
The Horizon mission statement is as follows: “Our mission is to seek out and manage housing communities that provide clean, safe, and high-quality residential housing to all of its residents. Our developments deliver a quality of life unmatched by any other housing community and enable our residents to see their abode not as a structure, but as a home.
The three essential aspects to create a successful community include development, construction and property management. We’ve built Horizon Property Management to excel in these three disciplines to ensure the success of each project and to create efficiencies that enhance our cost-saving capabilities and the quality of life for our residents.” [Source: https://horizonutah.net/about/]
Cedar Valley Sentinel reached out to Horizon Property Management for comment and have not received any communication from them.
The change
The section of code that is mentioned in the letter is 13.20.050. “Each property connected to service shall be liable for the payment of all charges and each property owner accepts service on the terms required herein. Accounts for utility services shall be in the name of the property owner.” The code that is referenced was indeed changed back on September 21, 2021. This was verified by Evan Berrett, Eagle Mountain Management Analyst, “What was recently added was the Accounts for utility services shall be in the name of the property owner part. That was approved by City Council during the 9/21/2021 meeting.
It should be noted that the developer in March 2022 tried to have the original master development plan modified so that they could no longer create new “tax credit” housing units. You can read more about that decision here: Eagle Heights Village. The developer’s goal was to increase density and have each property owned by the individual instead of being low-income housing.
This move by the developer to raise the rent, and in some cases higher than the resident’s utility costs has left residents in a tough spot. The majority of the residents in this housing development are on a fixed income and an increase in their rent will cause them additional hardship.
I have not been able to find any type of pattern to the rent increase. The increased percentages are all over the place. The resident with the highest rent cost has the smallest increase. But in all cases, the rent increase is greater than the residents reported utility expense.
I reached out to the residents in the area and collected some data and information from them.
Another resident comments, “I get 1331.00 a month social security was supposed to get an apartment in Oct that was 407.00 a month with the 5.9% cost of living raise with them using old hud guidelines it kicked me into a 300.00 higher a month apt. Now with this raise, it leaves me 300 a month to pay for groceries, utilities, cell phone, car insurance, and gas. I will have to go back to work at 66 yrs old to survive. I have only lived here for 5 mos. Already this huge raise. It scares me that they will do this every few months and I will end up among the homeless population.” This resident’s rent was $708. With this change, his rent is now $844 for a $136 dollar a month increase. They only spend $70 on water/sewer and garbage a month. That is a $66 a month increase over their current utility rates.
Residents’ responses to increase
Resident 1 – Old Rent $890 – New Rent $1036 ($146 increase) Current Utilities $85
Resident 2 – Old Rent $948 – New Rent $1151 ($203 increase) Current Utilities $100
I’m a single mom with little help. Thus raise in rent means I have to rework my budget because I can no longer pay my rent with just 1 paycheck. It means cutting back on easier meals for my kids to make while I’m at work all day. I can barely afford to drive to work let alone pay higher rent.
Resident 3 – Old Rent $947 – New Rent $1151 ($202 increase) Current Utilities $82
Hard to Afford everything now . with it going up it’s gonna be a real struggle. I’m disabled in a wheelchair and I hire helpers so a lot of my money goes to paying hired help.
Resident 4 – Old Rent $1115 – New Rent $1317 ($202 increase) Current Utilities $150
Forced to get a better paying job or get a second job.
Resident 5 – Old Rent $1007 – New Rent $1151 ($144 increase) Current Utilities $50
Harder to food and provide for kids. Single Mom 2 kids budget was already tight. Now I’m looking for another job
Resident 5 – Old Rent $1540 – New Rent $1700 ($160 increase) Current Utilities $78
I’ve only been here for 4 months. I can’t afford this increase. I will have to ask my church for help. Between gas prices and the cost of food going up and now this rent increase, I don’t know what I’m going to do.
Resident 6 – Old Rent $707 – New Rent $885 ($178 increase) Current Utilities $99
It’s difficult because I’m going to school and working about 30 hours a week. With the rent increasing I might have to put school on hold to work full time to make it work.
Resident 7 – Old Rent $898 – New Rent $1030 ($132 increase) Current Utilities $83
I wanted to move here to save on rent. Our last place was raising the rent every year, we were up to $1100. I was hoping I’d be able to more easily pay off debt but if our income requirement doesn’t increase, we’ll be in the same boat as our last residence, or worse. I have to spend over a fourth of what I make on gas to get to my job, not to mention the increasing prices of everything, making every penny I make accounted for, living paycheck to paycheck. It’s stressful, I just hope we can survive until both my husband and I can work.
Resident 8 – Old Rent $947- New Rent $1151 ($204 increase) Current Utilities $84
The utility cost may be $10 lower than what I’m currently paying, but the remaining increase is more than I have to spend each month. This isn’t even including the $60 internet we pay for. I found cheaper internet because they initially told us we could either use their internet or get someone else. The other internet company informed me that they weren’t able to service us for internet because of a deal made between EHV and Fastel that prevents any other providers from working over here. So we’re stuck paying more and more and for what? We don’t have a pool like advertised, they don’t spray for bugs like most apartments would, they dictate where you can store things in your garage and how much, where you park (surprise you’re technically not allowed to park on your own driveway), and where you can put your garbage can. When I first moved in 2 years ago I was told rent would only go up a few dollars a year and may actually go down. Instead it went $46 the first year and now $204. It’s ridiculous!
Resident 9 – Old Rent $1540- New Rent $1700 ($160 increase) Current Utilities $85
Had to get a second job
Resident 10 – Old Rent $895- New Rent $1030 ($135 increase) Current Utilities $78
On social security and part time work told it was income restricted raised twice since I’ve been here a year and a half.
Resident 11 – Old Rent $898- New Rent $1030 ($132 increase) Current Utilities $55
We might have to move out we won’t be able to afford it but are unable to find somewhere else to live causing some terrible stress, we make enough to barely cover our bills, and are oftentimes left with only $100 to buy groceries for 2 weeks. Not only are there random fines and the feeling of trying to keep a nice home that nails are quite literally coming out of the Walls by themselves, curtain rods that fall off if you just hang a curtain, and the walls being painted with a mixture of primer and flat paint which causes any Mark to stick and if you try to wash it off, the paint comes off then you are charged a fine when they come and do inspections. These are homes have no cabinet space or storage space so you can’t put anything in your garage unless you are going to get fined we obviously live in low-income homes so how are we supposed to afford storage units let alone a higher rent price. There’s inflation but no one’s raising income, as a place that’s supposed to be helping people with low income they haven’t done a very good job. I understand that they want to keep an nice community but they’re more worried about people having to keep something in the garage or worried about people who have kids that might touch a wall or grass that wasn’t cut right, honestly for the past month I’ve felt nothing but judgment for things I can’t control.
Resident 12 – Old Rent $1540- New Rent $1700 ($160 increase) Current Utilities $90
It has impacted us slightly financially. We do not live in the low income units. But, it has still affected us. We have had to cut back on extras so we can make sure we will have enough for things like baby formula, which is about the same amount as our rent increase. It would have been nice to at least have more than 30 days to get our budget reworked. I feel bad for the single mothers who are in a situation where they can’t leave but also can’t afford an increase in rent.
Resident 13 – Old Rent $1600- New Rent $1763 ($163 increase) Current Utilities $86
It impacts us because my husband is on disability and doesn’t get raises. I am thinking about how I can make extra money just to make ends meet. The amount of rules they have for us is ridiculous and there is still not a pool which was in our lease. Since we have moved here our rent started at $1500.00 and now less than two years it is up to $1760.00.
Resident 14 – Old Rent $1007- New Rent $1211 ($204 increase) Current Utilities $??
I only make 1400$ a month so this increase sucks so bad because now I can’t pay for food, car insurance, car payment, and a loan. I’m a single mother with one child and it sucks. I “make” to much to get stslate assistance because they only count my gross income and don’t minus anything out of it.
Resident 15 – Old Rent $848- New Rent $1030 ($180 increase) Current Utilities $80
I’m going to have to get a 2nd job to afford this but then that’ll increase my income and might disqualify me for my current low income unit.
Resident 16 – Old Rent $403- New Rent $563 ($160 increase) Current Utilities $100
Rent increase has made it harder for me to afford living here on one income and they won’t allow me to work the summer because I work for the school so I have to use my savings for the 2 months rent. They haven’t increased the income limit but keep raising rent.
Resident 17 – Old Rent $750- New Rent $1000 ($250 increase) Current Utilities $??
It’s not just the rent. Since the rent raised they’ve been consistently finding reasons to slap 3day comply or vacated on our doors from something as simple as chalk on the sidewalk during inspection or a trash can left out a couple hours too late. It’s like they are trying to force people out so they can get higher paying renters in… kind of deletes the whole “low income housing” as if raising our rent to meet market wasn’t enough?
Resident 17 – Old Rent $830 – New Rent $1150 ($320 increase) Current Utilities $200
I barely moved in a couple months ago, and finally felt relief because as a single mom of 4 little ones under 6, there’s no way I could afford to put a roof over our heads.
Unfortunately with the new rent increase, I no longer can afford to live here on child support alone, and will have to get a job. What complicates the matter more is that I have 4 kids I’ll have to put into childcare for myself to go to work. And in order to make enough to pay for that, AND to be taking home enough to cover rent, I will be making too much to qualify for the low income restrictions of the community. So my choices are, not make ends meet, or get a job, put my kids in daycare, and then move. But I won’t have enough to live elsewhere either..
it’s a nightmare. They warned us that raising rent was a possibility. But who on earth expects such a substantial increase 2 months after they move in?
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.
They also raised rents in the other properties managed by Horizon as well for about the same amount. The “new law in Eagle Mountain” excuse doesn’t hold water.
Why raise rents in the other properties that are not even near Eagle Mountain? Is there anything that can be done to protect these tenants and their homes?
Greed vs need?
How are they maintaining qualifications to be called section 42 if they are raising rents higher than the income allows?
With the costs of everything going up, a housing and rental market that blocks out moderate income families – this “affordable housing” management company raises rents? That feels like kicking our most vulnerable when they are already barely hanging on.