Heber City Councilor Yvonne Barney recently qualified for Social Security.
“I know most of you don’t believe that I’m that old, but it’s true,” she said, which was met with laughter during the Heber City Council meeting Tuesday. “But I qualified and received the amount that I would have to exist on. And let me just say, I would be living on the streets. … It was absolutely horrible, and I’m so grateful that I have a wonderful husband who still likes me and is willing to help me out.”
The bleak fiscal situation of many of Heber City’s seniors is exactly why Mayor Heidi Franco has devised a property tax abatement program for them. If passed by the City Council, the program would begin in January.
Franco began her pitch with some statistics. Heber City’s median household income is about $110,000, according to 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data. In 2010, the median income in Heber City households was almost half of that — about $56,000.
“I think many of our seniors bought or built their homes before that time period,” Franco said. “That was the economic standard in our city. We were not a high-income city. Now, it’s really increased, and we believe it’s only going to continue to increase.”
Local utility rates have risen as much as 36% since 2025, Franco said. The city is also considering a 5.2% property tax rate increase, which the City Council will vote on following a public hearing on Aug. 5.
Factored in with rising property values in Heber City and nationwide inflation, it’s clear to Franco that seniors are facing a “ginormous need” for relief.
“We have senior citizens that are stuck between when they bought their houses 20, 30, 40 years ago and … the incredible inflation that’s happened,” she said.
Franco’s proposed tax abatement program would distribute lump sum payments to qualifying seniors. These funds would provide relief for seniors’ city and county property taxes from the prior year.
Seniors would qualify by applying for Wasatch County’s two existing low-income tax abatement programs, which are available to residents 66 and older.
The county in January will share the list of qualifying Heber City seniors with city staff. The city will then distribute funds for its own tax abatement program to those who qualified for the county programs by the end of February.
One of the county’s tax abatement programs is available to seniors whose annual household income is less than $44,221, and the other is for those making between that amount and $65,534. Franco tentatively plans to distribute $700 to each Heber City senior who qualifies for the former program, and $400 to those who qualify for the latter. That’s in addition to any funds applicants may have received from the county.
The funds for Heber City’s program will come from the Upper Jordanelle Ridge development. The developers in March amended their development agreement with Heber City by dedicating $1,500 per residential unit, or $4.5 million, to the city. Developers dedicated the funds as a show of good faith amid ongoing negotiations around the project’s open space, trails, design and layout, explained City Attorney Jeremy Cook.
Franco expects 150 qualified applicants in January, based on the number of citywide applicants last year. She projects the city spending up to $85,500 on the first round of the program in 2027, and up to $165,000 in 2028.
“I don’t think we’re going to need it for years and years and years to come. I think it’s … a short-term economic crunch for longtime citizens that own property in the city,” she said. “But time will tell.”
Although the City Council did not take a vote, all members were receptive to the idea.
“I know several (seniors) that were my teachers in school … and those tax numbers are crazy compared to what they have coming in for income,” said City Councilor Aaron Cheatwood. “I think it’s a great thing we probably should have done earlier.”
It is not just seniors who own homes who are financially struggling in Heber City. U.S. Census Bureau data shows that 5.3% of city residents are impoverished — or about 3,700 people, according to Franco’s estimates.
“That’s not a number that any of us should be comfortable with,” Franco said.
City Councilor Mike Johnston said he hopes the tax abatement program is only the first step the city takes in helping residents who are financially struggling.
“I want to continue talking together and figuring out, ‘What can we do?’ because I think it’s bigger than just this. I mean, we’re talking about a welfare program, and I’m just as interested in helping people with their food insecurity and … utility rates,” he said.
The City Council will vote on the tax abatement program on Aug. 18. That’ll be less than two weeks following its decision about whether to raise property taxes.
Seniors can apply for Wasatch County’s existing tax abatement programs by visiting tinyurl.com/288bmckx. The county also has programs for residents who are disabled, low-income or veterans.