Where to live in Salt Lake City area? (West Valley City, Sandy: low crime, homes)

[Zionide]

Originally Posted by markg91359

People who make comments about not wanting to live in "heavily Mormon areas" either don't know or don't care about fair housing laws In 1968, Congress enacted a Fair Housing Law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, and national origin. Whether you feel you have a "right" to pick the religion of the neighbors you want to be around or not, the legal answer is simple: You don't. Religion may not be immutable in the same way that race is. However, its an extremely important thing to its adherents and many true believers would rather die than be forced to change their religion. In that sense it is immutable and that is why Congress passed a law prohibiting religious discrimination in housing and in other areas.

I think you're confused about what the Fair Housing Act is.The FHA protects certain populations from discrimination in the financing, rental, and sale of homes. Discrimination by sellers and landlords. Not neighbors. It could potentially apply if neighbors were influencing sellers' and landlords' decisions in ways that violated the act. But it really doesn't apply to this discussion about neighbor preference at all, particularly when we're talking about moving INTO an area dominated by the "protected minority."

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

But it does prohibit realtors/landlords from responding to or discussing who lives where.

[markg91359]

I think you're confused about what the Fair Housing Act is.The FHA protects certain populations from discrimination in the financing, rental, and sale of homes. Discrimination by sellers and landlords. Not neighbors. It could potentially apply if neighbors were influencing sellers' and landlords' decisions in ways that violated the act. But it really doesn't apply to this discussion about neighbor preference at all, particularly when we're talking about moving INTO an area dominated by the "protected minority."
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Really? Well how does someone guarantee they won't move into a heavily Mormon area than? I think its pretty hard to do it without breaking the FHA. A real estate agent can't legally tell you where the "non-Mormon, or non-African American, or non-Hispanic areas are. I guess someone who is really determined could go around and count the number of LDS Churches in a one mile radius or such.

Whether LDS people (or Buddhists, Muslims, or Catholics) are a majority or minority in an area doesn't matter one whit in terms of housing discrimination under the FHA. If an agent, seller, landlord, or bank violates the provisions of the act he is on the hook for penalties of up to $10,000 for his/her first violation.

Again, I question the intelligence of someone who is concerned about being in a heavily LDS area moving to Utah. Seems like better choices are available.

[eggalegga]

Originally Posted by markg91359

I think you're confused about what the Fair Housing Act is.The FHA protects certain populations from discrimination in the financing, rental, and sale of homes. Discrimination by sellers and landlords. Not neighbors. It could potentially apply if neighbors were influencing sellers' and landlords' decisions in ways that violated the act. But it really doesn't apply to this discussion about neighbor preference at all, particularly when we're talking about moving INTO an area dominated by the "protected minority."
.................................................. .................................................

Really? Well how does someone guarantee they won't move into a heavily Mormon area than? I think its pretty hard to do it without breaking the FHA. A real estate agent can't legally tell you where the "non-Mormon, or non-African American, or non-Hispanic areas are. I guess someone who is really determined could go around and count the number of LDS Churches in a one mile radius or such.

Whether LDS people (or Buddhists, Muslims, or Catholics) are a majority or minority in an area doesn't matter one whit in terms of housing discrimination under the FHA. If an agent, seller, landlord, or bank violates the provisions of the act he is on the hook for penalties of up to $10,000 for his/her first violation.

Again, I question the intelligence of someone who is concerned about being in a heavily LDS area moving to Utah. Seems like better choices are available.

The poster was asking us CD members about a particular town and stating they don't want to live in a heavily Mormon popuated area. This is just a matter of opinion and not breaking any laws.

But as you stated, the poster might want to look elsewhere if they're looking for an area in Utah with no mormon influence.

[osugirl2]

I have my real estate license, and FHA is a huge deal. However, it only restricts the parties involved in the transaction i.e. the realtor, landlord, bank etc. It would be perfectly fine for the neighbor (or posters on CD) next the potential house you will be renting/buying to give you the scoop on the neighborhood. Agreed that if you don't want a heavily populated mormon area that you should cross Utah off your list, but really as a person who has just moved here, the LDS religion is having no impact on my life whatsoever, except for the liquor store closing at 7pm, so I would encourage anyone thinking of coming here to give it a shot, because so far, we have loved it here and haven't had any issues at all.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Mid-West Family

My family and I are moving this winter to the Salt Lake City Area. I would like to know what the different neighborhoods are like. We are considering the Cottonwood, Draper, Sandy area. We are in our 40's with 3 elementary age kids and I'm a stay at home mom. We would like an area that is not predominately LDS. We are active in our Protestant church here in the mid-west, and would like to find a church family in Utah. We are looking for a nice house between $550,000 and $650,000. Some of the neighborhoods I've read about are: Suncrest, Draper Heights, South Mountain, Village Green, and Spring Pointe. Does anyone know about these areas. I would appreciate any information.

Hmmm. I just noticed that this is a really, really old thread. But like some others who have posted, I've got to wonder why someone would say he wanted to be somewhere in the Salt Lake area that was not predominently LDS. I noticed that the poster of the OP was considering Cottonwood Heights. I live there. I love it. I'm also predominently LDS. You probably wouldn't like me. 'Nuff said?

[hilgi]

Originally Posted by osugirl2

I have my real estate license, and FHA is a huge deal. However, it only restricts the parties involved in the transaction i.e. the realtor, landlord, bank etc. It would be perfectly fine for the neighbor (or posters on CD) next the potential house you will be renting/buying to give you the scoop on the neighborhood. Agreed that if you don't want a heavily populated mormon area that you should cross Utah off your list, but really as a person who has just moved here, the LDS religion is having no impact on my life whatsoever, except for the liquor store closing at 7pm, so I would encourage anyone thinking of coming here to give it a shot, because so far, we have loved it here and haven't had any issues at all.

We have been here a month and agree with you 100% osu. Well said.

[midwestmove]

Thank you everyone for your fair and honest answers. I am not discriminating, it is a choice of mine. I am not saying that I will treat anyone differently based on their religion, but I am however, choosing to not be in a community where I will be an outcast and not welcomed because I am not Mormon. That was my only concern and my only point of posting in the first place. I am very sorry if this has been asked previously, I am new to this website and did not take the hours needed to read every post. Thank you to those who had some spare time to help me out! Much, much appreciated. BTW, we would move because of a job transfer, not by choice!! I love the midwest!!!!

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by midwestmove

Thank you everyone for your fair and honest answers. I am not discriminating, it is a choice of mine. I am not saying that I will treat anyone differently based on their religion, but I am however, choosing to not be in a community where I will be an outcast and not welcomed because I am not Mormon. That was my only concern and my only point of posting in the first place. I am very sorry if this has been asked previously, I am new to this website and did not take the hours needed to read every post. Thank you to those who had some spare time to help me out! Much, much appreciated. BTW, we would move because of a job transfer, not by choice!! I love the midwest!!!!

People get really worked up by this question for some silly reason. I definitely did not want to live in a predominately LDS area, and I don't. I still would not want to, and I never will. It's fine to look for other areas, and there are plenty of them. I don't know why people say you shouldn't even look in SLC if you don't want to be in a predominately LDS area--there is no reason you need to, and plenty of people I know feel the same.

I have LDS neighbors, I have LDS friends, but I don't live in a predominately LDS area--I live in a very mixed area religiously. There are plenty of spots to choose from (I'd stay within SLC itself to do so though), and there is nothing wrong with not wanting to be the one person not of the dominant religion. I also wouldn't want to be the only person who isn't Jewish in an all-Jewish neighborhood, the only person who isn't black in an all-black neighborhood, etc. It's not about not liking LDS (or any other group)--it's about not wanting to stick out like a sore thumb, wanting to have a glass of wine with a neighbor, not being the only one not heading to church on Sunday, etc.

To be clear, we have never felt discriminated against by our LDS neighbors and some are very close friends of ours. I don't think you'd need to be concerned about that in the city (the suburbs are sometimes different, and we know several people who have moved into the city because of that. We also know people who left the state b/c of it and we kept telling them, just move into the city--it's totally different--you don't need to leave teh state!).

Feel free to PM me.

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by markg91359

Really? Well how does someone guarantee they won't move into a heavily Mormon area than? I think its pretty hard to do it without breaking the FHA. A real estate agent can't legally tell you where the "non-Mormon, or non-African American, or non-Hispanic areas are. I guess someone who is really determined could go around and count the number of LDS Churches in a one mile radius or such.


Again, I question the intelligence of someone who is concerned about being in a heavily LDS area moving to Utah. Seems like better choices are available.

Well, I found it easy. I starting talking to people, to figure out which side of town I'd want to be on, what one place had going for it vs. another etc. It took about 15 minutes to figure out The Avenues, Sugarhouse, Foothill, Emigration Canyon, and a few other assorted areas were more religiously varied areas than, for example, Draper and Sandy. The info. is also very easy to find online.

You can question my intelligence if you want, but I think this is probably the best state in the country. It's totally undervalued by most people who are freaked out by the thought of the Mormon church, and because of that, nowhere near as many people move here as, say, Denver and other areas. The skiing, hiking, seasons, mountains, streams, etc. are second to none. The cost of housing is low (even the "high rent" areas are cheap compared to a lot of the country), crime is pretty low, traffic is not bad, etc. It's a great place to live for someone who doesn't mind living around LDS (why would anyone?) but who also does not want to move into a heavily Mormon area (plenty of neighborhoods aren't). You don't have to want to live in a heavily Mormon area here to love it!!