Community and Economic Development

Scope note
See Utah Department of Community and Economic Development Agency History
Historic note
DCED was organized on July 1, 1979, for the purpose of improving the quality of life in Utah. It was created by H.B. 383 (1979), which is codified in Utah Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 33. DCED was organized by combining the departments of Development Services (Agency #303) and Community Affairs (#178). Original functions of the department did not differ significantly from those exercised by the old departments. Divisions included in the new department were essentially those which had existed in the two older ones and included: Industrial Promotion (# 535), Expositions (#367), Travel Development (#1151), Fine Arts (#369), History (#495), and Community Development (#176). The Division of Industrial Promotion (#535) became the Division of Business and Economic Development (#1825) in 1985. Two new divisions were added in the reorganization: the State Library (#575), which was formerly independent, and the Division of Indian Affairs (#524), which had been transferred from the Department of Social Services.

Since its creation, eight additional agencies have been placed under the department's administrative umbrella. The Utah Housing Finance Agency (#492) was added in 1979. Offices of Community Services (#243), Hispanic Affairs (#472), and Black Affairs (#74) had been added by 1981. The Office of Labor and Training was transferred from the Planning and Budget Office (#762) in 1983 and reorganized as the Office of Job Training for Economic Development (#554). The Offices of Asian Affairs (#3) and the Utah Technology Finance Agency were added in 1984. The Women's Economic Development Bureau (#1636) was created in 1989. As the department expanded, a new function was added in 1981: to assist communities and minorities through affordable housing and technical advice on community development. An Advisory Council on Community Affairs was created to advise the department on matters affecting state and local government relations in 1979, but its role was expanded in 1985 to also include advising the Legislature and the Governor's Office.

DCED became defunct in 2005 when the Dept. of Community and Culture was created and the business and economic development programs became the Governor's Office of Economic Development.
Community and Economic Development