Closing the Housing Gap: Good for our Economy
Utah’s housing affordability crisis is nothing if not a vital issue. The growing housing crisis needs to be solved in order to accommodate new families and to attract new members of the workforce. However, one of the most pressing motivators for closing the housing gap is Utah’s economy.
During the past decade, the state has experienced remarkable success, leading the country in employment and demographic growth. This growth has increased strain on the housing market, causing demand to shrink as prices skyrocket. Because of this rapid change, the median sales price of a home in Utah’s metropolitan areas now rivals the likes of Boise, Las Vegas, and Phoenix: three cities the state competes with for new business expansions. According to an economic report by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, the housing price gap with these cities makes Utah’s economic development efforts less competitive and the state less attractive as a business location.