In November 2023, a housing policy legislative audit prepared for the Utah State Legislature delivered a sobering reality: Utah must build nearly 28,000 homes annually just to meet current demand. Worse yet, the audit warned that if the state’s housing policy continues to prioritize detached single-family homes, Utah could run out of developable land as early as 2050.
Rather than addressing this looming crisis head-on, Ogden recently passed an ordinance—backed by Spencer Cox’s housing advisor Steve Waldrip—to downzone commercial land where multifamily housing had previously been permitted, in favor of single-family home construction.
This move flies in the face of analysts’ clear findings: as open land becomes more scarce and expensive, Utah must find ways to ramp up its housing supply, not limit it, to prevent a worsening affordability crisis.
In his FY 2025 budget, Governor Cox outlined a plan to construct 35,000 housing units by 2028 with the Utah First Homes Program, proposing $50 million for the First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Program, $75 million to expand the State Infrastructure Bank, and $25 million to foster starter home innovation and construction. These are good initiatives—but they don’t go far enough.
“I will tell you that I’m very focused on single-family detached owner-occupied housing. I think that’s really important,” Governor Cox said during a December press conference.
Is this really the right focus, given the growing population and land crunch? Prioritizing detached single-family homes ignores the housing needs of thousands of Utahns who can’t afford long commutes from housing farther from their jobs and daily needs, such as groceries, family, and health care or child care.
During the 2024 legislative session, lawmakers passed several housing bills and refused other housing proposals, including Cox’s full $150 million housing request. They also did not provide a clear plan to build the 28,000 units needed each year. Meanwhile, housing prices statewide continue to be out of reach for many.
A recent Utah Foundation report underscored the heart of the problem: while 56% of municipal leaders support zoning reform to allow smaller lots, community opposition remains the largest barrier to affordable housing. Utah’s zoning laws overwhelmingly favor detached single-family homes, and local leaders remain hesitant to challenge the status quo. This reluctance of state leaders to act in the face of NIMBY resistance jeopardizes the state’s economic future.
The solution is clear, state and local leaders must stop dragging their feet on policies that have already proven effective in other states to expand housing supply and improve affordability. By streamlining approval processes, allowing multi-family construction types, reducing lot sizes and setbacks, eliminating off-street parking requirements, and increasing height limits, Utah can unlock more housing options, especially in the land-constrained Wasatch Front.
Contrary to Governor Cox’s insistence on single-family detached homes, municipalities must introduce into their zoning mix diverse housing types, such as attached single-family homes, duplexes, and multifamily condos, on a broader scale. Current zoning laws are outdated and deny multiple realities we now face.
Instead of a nostalgic return to the suburban “starter home,” state leaders should set ambitious housing targets and push for comprehensive zoning reform, extending beyond transit-oriented areas. While a recent initiative from the state requiring municipalities to author Transit Station Area plans around any fixed-rail station within their borders is a step in the right direction, zoning reform needs much broader application in order to have a meaningful impact on our housing supply.
Without these changes, Utah risks pricing out entire generations of homebuyers, pushing people further from city centers, worsening traffic congestion and pollution, consuming ever-precious open space and fueling urban sprawl. More importantly, we risk becoming like California, a state where homeownership—once attainable for many—has become a distant dream for most.
The time for incremental action is over. Utah must embrace innovative housing policies to meet the needs of a growing population. By reforming zoning laws, increasing density throughout the region, and expanding housing options, we can ensure a future where residents of all income levels have a chance to own a home. Leaders must choose to act decisively now, or we’ll all be paying the price in the years to come.
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