Housing

Filling in the Blanks: How Utah Communities Can Deploy Infill Development to Advance Quality of Life

Written by: Peter Reichard

Filling in the Blanks: How Utah Communities Can Deploy Infill Development to Advance Quality of Life, addresses the development of vacant or underutilized land within existing communities. It examines trends, the potential benefits of additional infill, obstacles standing in the way, and policy options to support infill development.   KEY FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY Multiple factors are now converging in Utah to make infill more imperative, including rapid growth, rising housing costs and changing residential … Continued

To a Higher Standard: Building Codes, Improved Efficiency and Air Quality in Utah

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Utah has kept up to date on commercial building code standards, but it has maintained older residential building standards that fall short of more efficient building practices. To a Higher Standard: Building Codes, Improved Efficiency and Air Quality in Utah explores possible new standards with an eye toward air quality, examining costs and benefits. Would you like a quicker review of the report? Read the executive summary.   KEY FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT Driven by … Continued

Middle Housing Study Executive Summary

Written by: Shawn Teigen

MIDDLE HOUSING STUDY Check out the other sections of the Middle Housing Study. Links will become live as reports are published Executive summary Part I: The Scope of the Challenge Part II: What is the Middle Housing, and Where is It? Part III: Utahns’ Development Preferences Part IV: Obstacles and Opportunities Middle Housing Project Page “Missing middle housing” refers to housing that occupies the “middle” ground between large-lot, single-family homes and large apartment complexes. It … Continued

Middle Housing Study Part IV: Obstacles and Opportunities

Written by: Shawn Teigen

MIDDLE HOUSING STUDY Check out the other sections of the Middle Housing Study. Links will become live as reports are published Executive summary Part I: The Scope of the Challenge Part II: What is the Middle Housing, and Where is It? Part III: Utahns’ Development Preferences Part IV: Obstacles and Opportunities Middle Housing Project Page “Missing Middle Housing” is a term that encompasses a variety of multi-unit housing buildings that are house-scale, facilitate neighborhood walkability, … Continued

Middle Housing Study Part III: Utahns’ Development Preferences

Written by: Shawn Teigen

MIDDLE HOUSING STUDY Check out the other sections of the Middle Housing Study. Links will become live as reports are published Executive summary Part I: The Scope of the Challenge Part II: What is the Middle Housing, and Where is It? Part III: Utahns’ Development Preferences Part IV: Obstacles and Opportunities Middle Housing Project Page “Missing Middle Housing” is a term that encompasses a variety of multi-unit housing buildings that are house-scale, facilitate neighborhood walkability, … Continued

Middle Housing Study Part II: What is the Middle Housing, and Where is It?

Written by: Shawn Teigen

MIDDLE HOUSING STUDY Check out the other sections of the Middle Housing Study. Links will become live as reports are published Executive summary Part I: The Scope of the Challenge Part II: What is the Middle Housing, and Where is It? Part III: Utahns’ Development Preferences Part IV: Obstacles and Opportunities Middle Housing Project Page “Missing Middle Housing” refers to housing that occupies the “middle” ground between single-family homes on large lots and large apartment … Continued

Middle Housing Study Part I: The Scope of the Challenge

Written by: Shawn Teigen

MIDDLE HOUSING STUDY Check out the other sections of the Middle Housing Study. Links will become live as reports are published Executive summary Part I: The Scope of the Challenge Part II: What is the Middle Housing, and Where is It? Part III: Utahns’ Development Preferences Part IV: Obstacles and Opportunities Middle Housing Project Page The Utah Foundation’s new study, Is the Middle Missing? A Guide to Expanding Options for Utah Homebuyers and Renters, explores … Continued

Utah Priorities 2020 | Utah Priority No. 7: Housing Affordability

Written by: Christopher Collard

Part I: Priorities Survey Reveals Divergent Housing Affordability Concerns by Age, Political Viewpoint, Ethnicity Utah Foundation had asked about housing prices in its 2008, 2010 and 2012 Utah Priorities Project surveys but housing had never been one of the top 10 issues. However, housing affordability was the second most important issue to Utah voters in early 2020. With the emergence of the coronavirus, concerns about housing affordability dropped to 7th – with just under one-third … Continued

Building a Better Beehive: Land Use Decision Making, Fiscal Sustainability and Quality of Life in Utah

Written by: Sam Brucker

Building a Better Beehive: Land Use Decision Making, Fiscal Sustainability and Quality of Life in Utah explores the fiscal challenges that accompany growth, both in the short-term and in the long-term. The report also draws from Utah Foundation’s 2018 Quality of Life survey to demonstrate what Utahns value most in their communities, and which issues concern them most. Building from the fiscal challenges and quality of life concerns, the report identifies five strategic categories to … Continued

What’s the View from Your House? Housing Affordability Concerns in Utah

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Housing affordability is an issue of increasing concern to Utahns. For the first time since Utah Foundation initiated its Community Quality of Life Index survey in 2011, the availability of quality affordable housing was the worst-performing factor on the index. In addition, when asked what could most improve respondents’ communities as a place to live, 13% mentioned improving housing affordability, second only to traffic conditions. Interestingly, however, when asked whether their own housing was affordable, … Continued