Housing

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

Utah Foundation Quality of Life Survey: Measuring Utahns’ Perceptions of their Communities, Personal Lives

Written by: Shawn Teigen

In collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare, Utah Foundation occasionally surveys Utahns in an effort to understand how they feel about both their community and their personal quality of life. KEY FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT Despite improvements in the economy, Utahns’ perceptions of their community quality of life has declined since 2013 from a score of 73 to 70. The availability of good jobs is the only aspect on Utah Foundation’s Community Quality of Life Index that … Continued

United Way of Treasure Valley 2017 Community Assessment

Written by: Shawn Teigen

In 2016, the United Way of Treasure Valley retained Utah Foundation to perform a Community Assessment of the United Way’s three-county service area. Work was completed in 2017. The Community Assessment is seen as a foundation to achieve community goals. For the assessment, Utah Foundation analyzed community data as indicators of community success, barriers to reveal hindrances to community success, and opportunities as potential solutions to barriers. To inform the assessment, Utah Foundation held focus groups … Continued

Bringing Air Quality Home: Reducing Residential Emissions

Written by: Christopher Collard

Many Utahns consider air quality an important factor in determining quality of life and would support actions to improve air quality. Oil refineries and other industrial polluters, as well as passenger vehicles, have been the focus of federal, state, and local government regulation, yet there has been little focus in Utah about reducing pollution generated from commercial and residential buildings. Emissions from buildings contribute substantially to Utah’s pollution, particularly during the winter when they produce … Continued

Millennials and Boomers: Housing Preferences (Part III)

Written by: Mallory Bateman

PART III: HOUSING PREFERENCES (see Part I: Demographics, Part II: Finances and Workplace Preferences, and Part IV: Politics and Society) Many headlines and reports in the past several years have highlighted location and housing preferences of Millennials. While Millennial home purchases stalled during the recession and subsequent years, Millennials were the largest share of home buyers in 2014. Since the economy is improving and more Millennials are getting older and forming new households, this trend … Continued

United Way of Treasure Valley Community Assessment 2014

Written by: Shawn Teigen

In 2013 the United Way of Treasure Valley retained Utah Foundation to perform a Community Assessment of the United Way’s three-county service area. Work was completed in 2014. The Community Assessment is seen as a foundation to achieve community goals. For the assessment, Utah Foundation analyzed community data as indicators of community success, barriers to reveal hindrances to community success, and opportunities as potential solutions to barriers. To inform the assessment, Utah Foundation held focus … Continued

Roadmap to 2050: Planning for Utah’s Future Infrastructure Needs

Written by: Mallory Bateman

Utah’s population is projected to grow by 2.5 million people by 2050. This growth will result in an older, more diverse population. New Utahns will need places to live, reliable sources of energy to support their needs, and a good transportation network to get to work, entertainment, or school. This report focuses on three important facets of communities: development, transportation, and energy. Water is also a critical element to growth, but it will be discussed … Continued

Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index: 2013 Edition Shows Concerns About Jobs, K-12 Education and Air Quality

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Produced in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare, the Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index is updated every two years to track how Utahns perceive changes in quality of life and the reasons for those changes. The second biennial Utah Quality of Life Index stands at 78.2 out of a possible 100 points, up one point from 2011. Although Utah’s quality of life rating improved, several of the issues most important to Utahns – public schools, job … Continued

The 2012 Utah Priorities Survey of Party Delegates and Voters

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

As part of the 2012 Utah Priorities Project, Utah Foundation and the Hinckley Institute of Politics have surveyed Utah voters and delegates to the major parties’ state conventions.  This survey was conducted for the first time in 2010, showing distinct differences between party delegates and voters, with delegates usually taking more zealous positions than their parties’ voters.  The 2012 survey also shows differences between voters and delegates, but those differences are not as pronounced as … Continued