SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s housing shortage was the focus of a statewide summit Thursday, where more than 35 mayors from Utah cities met with Gov. Spencer Cox at the Governor’s Mansion in Salt Lake City to discuss solutions. During the conference, Cox announced the launch of a new tool.
“We are launching a statewide housing dashboard, so that everyone from residents to city planners can track progress, identify gaps, and learn from their successes,” Cox said.
Mayors from Clearfield, Herriman, and Spanish Fork shared their efforts to address the housing crisis, as Cox emphasized the importance of unified action.
In a question-and-answer session, Cox acknowledged challenges arising from differing opinions among local officials.
"We pushed on them, and they pushed on me, and that's healthy," Cox said. "That's a good thing. They put pressure on the legislature a little bit because there were no legislators here. No, we love the legislature, and the legislature is doing really important stuff in this space. So that's the tension."
Cox said the success of efforts could be measured over the next four years by increased approvals, more homes being built, and a stabilization—and eventual decline—in housing prices.
“Over the next four years, you'll see it either we're getting approvals done quicker and we're getting houses built, shovels actually in the ground, and people moving into homes, and you'll see that the first the price of housing level off, and then you'll see it start to decline,” he said.
The governor's housing dashboard is still in development but already offers valuable information. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute has also created the Utah Housing Affordability Dashboard, providing additional insights, which can be accessed here.
