[kstruthers]

I think the Plan should address the connection between the State’s economic development policies/strategies and the effect those have on the demand for housing. A growing economy leads to increased job creation, population migration, and higher incomes, which in turn results in more people needing places to live, thus increasing the demand for housing. When the State’s economic development policies strongly encourage new businesses or existing ones expand, it attracts more people to the region, creating a need for additional housing. Higher wages resulting from economic growth enhance people’s ability to afford housing, further stimulating demand. Economic opportunities also often lead to population movement towards areas with strong job markets, putting pressure on local housing stock.
With the State’s strong push for economic growth, it seems little wonder that there’s an increased demand for housing, and the supply is struggling to keep pace. Maybe there’s a way to tie providing additional housing to our State economic development policies, so if we (as a State) are incentivizing a business to locate or expand in Utah, as part of the deal, that business needs to contribute in some fashion to increasing the housing supply or affordability?
I also agree with Andy’s comments above. I think if we just focus on producing more housing units without much thought about how the growth is taking place, we will erode the quality of life and the reason people choose to live here in the first place.

• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 4 days ago by kstruthers.
• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 4 days ago by kstruthers.

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