Join the
2,500+
Utahns who have raised their voices for more affordable housing
Housing Shouldn’t Cost Two-Thirds of Your Income.
The average home in Utah is 32.9% more expensive than the U.S. average.
Families are being priced out, and leaders need to act.
Add your name to Utah’s biggest push for more affordable housing.
On behalf of all Utahns that are concerned about the current housing crisis, we’re sending weekly letters to lawmakers with every new signature. Add yours today to help keep Utah affordable for current and future generations. Together, we can demand more supply.
Utah Families Are Being Priced Out of Homeownership
When families spend nearly all they earn just to keep a roof overhead, the next generation has little chance of owning a home in Utah. Too many are pushed into makeshift spaces because there simply aren’t enough homes. Today, fewer than 12% of homes are affordable to median-income renters, and the dream of homeownership is slipping further away.
Utah Families Are Being Priced Out of Stability.
Housing isn’t just another expense—it’s the foundation of a family’s security and future. But in Utah, the math simply doesn’t work anymore. Families are forced to spend far beyond what’s considered healthy, leaving little left for food, healthcare, transportation, and education. The result: fewer Utahns can build wealth, and more young families are pushed out of the state entirely.
Average Net Worth:
Homeowner: $396K Renter: $10K
New Housing Permits and Housing Starts
are Down 36% YoY (2022-2023)
Median Home
Prices are 5.17x
the Average Household Income
Utah Housing is 66%
of Your Income When
It Should Be 30%
Median-Income Renters Can Only Afford
Less Than 12% of Homes
Utah Homes Cost 32.9%
Above the U.S. Average
Utah Now Ranks
as the 9th Most Expensive State
for New Buyers
Not Enough Homes
to Meet Demand
Utah’s housing crisis is being fueled by several overlapping forces.
At its core, we simply don’t have enough homes, but there are other pressures making it worse:
Supply vs. demand gap: Utah is one of the fastest-growing states, and while demand has surged, construction has slowed. New housing permits and starts dropped by 36% from 2022 to 2023, leaving fewer homes in the pipeline.
Affordability pressures: For many Utahns, the cost of housing is rising faster than their paychecks. Families are forced to stretch their budgets, delay buying a first home, or double up in crowded living situations. Renters are staying renters longer, and young adults who want to build a future here are finding it harder to take that first step into homeownership.
Regulatory barriers: Local permitting and zoning rules often make it easier for builders to construct large homes or big multifamily projects, while smaller, more attainable starter homes face barriers.
Homeowner lock-in: Many Utahns with very low mortgage interest rates are hesitant to move, reducing available housing supply and slowing market turnover.
Demographic growth: Utah’s strong in-migration and high birth rates put additional pressure on limited housing stock.
This is a complex issue. Multiple factors like interest rates, construction costs, and land availability all contribute to higher prices. But the single biggest lever we can move, and the one everyday Utahns can influence through policy and advocacy, is building more supply.
These forces combined have reshaped the path to homeownership. The median age of a first-time homebuyer in the U.S. has climbed to 38, up a decade from the 1980s. As home prices rise, rental rates follow, creating long-term affordability challenges for families.
Rising housing costs are also connected to broader community impacts. National research shows a clear link between high rents and homelessness, and Utah has seen its homeless population rise in the last year, including among older adults.
While the challenges are serious, the core issue remains clear: we must build more homes, and the right kinds of homes, to meet demand and restore affordability.
We Can Fix This
If We Act Now
Utah’s housing crisis is big, but it isn’t unsolvable.
The good news is there are proven solutions, and your voice can help make them happen.
Speak Up & Show Up
Most housing decisions happen at the local level. When city councils and planning commissions hear only from opponents, projects stall. But when community members show up and speak up, it changes the outcome.
Sign up above, and we’ll notify you about key projects and meetings where your voice can make the difference.
Smart Solutions for More Homes
Zoning reforms: Allow starter homes, duplexes, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in more neighborhoods.
Creative builds: Encourage “missing middle housing” like cottage courts, duplexes, and small-lot homes. Options between single-family houses and big apartment complexes.
Public-private partnerships: Utah has pledged 35,000 new homes in the next five years. Partnering with the private sector will make that possible.
Cutting red tape: Support countywide pre-approved housing plans for ADUs and small homes, so builders can skip lengthy permitting delays.
Learn the Basics
Not everyone knows what these solutions look like. Here’s a quick guide:
ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit): Small independent home built on existing land; can be attached, converted, or new. Adds flexibility and affordable rentals.
Detached ADU: Stand-alone home on the same lot as a primary house; can be backyard units or part of new cottage-style neighborhoods.
Duplex: One building split into two homes, each with its own entrance—boosts housing options while fitting into residential streets.
Missing middle housing: Cottage courts, townhomes, and small-lot homes between single-family and apartments—offers variety, walkability, and community fit.
Policy Priorities
These ideas aren’t just theoretical, they’re the same priorities being advanced by leaders at the state level, including:
Light-touch density
(ADUs, duplexes, starter homes)
Missing middle housing
Multifamily housing in commercial corridors
Pre-approved housing plans
The housing crisis won’t solve itself. But together, with smart policies and active citizens, we can create homes that keep Utah families here.
Has Housing
Affected Your Family?
Utah’s housing crisis affects all of us, but too many still don’t realize how deep the problem runs. You can help change that. Share this campaign with a friend, a neighbor, or a family member. The more Utahns who add their name, the louder our message becomes.
One Voice is Powerful.
Thousands Can’t Be Ignored.
Utah’s housing crisis affects all of us, but too many still don’t realize how deep the problem runs. You can help change that. Share this campaign with a friend, a neighbor, or a family member. The more Utahns who add their name, the louder our message becomes.
Together, we can demand the homes Utah needs and make sure families can afford to stay.
