Utah Legislature addresses Utah housing growth and challenges
Jan 17, 2026, 6:00 AM
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s economy continues to grow, but state and business leaders say housing affordability and infrastructure need to keep pace.
Those issues were front and center at the Utah Economic Outlook and Public Policy Summit, where leaders discussed how rapid growth is reshaping communities across the state — and what needs to change moving forward.
“But growth also brings challenges you are all aware of,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Utah and Salt Lake Chamber. “Challenges with housing affordability, infrastructure demands, workforce needs.”
Utah has been one of the fastest-growing states in the country over the past decade, adding hundreds of thousands of new residents as people relocate for jobs and opportunities. With that growth, housing has become increasingly difficult to afford. According to state and housing data, median home prices across much of Utah have more than doubled over the past ten years, while higher interest rates have pushed monthly mortgage payments even further out of reach for many families.
Business leaders at the summit said one way to address the issue is by expanding infrastructure — including roads, utilities, and transit — to open up more land for housing development.
“Investing in more infrastructure will give us more access to more land to build more homes,” Miller said. “Utah’s success never happened by chance; it has always come from leaders choosing to build a future together.”
Lawmakers, including Gov. Spencer J. Cox, attended the summit and echoed those concerns, saying they are focused on removing barriers that slow housing construction and limit growth.
“And that is the barrier to building houses for our kids and grandkids,” Gov. Cox said. “Those barriers still exist. They exist all across the country. We can do better, and we will do better this legislative session.”
The Utah legislative session begins next Tuesday, where housing affordability and infrastructure investment are expected to be major priorities as lawmakers work to keep Utah’s economy strong for future generations.
