The editorial printed July 16, “This is how to fix Utah’s runaway housing costs,” promotes increased construction and improvement in renting options. While I don’t disagree with improvements in renting options and process, I do disagree with increased construction.
How are we going to provide the infrastructure to support ever-increasing single home construction? It doesn’t seem like an innovative solution to a very thorny problem. It seems like pushing increasing construction to meet demand will just continue to perpetuate the skyrocketing home prices and put more strain on our dwindling resources like water, wood and land.
My home is too big, especially as my children grow and move away. I have many neighbors with similar circumstances. It is important to talk together at local, county, and state levels about how to reframe the American dream of owning a single-family home with a nice lawn and two cars.
A lot of great research is being done by the University of Leeds in England, for example, on how we can reduce our rampant push for more and still better meet the needs of all people. Let’s learn and talk. I know we can make a difference.
Shelly Parkin
West Jordan,