Comments about ‘Population changes will impact housing’

"(A)s the minority population climbs, cities and towns will have to figure out how to provide affordable, accessible housing to the growing number of ethnically and culturally diverse families coming into the state."

I'm sorry. What? Minority = low income? Cities and towns are responsible for fitting them into "affordable, accessible" housing?

"Do we meet (the demand) or do people just de facto end up living two and three households to one single-family (dwelling)," Perlich queried. That is what families would be left with in the absence of an adequate housing plan that has multifamily units as a major component, she added.

Are you suggesting Central Planning will just have to build multi-family housing? Is that the plan? Whose land and whose money will be used for your "housing plan?" Or are you saying that the cities should change the zoning of certain "target" areas and restrict development to ONLY multi-family housing.

Maybe you could start building "ghost cities" like they've been doing in China for the past few years. Those cold, gray, concrete monoliths are quite handsome to the "trained" eye.

Three factors are driving the low-to-mid end housing shortage: 1). A young demographic (statistically young = less well off, old = more wealth and income), 2) a large and growing population of illegal (and legal) immigrants, and 3) a lack of planning by cities and counties - and a predisposition by these entities to discourage multi- unit complexes.

There is not much that can or should be done to address the first issue. The other issues can and should be addressed by allmlevels of government.

I am a little uncomfortable with the implication that this is a problem that communities need to solve. The only involvement of governments should be the zoning laws. Many communities have zoning requirements for larger lots because they don't want denser housing. Other than that, it should be hands off.

There will also come greater demand for public transportation, increased energy usage, increased demand on sewer, water and other utilities.

Plan smart, plan now and be ready. Utah can still be a great place to live in 2030, but only if we start improving the infrastructure to accomodate the greater demands.

and there is also the unpopular and ridiculed fact, but population growth starts with having more than 2 kids per family. If you have more than 2 kidw, you are a hypocrite if you complain about population growth.

It is not just the minority population in Utah who cannot afford the big houses on large lots. Take a look around at your neighbors. How many of them have two working parents in order to live in those big houses on big lots!!! Many who live in these big houses on large lots cannot afford them. But the keep up with the Joneses mentality keeps them from moving into a smaller, affordable home.

In Utah it is no longer profitable to own a home. You have 5 or 6 families living in one home and paying a few hundred dollars for each boarding family in those home that park Denali's and Escalades outside of them. I say that those minorities moving into Utah, most often illegally, do not have the American Dream of owning a home is not present. Owning a Denali is. So rent cheap and pay for that gas guzzler and send the picks home.

I think the lack of good paying jobs in Utah needs to be mentioned in this article. If more companies here paid more competitive wages, like those in places such as Chicago, San Diego, & Denver, then more people would still be able to afford some of the larger homes.