Gov. Cox: Utah’s housing crisis demands tough conversations with cities

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday he is preparing to have “uncomfortable, hard” conversations with cities this year about building more high density housing.

As the closing keynote speaker at Stanford University’s Abundance Agenda policy forum, Cox said the state is ready to use a more hands-on approach after struggling to get cities to make municipal affordable housing plans.

“We tried to do it the nice way, and if you want us to do it the heavy way we’ll do that too,” Cox said. “I’m okay being the bad guy on this one.”

Cox recognized that cities have had a lot to keep up with: during the past two years since Cox launched his initiative to catalyze 35,000 starter homes by 2028 the Legislature has approved at least 15 bills reforming zoning, financing and inspection for affordable homes.

One of the most significant pieces of legislation would make $300 million in public investment funds available to help local lenders offer low-interest loans for developers building affordable homes.

The other reforms specifically mentioned by Cox would allow condominiums to qualify for these low-interest loans and would update litigation protection around condos to decrease insurance costs.

“I’m at the stage where I’m just throwing everything against the wall and seeing if anything sticks and actually makes a difference,” Cox said.

As he has on a number of other occasions, Cox touted Utah’s streak of No. 1 rankings which he said were the result of residents’ ability to reject zero-sum thinking.

But, Cox said, the biggest obstacle to addressing Utah’s housing crisis might be public opinion.

Does high density need better PR?

While Utahns worry about their children not being able to afford to live near them, Cox said, that fear is not always tied to an understanding that affordability follows from increased supply.

Speaking to students, scholars and policy advocates, Cox highlighted a recent appropriation Utah lawmakers made for a public opinion campaign about the importance of high density construction like the Daybreak development in South Jordan.

“Showing some real wins, some places where people love to live where there’s actual density just helps change that narrative,” Cox said. “I think we just need to do better PR when it comes to to building and growth.”

In 2025, the Utah Legislature gave $1 million to Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy, a non-profit trying to raise awareness about affordable housing through its Demand More Supply initiative. A year earlier, the Legislature gave another $1 million to the organization.

Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy was created in 2023 by Craig Weston, a high-end developer; Derek Brown, later elected as Utah attorney general; Matt Lusty, Cox’s campaign manager; and Steve Waldrip, later appointed as Cox’s senior housing adviser, who remains a member of the unpaid board.

“I’ve learned that that we need to do better on the messaging side of this, trying to get the public on our side I think is really important,” Cox said. “Our big focus has been on our kids and grandkids.”

Utah’s founding was based on the positive-sum mindset of pioneers settling an unwelcoming land, Cox said in his opening remarks. In order to maintain the state’s success he said residents will need to prioritize abundance by rejecting “false choices” between growth and quality of life.

Cameron Diehl, the executive director of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, has worked closely with the Legislature in recent years to bring down housing costs while maintaining local control.

On Thursday, Diehl pointed out, the Wasatch Front Regional Council considered five station area plans in Draper, Taylorsville and West Jordan around transit stops, looking to accommodate 15,000 housing units.

“Cities want to see more affordable home ownership opportunities,” Diehl said. “But we plan for housing, we don’t build the housing, and we can’t control the market forces.”