#EM2021 – Candidate Question – Housing Crisis

Anyone who is paying attention can see that home prices have nearly doubled in the past few years. This is a widespread issue in the state of Utah and in other states as well. It is a problem that most of us could not afford to go out and buy our homes with the current market prices. It is a problem that people are having to spend a bigger percentage of their income to get into a basic home. Historically, when the government tries to “solve a problem” by intervening or trying to control something like a housing market, there are always additional problems that are created. To quote Jurassic Park, “Your scientists [or in our case, elected officials] were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Just because a city can do a list of things to intervene, does not mean a city should do all of those things. Look at places like NYC and San Francisco, rent control, housing projects and government intervention have not solved the housing crisis for them. Utah andEagle Mountain are great places to live because we have always upheld principles of thrift, charity, and accountability. Every action that a government takes has broad and long-lasting impacts on the community, so the actions taken should be based on principles and best practices, not on emotion or whims. The things EM should do about the housing crisis include:

• provide the most important government functions like public safety, fire, clean water, solid waste and sewer, safe and adequate transportation infrastructure;
• continue to preserve and protect our wildlife, clean air, and water resources because they are key indicators of a safe and healthy community;
• keep spending and taxes low to reduce the tax burden on the people,
• look for additional ways to foster small business and entrepreneurship.

As a result of economic development and community development areas, EM will have money that is mandated by state law to go toward affordable housing. When Eagle Mountain does anything above the basics listed above, the goal should be clear–to get people into a better situation and to help them get to a place that allows them to not need help indefinitely. Should there be some safety nets in the event of extenuating circumstances? Of course. Safety nets are meant to catch you when you fall, and not a web to entrap you forever.

This candidate after several email attempts did not participate in this questionnaire.

Our statewide housing crisis is a result of not enough housing stock and incomes not keeping up with house prices. People are being priced out of homes. As a city, we allow accessory dwelling units, which provide less expensive rentals, and a way for new buyers to afford a home. As a city, we can encourage businesses that provide high paying jobs to locate here. We can also approve new housing stock that meets our general plan, zoning, and building requirements. But we can’t solve this problem alone. We can’t build enough houses to meet the need or even come close. Every city and town will need to look at ways to improve the situation. Keep in mind, there isn’t a one size fits all solution to this problem. Eagle Mountain will be different from Salt Lake City and they will be different from Washington City.

The City of Eagle Mountain can and should continue to provide an environment that encourages responsible development of residential units. I recognize that cost of housing is an issue here but I am a small business owner and I believe in capitalism and a free market. In its simplest terms, I believe the housing crisis is a shortage in supply coupled with a rise in demand. I believe that as builders and individuals make choices influenced by those pressures, eventually it will cause a market correction to the housing industry. No one that has lived here for very long can argue that things have not changed dramatically over the last short period of time. I have a greater degree of confidence in each individuals ability to make better choices for himself or herself than I will ever have that government can or should be seen as the solution to these problems.

The housing crisis we face in Eagle Mountain is so multi-faceted, I don’t know that there is a simple answer for solving such a complex issue. We have a paradoxical-type situation, where some say we are growing too fast and need to stop building, while there is growing concern in other circles about the housing shortage, which, as we know, is driving up prices and making life interesting for anyone who needs housing at the moment. What can our city do about the crisis? I’m curious about this as well, because until this question came up, I never thought of local governments as bearing a lot of influence on the housing market. I would love to have further conversations about this with those more informed than myself.

Are we in a housing crisis? I would say we are in a housing concern. Housing in Eagle Mountain is getting harder to come by but it is just taking longer to build. Longer to have an offer accepted and longer to find a rental. What we need to do is allow accessory apartments and think about other housing types and think outside the box to make sure there are alternatives to traditional housing. We as a city also need to focus on attracting the companies that pay wages to afford housing in our community. With community growth there is pain points but we will get past it with focused leadership.

Eagle Mountain is and has been building as fast as possible. I do not believe it is the responsibility of any government to solve the issues of the private sector. There is a shortage of housing units. We are meeting above and beyond the state’s requirements for housing affordability.

EM needs to focus on smart, controlled growth. The housing crisis is a shortage of homes. The increased demand and lower supply is causing home prices to skyrocket. The city is doing its part to provide houses for Utahns, but it shouldn’t have to bear the full weight of it. We also need to think of the city we want for our kids. We shouldn’t give away a future city that still has a rural feel in order to let developers cram as many homes per square acre as they can. Other cities in Utah also need to do their part.