Utah Governor Spencer Cox hailed a new federal initiative to transfer federally controlled lands for affordable housing projects as a significant move to combat the nation’s housing affordability crisis. The announcement by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and HUD Secretary Scott Turner aims to identify underutilized lands for housing programs in collaboration with states and localities.
Nearly 65% of Utah is owned by the federal government, causing a shortage in housing supply that is exacerbating the state’s housing crisis. The new initiative, which echoes Sen. Mike Lee’s HOUSES Act, seeks to streamline the land transfer process for residential development. This move has been praised by Cox and state lawmakers as a solution to skyrocketing home prices that are five times the median household income in much of the state.
The proposal has faced criticism for potentially sacrificing public access to federal lands for private development. However, it is seen as a step towards increasing housing supply and reducing costs for Utah residents. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts by Utah officials to gain control over more of the state’s public lands, including recent legal actions in federal courts. Sen. Lee is expected to collaborate with the administration to advance the use of federal lands for affordable housing, building on his HOUSES Act.
The partnership between federal and state officials is aimed at addressing the urgent need for affordable housing as Utah’s population growth outpaces construction. By leveraging underused federal lands for residential development, the initiative seeks to provide more Utah families with access to homeownership and tackle the state’s housing crisis.
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