Emissaries from the Salt Lake Chamber have spent months trying to build consensus across the state for affordable housing, even as opposition to new high-density residential projects continues to divide many Utah communities.
Folks from the business group have crisscrossed the state’s fastest-growing counties since July, chasing face-to-face meetings with members of up to 50 city councils to brief them on the numbers, trends and consequences behind a historic gap in available homes.
So far the delegation has gotten a mixed reception — evidence that Utah cities face their own challenges on housing.
One chamber official said a majority of elected leaders who have been contacted report their residents don’t understand the pressures that municipalities encounter when it comes to major zoning decisions and approving developments in their communities.