CEDAR CITY — The chill music and heat evening make it straightforward to suppose that each one is effectively on this Cedar City neighborhood. But most of the college students attending Southern Utah University have severe issues about discovering and paying for housing.
“We’re building more houses now, but there was a moment there, where you weren’t sure you would have a place to live,” one school pupil advised KSL TV.
Utahns all around the state share the identical anxiousness.
The Utah Foundation carried out its Priorities Project, the place each 4 years they survey a couple of thousand residents to establish the highest points. Based on this yr’s priorities, the report is titled, “Priced Out and Fed Up.”
The Utah Foundation Priorities Project, ‘Priced Out and Fed Up’. (Utah Foundation)
Two of the highest 5 points contain the price of housing, and the price of every part else. The remainder of the highest 5 cope with politicians: #2 ignoring voters, #4 overreaching, and #5 partisanship.
“It’s a big surprise,” Shawn Teigen, president of Utah Foundation, stated.
When requested, what does this say to politicians? He stated, “I don’t know if it’s a wakeup call, or exactly what it is, but it shows maybe we need to start thinking about these issues.”
Another huge shock within the findings is the problem that didn’t even make the listing—well being care. It ranked primary in 2016 and in 2020.
“2024, nobody cares, it’s not even on the list of 17,” Teigen stated.
Utah will not be alone in rating reasonably priced housing as our prime concern. Many states in our area and throughout the nation are seeing dwelling costs skyrocket lately.
“It’s a very big deal in Colorado, it’s a very big deal in Arizona, Nevada, in Idaho. It’s a big deal in most places right now,” he stated.
That does little to consolation college students in Cedar City, a few of who're simply of their first semester of residing on their very own.
“Right now my parents help with a lot, but next semester, I’m going to be basically on my own, and it’s going to be really hard I think,” Kate, a freshman on the college, stated.
While many of those college students battle to discover greater paying jobs, Teigen hopes coverage makers and voters will work collectively to discover insurance policies that may deal with the issue.
“So our kids and grandkids can live in this state when they’re going to buy homes. Otherwise, they’ll have to live in Iowa or Ohio, they won’t be able to live here, unless they live in our basements,” he stated.
The Utah Foundation hopes its Priorities Project sparks debate forward of the election.
At the identical time, KSL is launching a statewide listening marketing campaign referred to as “Roads to Understanding.” The station launched the mission in Cedar City and can journey statewide within the coming weeks to hear the highest points in a number of Utah communities. The purpose is to higher perceive one another and the challenges all of us face, throughout this divisive political atmosphere.
We would love to hear from you. Click right here or scan the QR code to tell us what points impression you and your loved ones.
Roads to Understanding QR code. (KSL TV)
