Speaking with economist Robert Spendlove about the Utah housing market

By Tom Williams

Published July 26, 2024 at 9:57 AM MDT

We talk with Zions Bank economist Robert Spendlove about housing in Utah. Here are some headlines that note some of the economic behavior of Utah's housing market: Since May 2019, median home prices have increased by a startling $206,700 — a 61.53% increase that’s left many Utahns reeling. Renters in most of the state’s 29 counties likely don’t make enough to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment. And Utah Gov. Cox calls the affordable housing crisis an ‘existential crisis’ on par with COVID. What’s driving Utah’s housing crisis? What are some solutions?

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Tom Williams

Tom Williams worked as a part-time UPR announcer for a few years and joined Utah Public Radio full-time in 1996. He is a proud graduate of Uintah High School in Vernal and Utah State University (B. A. in Liberal Arts and Master of Business Administration.) He grew up in a family that regularly discussed everything from opera to religion to politics. He is interested in just about everything and loves to engage people in conversation, so you could say he has found the perfect job as host “Access Utah.” He and his wife Becky, live in Logan.

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