Housing Affordability
Affordability in Utah Housing
Utah is facing a housing shortage of approximately 40,000 units, and that gap is driving an affordability crisis that hits District 21 especially hard. On Salt Lake City’s Westside, the median home price in the northwest valley area rose from $305,000 in 2019 to $435,000 in 2024. Nearly half of renters in our area are considered “cost-burdened,” spending more than 30% of their income on housing. For many families — including single parents, seniors on fixed incomes, and essential workers — the math simply doesn’t work.
Jeneanne has felt this pressure personally. She empathizes with neighbors who wonder each month whether they can make rent or mortgage payments as costs continue to climb. She also recognizes that housing affordability is about more than price — it’s about whether the people who make our community work can afford to live in it.
In the legislature, Jeneanne will fight for:
Increasing the supply of affordable and deeply affordable housing through state investments, tax incentives for developers who build below-market units, and strategic use of public land.
Protecting renters by supporting legislation to limit hidden “junk fees” that add hundreds to monthly bills, ensuring tenants can use rent payments for credit reporting, and strengthening tenant protections against unfair evictions.
Encouraging diverse housing types — including accessory dwelling units (ADUs), duplexes, townhomes, and smaller-lot homes — that give communities more options without changing neighborhood character.
Streamlining the state’s fragmented housing programs, which currently span more than 40 programs across multiple agencies, into a more coordinated system that actually serves the families who need help.
Supporting first-time homebuyer programs and down-payment assistance that help Utah families build wealth through homeownership instead of spending a lifetime renting.
Opposing corporate consolidation of housing by large investment firms that buy up homes and drive up prices for families.
Jeneanne believes that everyone who works hard in this community should be able to afford to live in it. That’s not a luxury — it’s the foundation of a healthy neighborhood.