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There’s a missing piece to Utah’s approach to housing affordability, says one Utah planner

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There’s a missing piece to Utah’s approach to housing affordability, says one Utah planner


Picture this: A young Utah family, excited to buy a first home, finds a dream house slipping further out of reach with each passing month. Sound familiar? It should.

In the Beehive State, the affordability crisis isn’t just making headlines — it’s reshaping lives. Redfin data shows that, since May 2019, median home prices have increased by a startling $206,700 — a 61.53% increase that’s left many Utahns reeling.

And what about renters? From 2013 to 2020, rent in the Salt Lake City area increased by 6% annually, spiked by 19% in 2021, rose moderately in 2022, and remained elevated in 2023, resulting in a substantial overall increase over the decade. But what if we’re only seeing part of the picture?

Andrew Gruber, Executive Director of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, thinks we’re overlooking a crucial piece of the affordability puzzle. In a candid conversation with The Salt Lake Tribune’s Innovation Lab, Gruber challenges us to rethink our approach to this pressing issue.

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“We need to stop looking at housing costs in isolation,” Gruber asserts. “For most Utahns, the real story of affordability is written in the combined ink of housing and transportation expenses.”

Intrigued? So were we. Let’s dive into Gruber’s fresh perspective on Utah’s affordability challenges.

Michael Parker (MP): Andrew, you’ve suggested we should look at both housing and transportation costs together when considering affordability. Can you explain why this combined approach is so important, especially for middle-class families?

Andrew Gruber (AG): Housing and transportation expenses are fundamentally linked in a household’s budget and lifestyle choices. By looking at them in tandem, we get a much clearer picture of the true cost of living in a particular area. This holistic view isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet — it’s about developing strategies that can genuinely improve affordability and quality of life for our communities.

MP: It’s true that most families instinctively juggle these expenses in their household budgets. But you’re suggesting a broader perspective. How could elevating this approach to a community-wide strategy create meaningful change for Utah families?

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AG: Where we live can reduce how much we spend on transportation. Take a typical family earning $70,000 a year. Traditional guidelines suggest they shouldn’t spend more than $21,000 annually on housing (30%). Say that family finds a home in a suburb where their mortgage plus utilities are $18,000 per year. But what about transportation?

If their home is far from work, shopping or schools, with limited public transportation, they might need multiple cars, increasing costs significantly.

Now, consider if they choose a home in a mixed-use community, close to jobs, schools, shopping and public transit. That family might drive less, have shorter trips and maybe need just one car. They could save thousands annually on car payments, insurance and gas. They’d also save time by avoiding traffic.

This makes a huge difference in overall household costs. The two locations might not even be far apart — the mixed-use area could be the center of the same suburb.

MP: Can you give us an example of a successful local model?

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AG: Definitely. Look at Daybreak as a mixed-use community within the city of South Jordan. This community is designed to be walkable with schools, parks, places to work and shops all within a short distance. Residents can bike or walk to most places and the UTA’s Trax line has two stations in Daybreak. Another will be opening soon. Another example would be Station Park [in Farmington] focusing on jobs and transit. This all significantly reduces the need for driving. This model not only cuts down on transportation costs — with both money and time savings — but also enhances quality of life by promoting a healthier, more active lifestyle.

MP: Would this approach to how we design our communities impact local taxes and city budgets?

AG: Yes, usually positively. In mixed-use communities like Daybreak, with diverse housing and transportation options, infrastructure costs are often lower per home. Smaller lots, townhomes and increased use of public transit or walking also reduce the land and resources needed. This can lead to more investment in parks and amenities, improving quality of life while keeping tax rates reasonable.

MP: Would this approach help a family get around for things like soccer practices?

AG: Yes. The basic concept is to give people easier access to the things that are most important to them. Imagine living in a neighborhood where job opportunities, schools, parks and grocery stores are within a short drive, or even within walking or biking distance. This means less time spent driving to soccer practices or running errands, saving both time and money.

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MP: Are you suggesting every community should follow the same design?

AG: Definitely not. By offering both single-family housing neighborhoods and mixed-used communities a city offers more options to residents based on their wants and needs. So each community has to consider what works best for its residents. Some smaller suburban or rural communities can have a nice main street or town center that connects to residential areas with safe roads and sidewalks for biking and walking. Other areas can have a mixed-use city center where some of its residents can live, work and shop. And our larger cities can have “downtown” areas with lots of activity and development, like Ogden, Provo and our capital city of Salt Lake.

MP: How would you sum up what you’ve described?

AG: If we want Utah residents and families to be able to afford to live here, and to thrive, we should be thinking not just about housing costs, but overall household affordability. By considering the costs of housing and transportation together and considering that relationship as we develop our communities, we can give Utahns a better shot at making it. And not only can this help with household costs, it can enhance quality of life at the same time.

MP: Thank you for offering this fresh perspective on affordable living, one that extends beyond just rent or mortgages. It’s a broader, more holistic approach to thinking about our cities and finances. With innovative ideas like these, the future of Utah could become more affordable and enjoyable than we ever imagined. For instance, including transit passes with rent for apartments near TRAX stations or with home purchases within half a mile of fixed transit lines would be a transformative change for many families.

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Andrew Gruber is the executive director of the Wasatch Front Regional Council.

Andrew Gruber is the executive director of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, which along with its partners develops the Wasatch Choice Vision to create strategies for better transportation, diverse housing options, and walkable city centers. Learn more at www.wasatchchoice.org.

Michael Parker is the Director of Community Solutions for The Salt Lake Tribune’s Innovation Lab and principal and founder of Do Good.

Michael Parker is the director of community solutions for The Salt Lake Tribune’s Innovation Lab and principal and founder of Do Good.

The Innovation Lab invites Utahns to share ideas on supporting the middle class. Email voices@sltrib.com to contribute.

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22-year-old arrested in Utah in connection to Las Vegas double-homicide

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22-year-old arrested in Utah in connection to Las Vegas double-homicide


LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Officials have identified a 22-year-old man as the suspect in a Las Vegas homicide case that killed two people in a Southern Highlands neighborhood.

Detectives say 22-year-old Ziaire Ham was the suspect in the case. According to officials, Ham was located on Tuesday, March 3, by the Ogden City Police Department and the Utah Highway Patrol.

Ham was taken into custody and booked into the Weber County Jail. Las Vegas authorities said he will be charged with open murder with the use of a deadly weapon and will be extradited back to the valley.

MORE ON FOX5: LVMPD corrections officer arrested on multiple felony charges

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The shooting occurred Monday night at the 11000 block of Victoria Medici Street, near Starr Ave and Dean Martin Drive.

According to police, officers were conducting a vehicle stop in the area when they heard gunfire. After searching nearby neighborhoods they found a car with bullet impacts with a woman and a toddler inside suffering from gunshot wounds.

The pair were transported to hospital where they later died. The Clark County Coroner’s Office identified them as Danaijha Robinson, 20, and 1-year-old Nhalani Hiner.



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Utah nonprofit creates events, experiences for disadvantaged children

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Utah nonprofit creates events, experiences for disadvantaged children


A simple moment watching a child laugh changed everything for Ivan Gonzalez.

Eight years ago, Gonzalez was working at the Ronald McDonald House when he had an idea to throw a birthday carnival for the kids staying there.

“Let’s do a carnival, birthday carnival for the kids,” he said.

MORE | Pay It Forward

What happened during that event stuck with him.

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“There I was watching this kid play whack-a-mole, just having a blast, laughing,” Gonzalez said. “And then I see his mom kind of with happy tears because he’s enjoying himself.”

That moment led to something bigger.

Gonzalez realized the experience shouldn’t stop with just one event or just one group of kids.

“I said, wait, we can do this not just for kids in the hospital,” he said with excitement.

So he started a nonprofit called Best Seat in the House, which creates events and experiences for children who often face difficult circumstances.

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“We provide events and experiences for disadvantaged kids,” Gonzalez said.

The organization serves children battling cancer and other medical conditions, refugee children, kids living in poverty, those in foster care and children with special needs.

“These kids grow up too fast,” Gonzalez said.

For Gonzalez, the mission is deeply personal.

“I grew up very poor,” he said.

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He remembers the people who stepped in for his family when they needed it most.

“The local church, we weren’t even a part of it,” he described. “My parents couldn’t afford Christmas gifts and I still remember the gifts they gave me. They didn’t even know me.”

Today, he hopes to create that same feeling for other children through his nonprofit.

“Kids live in poverty and they don’t know where the next meal is coming from, let alone going to a play or to a game,” Gonzalez said.

But for Gonzalez, the reward isn’t the events themselves, it’s the joy they create.

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“You can give me a billion dollars, all the money in the world,” he says as tears roll down his face. “I won’t trade these opportunitieskids just enjoying life.”

Because of his work giving back, KUTV and Mountain America Credit Union surprised Gonzalez with a Pay it Forward gift to help him continue creating those moments for kids across Utah.

For more information on supporting Best Seat in the House, click here.

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‘Don’t release him ever. Please.’ Family of slain Utah teen calls for justice at parole hearing

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‘Don’t release him ever. Please.’ Family of slain Utah teen calls for justice at parole hearing


SALT LAKE CITY — Francisco Daniel Aguilar says he’s sorry for shooting and killing his girlfriend, 16-year-old Jacqueline “Jacky” Nunez-Millan, a Piute High School sophomore, in 2023.

But just as he did when he was sentenced, he didn’t have much of an explanation on Tuesday as to why he shot her not once, but twice.

“It just kinda happened. I was mad. And I stepped out (of my truck) and started shooting,” he said. “When I saw her fall, I just kind of panicked, I just went and shot her again.”

But Jacky’s friends and family members say even before she was killed, Aguilar already had a history of violence, and they now want justice to be served.

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“You don’t accidentally take a gun, you don’t accidentally grab a knife … you don’t accidentally shoot someone, those are all choices,” a tearful Rosa Nunez, Jacky’s sister, said at Tuesday’s hearing. “Keep him where he needs to be.

“Don’t release him ever. Please.”

On Jan. 7, 2023, Aguilar, who was 17 at the time, got into a fight with his girlfriend, Jacky, shot her twice and left her body near a dirt road outside of Circleville, Piute County. He was convicted as an adult of aggravated murder and sentenced to a term of 25 years to up to life in prison.

Because of Aguilar’s age at the time of the offense, board member Greg Johnson explained Tuesday that the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole is required to hold a hearing much earlier than the 25-year mark, mainly to check on Aguilar and “see how things are going.” Aguilar, now 20, is currently being held in a juvenile secure care facility and will be transferred to the Utah State Prison when he turns 25 or earlier if he has discipline violations and is kicked out of the youth facility.

According to Aguilar’s sentencing guidelines, he will likely remain in custody until at least the year 2051.

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During Tuesday’s hearing, Aguilar told the board that he was feeling “stressed out” during his senior year of high school. He said he and Jacky would often have little arguments. But their bigger fight happened when he failed to get her a “promise ring” around Christmastime, he said.

On the night of the killing, the two were arguing about the promise ring and other items, Aguilar recalled. At one point, he grabbed a knife and then a gun because, he said, he wanted to “irritate” and “scare” Jacky. According to evidence presented in the preliminary hearing, Aguilar and his girlfriend had been “trying to make each other angry” when Aguilar took ammunition and a 9mm gun from his father’s room and then drove to the Black Hill area in his truck with Jacky.

Jacky’s friend, McKall Taylor, went looking for her that night and found her. But after Aguilar shot Jacky in the leg, he began shooting at Taylor, who had no choice but to run to her car to get away. Her car was hit multiple times by bullets. Aguilar then shot Jacky a second time as she lay on the ground and Taylor drove away.

On Tuesday, Taylor’s mother, Lori Taylor, read a statement to the board on her daughter’s behalf.

“My innocence and freedom was taken from me,” she said.

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McKall Taylor says the “horrifying events of that night will forever play in my head,” and the sounds of Jacky screaming and the gunshots as well as the sight of Jacky falling to the ground, will never go away.

“Francisco is a murderer who has zero remorse,” her letter states.

Likewise, Rosa Nunez told the board that for her and her family, “nothing in our world has felt safe since” that night as they all “continue to relive this horrific moment.”

After shooting Jacky and driving off, Aguilar says he called his father and “told him I was sorry for not being better, for not making good choices, I told him that I loved him. I was just planning on probably shooting myself, too.”

His father told him that although what he did wasn’t right, “he’d rather see me behind bars than in a casket,” and then told his son to “be a man about it. … This is where you have to change.”

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Aguilar was arrested after his tires were spiked by police.

“An apology won’t fix what I did. I’ll never be able to fix what I did. But I want to say I’m sorry,” he said Tuesday. “I don’t even know how to fix what I did. I’m hoping I’m on the right track now.”

Johnson noted that Aguilar has done well during his short time being incarcerated. But that doesn’t change the fact “the crime was horrific,” he said.

The full five-member board will now take a vote. The board could decide to schedule another parole hearing for sometime in the future or could order that Aguilar serve his entire life sentence. But even if that were to happen, Johnson says Aguilar could petition every so often for a redetermination hearing.

The board’s decision is expected in several weeks.

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The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.



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