Salt Lake City — Utah Governor Spencer Cox shared two compelling 30-second commercials from Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy (UWHA) as examples of an effective messaging campaign that raises public awareness of the biggest contributor to high housing prices: low housing supply.
The videos, which are part of UWHA’s “Demand More Supply” campaign, were shared with community and political leaders across western states as part of the first workshop for the BRAND West Initiative, an initiative being promoted by the Western Governor’s Association to examine ways to build more homes by expanding housing options, encouraging innovative funding mechanisms, leveraging infrastructure investments, increasing regional coordination, and planning vibrant, livable communities.
“To ensure that the American Dream stays alive and well in Utah, we must add housing supply to the market. That’s why our campaign is focused on raising awareness of the core problem of high home prices - not enough supply,” said Steve Waldrip who sits on the Executive Board of Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy in addition to his role as Senior Advisor of Housing Strategy for Governor Cox.
The commercials have been effective at helping every day Utahns understand the root cause of the housing affordability crisis–limited housing supply. In the first two weeks the campaign has driven more than 4,000 website visits and 200 responses to the statewide survey.
The campaign is built on in-depth research conducted with the support of Envision Utah. The key finding of the study is that while Utahns understand that we have a housing problem, they undervalue the housing shortage and the role that building homes plays in reducing housing costs. The same misunderstanding exists in other states.
A Call to Action
In Utah alone, home prices have surged by over 300% in recent years, with projections showing a shortfall of 153,000 homes by 2030.
Demand More Supply urges policymakers, community leaders, and residents to collaborate to adopt solutions that create more housing opportunities for middle-income families. This effort aims to ensure economic stability, quality of life, and continued growth for the region by increasing supply, streamlining regulations, and fostering innovation.
The launch of this initiative represents a significant milestone in addressing housing challenges in the West and sets a precedent for regional cooperation to solve complex economic and societal issues.
About Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy
Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy focuses on increasing affordable housing options for first-time homebuyers, and middle-income earners, including essential workers who play a critical role in our communities.
About Demand More Supply
Demand More Supply is a public awareness campaign that highlights the connection between housing shortages and rising costs, advocating for solutions to increase housing supply across Utah.