Committee backs resolution to streamline state housing policies

A Utah legislative committee on Wednesday recommended favorably House Concurrent Resolution 14, a resolution endorsing efforts to streamline housing-related policies and directing the Legislature and governor to begin identifying programs and funding to consolidate during the 2025 interim.

The sponsor, Representative White, told the committee the resolution responds to a 2023 housing audit by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General that warned "time is running short to accelerate action on housing policy" and urged state-level measures and targets for housing needs and construction. The resolution, White said, "supports streamlining housing policies" and supports "identifying programs and funding to consolidate during the 2025 interim." It also calls for stakeholder involvement in the consolidation effort.

The resolution cites two audit recommendations: consider a state strategic housing plan and consider creating a program to set and manage state housing production targets with metrics. White said the goals are to implement the audit's recommendations, reduce duplication among departments, and improve government efficiency.

Public commenters included Steve Waldrop, housing policy advisor to the governor, who told the committee the resolution aligns with the governor's ongoing work, and Tara Rollins of the Utah Housing Coalition, who urged the resolution to place stronger emphasis on multifamily housing and renters. Rollins said, as stated in her remarks, "We have over 3,014, renters in our state. 36% of them are 50% of the area median income below. That's $28 an hour. We have over, 300,000 jobs making less than a housing wage," and recommended an amendment to explicitly include renter-focused policies. Corey Holdaway, representing Habitat for Humanity (speaking both as a private citizen and on behalf of the nonprofit), urged easier access for nonprofits to low-cost capital and cited difficulties in using programs such as last year’s HB 572 for nonprofit homeownership work.

Representative Walter moved that the committee recommend HCR 14 favorably; the motion passed unanimously and the committee later voted to place HCR 14 on the consent calendar by unanimous voice vote.

Why it matters: Committee members and public witnesses framed the resolution as a planning and coordination step intended to make state housing efforts more coherent and to implement recommendations from the 2023 audit. Supporters urged that the process explicitly include multifamily and renter-focused measures and address nonprofit access to financing.

The committee record shows the motion passed with unanimous agreement; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.