that the secret’s out about Utah County and so we’ve had a lot of people moving here, which has driven up the prices a lot,” Nair acknowledges. Utah County falls into the “seriously unaffordable” category, with home-to-income ratios between 4.1 and 5.0, making homeownership increasingly difficult for middleincome families. Local leaders have responded with creative housing strategies. Mixed-use projects combine residential and commercial spaces, while higher-density options provide alternatives to expensive singlefamily homes. Condominiums and townhomes now account for more than a quarter of all sales, with median condo prices running 27% below singlefamily homes. “We try to do all we can to make living affordable, although it is tough to deal with that housing issue, but by developing new housing, by looking at creative options to have different types of housing, mixed use housing,” Nair explains. “We’ve got a couple of really significant mixed use housing developments popping up throughout the county that’s been helpful.” Building permits data shows where growth concentrates. Eagle Mountain led all Utah cities with 1,556 residential building permits in 2024, followed by Saratoga Springs with 1,354 and Lehi with 1,036 permits. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AND COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE Utah County’s approach to downtown development mirrors a broader philosophy of collaborative governance that sets it apart from other rapidly growing regions. “Our downtown focus is in combination and consultation with our chamber of commerce. We have a strong chamber of commerce that includes our city and South Salem and we lean heavily on the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce,” Mike Mendenhall, Mayor, Spanish Fork, explains. His dual role as both mayor and Main Street business owner provides unique insight into downtown challenges. 283 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 09 UTAH COUNTY, UT
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