As a commuter who can’t afford to live in Salt Lake City, I still deserve to be heard.

My ability to make a difference in my community is limited because I can’t afford housing here.

Affordable housing has been a top budget priority for Utah state and local officials this year. This is in addition to the $17 million that the Legislature appropriated for affordable housing in the 2024-2025 budget and nearly $20 million for affordable housing programs in Salt Lake City’s 2023-2024 budget. It is reflected.

Despite the steps local elected officials are taking to improve the affordable housing crisis, significant gaps in affordable housing still exist in Salt Lake. According to Housing SLC, more than half of all renters in Salt Lake City are cost burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Additionally, Salt Lake City home prices have outpaced wages since 2005.

There’s one issue around affordable housing that isn’t talked about enough. That means a lack of affordable housing limits people’s ability to make a difference in their communities.

I commute to Salt Lake five days a week for school and work. I am attending the University of Utah as a full-time graduate student. I am very involved on campus, serving as Vice President for Diversity on the Public Affairs and Global Enterprise (PAGE) Executive Committee, and representing student perspectives as a member of the JEDI Advisory Board. Additionally, I work for a local nonprofit serving historically marginalized and underserved communities in the Salt Lake area. I am passionate about creating positive change when it comes to policies that affect me and those around me. I am proud to be a member of the Salt Lake community. But due to the lack of affordable housing, I still live in my parents’ basement in West Point.

My ability to make a difference in my community is limited because I can’t afford housing here. Because I’m not a voter, my voice doesn’t matter as much to elected officials, and because I’m not a resident, I worry that I’ll lose the trust of local leaders. Despite being a member of the community, I am not allowed to vote in Salt Lake elections or run for local office. This is not a flaw in our democratic system. The Founders intentionally institutionalized local government as a system that served the people living in their communities. I am not trying to completely dismantle the status quo of representative democracy. But I feel it’s unfair that I can’t make a difference in my community because I can’t afford housing here.

My experience is not unique. Many people live outside of Salt Lake and commute to work every day. More than half of Salt Lake County’s workers commute from another county, according to U.S. Census data.

Although state and local officials have taken significant steps to address the affordable housing crisis, a clear gap remains between the demand and supply of affordable housing in Salt Lake City. Allocating funding to address affordable housing efforts is a step in the right direction. But the harsh reality is that, like me, many people continue to face housing insecurity, hindering our ability to fully engage and effect change in the communities to which we are deeply connected. is.

This phenomenon not only exacerbates economic inequality but also limits the ability of individuals to actively participate in shaping the policies and decisions that affect their lives. This problem is more than just an inconvenience. It is an institutional barrier that undermines the principles of democracy and community engagement.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon policy makers, community leaders, and residents alike to prioritize affordable housing as a fundamental aspect of community development. This means increasing funding for existing affordable housing programs and implementing comprehensive policies that promote equitable access to housing for all.

Additionally, consideration should be given to changes to local electoral systems that ensure fair representation of all residents, regardless of their residential status. This could include expanding voting rights to include residents who contribute to the fabric of the community, even if they do not own property within its boundaries.

After all, addressing the lack of affordable housing is not just a matter of economic policy. It is a moral imperative that speaks to the essence of democracy. We need to recognize the broader impact of the affordable housing crisis beyond its economic impact. It is about equity, social justice, and the fundamental rights of all individuals, regardless of their housing circumstances, to have a voice in shaping the future of their communities.

alex yoder He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Weber State University and is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Utah. He is also working towards obtaining qualifications from the Graduate School of Urban Planning.

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