KSL is launching the “Roads to Understanding” project to learn more about the biggest concerns of Utahns across the state

Cedar City — The laid-back music and warm night make it easy to believe that all is well in this Cedar City neighborhood. However, many of Southern Utah University's students have serious concerns about finding and paying for housing.

“We are building more houses now, but there was a moment when you weren't sure if you would have an apartment,” one student told KSL TV.

Utahns across the state share the same fear.

The Utah Foundation conducted its Priorities Project, surveying a few thousand residents every four years to identify key issues. Based on this year's priorities, the report is titled “Priced Out and Fed Up.”

The Utah Foundation Priorities Project, “Priced Out and Fed.” (Utah Foundation)

Two of the top five issues relate to the cost of housing and the cost of everything else. The rest of the top 5 deals with politicians: #2 ignores voters, #4 exaggerates, and #5 is partisan.

“This is a big surprise,” said Shawn Teigen, president of the Utah Foundation.

What does that tell politicians when you ask them? He said: “I don't know if it's a wake-up call or what it is exactly, but it shows that maybe we need to start thinking about these issues.”

Another big surprise in the results is the topic that wasn't even on the list: health care. It ranked first in 2016 and 2020.

“Nobody cares about 2024, it’s not even on the list of 17,” Teigen said.

Utah is not alone in ranking affordable housing as our top concern. In many states in our region and across the country, real estate prices have skyrocketed in recent years.

“It's a very big deal in Colorado, it's a very big deal in Arizona, Nevada, in Idaho. “It’s a big deal in most places right now,” he said.

That does little to comfort Cedar City students, some of whom are fresh off living on their own.

“Right now my parents are helping with a lot of things, but next semester I will be basically on my own and I think it will be really hard,” said Kate, a freshman at the university.

While many of these students struggle to find better-paying jobs, Teigen hopes policymakers and voters work together to find policies that address the problem.

“So that our children and grandchildren can live in this condition if they want to buy a house. Otherwise they have to live in Iowa or Ohio, they can’t live here unless they live in our basements,” he said.

The Utah Foundation hopes its Priorities Project will spark debate before the election.

At the same time, KSL is launching a national listening campaign called “Roads to Understanding.” The station launched the project in Cedar City and will travel nationally in the coming weeks to cover key issues in several Utah communities. The aim is to better understand each other and the challenges we all face in this divisive political environment.

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