Salt Lake Is Growing Fast. But Is It Growing Well?

What this episode covers

If you grew up along the Wasatch Front, you’ve seen rapid change: farms to housing, low-rise to high-rise, more people. Taylor Anderson wants to know what that means, and for whom. Anderson is a housing journalist and describes himself as an urbanist, focused on how growing cities can become more walkable and bikeable. He believes a city should offer something for everyone. That’s a challenge in the Salt Lake Valley, where most destinations are still a 15-minute drive away and home prices continue to climb out of reach for many. The region’s growth has sparked debate. Some residents see the wave of podium apartment complexes as eyesores that signal too much, too fast. While Anderson understands that reaction, he sees something else: denser, more functional communities. Density, he argues, is what makes walkability possible. He also credits the Salt Lake City's push to loosen regulations and cut red tape with boosting housing supply, a shift that has produced a surprising outcome for renters. Anderson joins us to explore how the housing market is evolving, where it may be headed, and the trade-offs that come with growth. GUEST Taylor Anderson is editor-in-chief of Building Salt Lake, an online news outlet covering real estate and development in the city. He’s also a reporter for Inman News, a real estate industry trade publication.