The U.S. now has a record shortage of over 5 million homes. In 2021, the states with the highest increases in home prices were located in the West. Unfortunately, finding available land to increase housing supply is a struggle. My bill, the HOUSES Act, would make small tracts of federal land available to communities to address housing shortages or affordability.
The HOUSES Act helps solve Utah’s land and housing scarcity by allowing parcels of federal land to be purchased by a state or unit of local government at a reduced price giving them flexibility to address housing constraints. The act requires that land be used for housing, subject to a density requirement, and protects against development of expensive second homes on the purchased parcels.
In Utah, there are almost 23 million acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), accounting for 43.24% of the total land in our state. Typical home prices in Utah have increased by 89% over the last five years. If just 1% of the acreage managed by the BLM in Utah was made available for housing under the HOUSES Act, at least 774,000 additional homes would be made available.
Communities across the country, particularly the West, are dealing with unprecedented housing affordability and availability challenges. To help with this challenge, the HOUSES Act would:
- Create a process to nominate a parcel of BLM land to address housing shortages.
- Excludes lands with special designations like national monuments, wilderness areas, or national recreation areas.
- Upon DOI approval, the state or unit of local government could purchase a housing tract at a PILT ratioed price.
- By increasing access to affordable land, states and local governments can flexibly address housing shortages or affordability in their own unique ways – low-income housing, condominiums, apartments, single family homes, etc.
- Require that a unit of local government enact zoning laws to ensure development of the land proceeds as planned – for housing purposes.
- Require at least 85% of the land acquired be used for residential purposes and related community needs, at a density of not less than four homes per acre.
- Related community needs include primary and secondary schools, places of worship, grocery stores, and hospitals and health clinics.
Senator Lee is joined by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) as cosponsors of the bill.
A one-pager of the bill is available HERE
The full text of the bill can be read HERE
Opinion: Is this a solution to Utah’s housing crunch? published by Deseret News
