When I joined the National Zoning Atlas as an intern, I didn’t know much about the intricacies of housing policy. But I supported the organization’s mission: to help people better understand how zoning codes work in our communities. Local jurisdictions — cities, towns and counties — have long adopted their own zoning rules to establish how land can be used. The National Zoning Atlas pulls together information about these rules. It displays it on interactive maps — a pretty straightforward idea that has already informed policy debates in Connecticut, Montana, and elsewhere.
The more local zoning codes I encountered, the more I understood why the United States has deep-seated issues with housing affordability and fails to produce enough high-quality neighborhoods. Restrictive zoning in many of the codes I reviewed makes it easy to build single-family suburbs but not denser and more affordable housing with access to amenities. Unlike in Mexico, where I grew up within walking distance of convenience stores, local businesses, and markets, many American neighborhoods lack connection to this kind of vibrancy. My generation, especially, craves the sort of connectedness, opportunity, and fun that restrictive zoning stamps out of our cities.
Restrictive zoning also effectively makes owning a car a requirement — and if you can’t afford one, you are in dire straits. Many residential districts lack meaningful public transportation options to connect to employment and educational opportunities, or shops and services. Looking at the National Zoning Atlas’ data, I saw for the first time the direct links between zoning and transportation. The data shows that the country needs reform on both fronts, as wider roads and adding more lanes to highways have not reduced traffic or time commutes. Too many are forced to drive long distances to get to work and elsewhere, a norm so long-lasting it is woven into American culture.
Among the National Zoning Atlas’ most crucial insights is that the vast majority of residential areas exclusively allow for single-family homes. As an immigrant, I once thought the embodiment of the American dream was suburbs layered with pristine-looking, single-family homes. But the American dream becomes an American nightmare when young people are left unable to buy or even rent a house as prices soar and wages stagnate. In the 1980s, the average cost of a home rarely exceeded $100,000, adjusted for inflation. But today, home values outpace inflation and wages, on top of student loan debt millions of Americans struggle to pay off. As of the second quarter of 2023, the median home sales price in the United States was $416,100, a 26% increase from 2020. As major metropolitan areas become increasingly unaffordable, I sometimes wonder how feasible it is for me to stay in the country.
We are at the beginning of a massive project to confront the American housing crisis. And it is crucial we begin in the places where the demand for affordable housing is most intense. We are seeing that right here in Utah, home prices have soared 20% since 2021 and are only expected to grow. A Utah Zoning Atlas can’t get underway soon enough. And thanks to our partners at Ivory Innovations — it’s coming soon.
Advocates in Utah and elsewhere can use the insights they glean from the National Zoning Atlas to gather support from state and local leaders and the communities they serve. Fortunately, we’re already seeing progress in the right direction in Utah. I hope for the sake of my generation that all of us open our eyes to the deleterious effects of these local rules — just like my eyes were opened this summer. And then I hope we work together to change them.
Emanuel Garcia Flores
Emanuel Garcia Flores is an international student at Utah State University majoring in economics and finance. He has worked for nonprofits in the property technology field at the University of Utah and Cornell University focusing on housing affordability and fighting the housing crisis in the United States.