FIGHTING FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP
Washington County Board of REALTORS® has been a cornerstone of the real estate industry in Southern Utah for decades, championing property rights, housing affordability and professionalism in real estate transactions. Our Board represents a network of dedicated real estate professionals who are committed to helping individuals and families achieve the American Dream of homeownership.
WHAT WE DO
Beyond helping families find the right home, our REALTORS® advocate for policies that protect private property rights, promote responsible growth, and ensure a strong and sustainable housing market. Through our government affairs efforts and the REALTOR® Political Action Committee (RPAC), we support the candidates and initiatives that align with our mission to maintain a free and fair real estate market.
WHY WE CARE
Homeownership is more than just a transaction… it’s the foundation of strong communities, economic prosperity, and financial stability for local families. We are committed to ensuring that homeownership remains accessible and attainable for current and future generations. By supporting smart housing policies and engaging with local leaders, we strive to create a thriving real estate market that benefits everyone.
Washington County has experienced robust population and economic growth over the past two decades. The unintended consequences of growth have presented many challenges, including the acceleration of housing prices, resulting in an unaffordable market.
Dejan Eskic, Bonneville Analytics
FIGHTING FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP
Our local housing market is under increasing pressure, making it harder for residents to achieve the American Dream of homeownership. Over the next decade, Washington County’s population is projected to reach 268,000 adding approx. 62,600 full-time residents (a 30.4% increase). Assuming one houshold per housing unit, the county needs to add 29,000 housing units to meet the projected growth. This positions Washington County as the third highest in the state in terms of housing demand.
As an advocate for private property rights and housing affordability, the Washington County Board of REALTORS® works with local leaders in individual communities to promote policies that support responsible growth, expand homeownership opportunities, and protect our local economic future.
1.
MODERNIZE ZONING
Outdated zoning laws limit housing supply, driving up costs and reducing opportunities for Washington County families. The solution? Allow for a variety of housing types, including smaller lots, townhomes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to meet market demand and increase affordability.
2.
MAXIMIZE LAND USE
Skyrocketing land prices significantly impact the final cost of a home, pricing our many locals. The solution? Update zoning costes to allow for smaller lot sizes (which reduce per-unit land costs and increase supply) and promote flexible land use policies that reflect our housing needs, leading to more attainabhle housing options.
3.
PROTECT PROPERTY RIGHTS
Restrictive land-use policies and development moratoriums block property owners from using their land responsibly. The solution? Ensure land-use decisions respect private property rights while allowing for responsible development & advocate for policies that balance public interest with individual rights.
2025 UTAH LEGISLATIVE SESSION SUMMARY
While the Legislature has passed these bills, Governor Cox has not yet signed all of them. He has until March 27 to either sign or veto any bill from the 2025 legislative session.
Although the session has ended, efforts to educate lawmakers on the importance of homeownership and strengthen relationships with legislative leaders will continue throughout the year. Advocacy remains focused on protecting Utahns’ ability to buy, sell, and own property. Protecting the American dream of homeownership is at the heart of advocacy efforts at both the state and local levels.
ENCOURAGING GOOD GOVERNANCE:
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- HB 37 Utah Housing Amendments – Rep. Jim Dunnigan: This bill authorizes a cities and counties to implement a density overlay and directs the Commission on Affordable Housing to make regional strategic plans. It also gathers more data on the Moderate Income Housing Plans across the state to better inform future legislation. – SUPPORT
- HB 217 Homeowners’ Association Amendments – Rep. Neil Walter: This bill enacts significant reforms to the laws governing homeowners’ associations, including establishing an Office of the Homeowners’ Association Ombudsman and addresses issues like transfer fees and reinvestment fees. – SUPPORT
- HB 256 Municipal Zoning Amendments – Rep. Neil Walter: This bill strikes the right balance between protecting private property rights and the ability of cities to enforce short-term rental regulation. – SUPPORT
IMPROVING INDUSTRY PRACTICES:
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HB 58 Building Inspector Amendments – Rep. Thomas Peterson: This bill requires private home inspectors to meet certain qualifying standards. It grants the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing authority over inspectors who do not meet required qualifications or who are acting in a manner not consistent with required conduct. – SUPPORT
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HB 337 Property Managers Requirements – Rep. Jordan Teuscher: This bill directs the Division of Real Estate to create a new property management license and a separate set of regulations for residential property management. – SUPPORT
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HB 419 Real Estate Revisions – Rep. Neil Walter: This bill directs the Division of Real Estate to prioritize more serious complaints first as they investigate licensees, clarifies time periods for records retention and the division’s ability to request documents, addresses the sale of mobile homes, and clarifies advertisement disclosures. – SUPPORT
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PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS:
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- HB 151 Home Sales Amendments – Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion: This bill restricts the sale of a single-family home (for the first 30 days the single-family home is on the market) to a purchaser that signs an affidavit of intent to occupy and prohibits the bulk sale of foreclosed single-family homes. – OPPOSE
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- SB 55 Unauthorized Use of Real Property Amendments – Sen. Heidi Balderree: This bill allows a property owner to request law enforcement remove a squatter from a residential dwelling and makes fraudulent sale or rental of a residential property a second degree felony. – SUPPORT
INCREASING HOUSING SUPPLY & REDUCING PRODUCTION BARRIERS:
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- HB 360 Housing Attainability Amendments – Rep. Stephen Whyte: This bill clarifies when political subdivisions may hold closed meetings, allows the Department of Transportation to establish rules for selling state surplus real property for owner-occupied affordable housing development, and permits Utah Housing Corporation to act as a lender on owner-occupied condo projects to encourage affordable condo developments. – SUPPORT
- HB 368 Local Land Use Amendments – Rep. Stephen Whyte: This bill is a Land Use Task Force Consensus bill and addresses plan reviews, public hearing requirements, landscaping, transferable development rights, and identical plan reviews to make development more efficient. – SUPPORT
- SB 181 Housing Affordability Amendments – Sen. Lincoln Fillmore: This bill directs municipalities to address several elements of the building process that will increase the efficiency of affordable housing development. – SUPPORT
- SB 262 Housing Affordability Modifications – Sen. Lincoln Fillmore: This bill creates the option for a municipality to create a residential density overlay for the development of single-family dwellings on small lots and diverse housing options. – SUPPORT
Local housing affodability is at risk, and if we don’t act now, homeownership opportunities will continue to slip out of reach for working local families. Housing choices will help. By have a mix of housing types, including townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, ADUs and smaller lot sizes, we can enure options for families at different income levels.
Emily Merkley, WCBR Chief Executive Officer