As gateway communities become increasingly desirable places to live and visit, the need for housing and lodging options exceeds local supply. Many people are seeking new places to live, seasonally or year round, that offer the sense of community, beautiful scenery, safety, fresh air, and manageable size found in many GNARs. The continued growth of the tourism and outdoor recreation sectors and increasing international attention in the mountain west raises demand for lodging, including hotels, short-term rentals, and camping areas. Location-neutral and internet-based employment give those of working age the opportunity to relocate at will, and to complicate matters further, many GNARs have physical constraints to growth, such as a body of water or a steep mountainside or canyon.

While growth, development, or redevelopment can be an opportunity, this trend often negatively impacts the local workforce, which requires reasonably affordable housing near their workplaces. Below you'll find toolkit pages with innovative housing affordability strategies, as well as resources to mitigate the impact short-term rentals can have on local housing inventories.

Think we're missing something or have feedback for us? Please reach out to liz.sodja@usu.edu.

Housing Affordability Toolkit Pages