Do STRs Affect Affordability? Wasatch County Leaders Are Split on the Answer

12/15/2025

Leaders in Wasatch County, Utah, are divided over whether short-term rentals worsen housing affordability as Midway and Heber City struggle with housing pressures. Housing advocates and planners argue that converting long-term rentals into nightly stays reduces supply and pushes rents higher, citing Park City’s experience and supporting tighter regulations and incentive programs for workforce housing. Others, including realtors and housing authority members, say short-term rentals help buyers afford homes, boost local economies and are not proven to lower prices. With resort-town growth, officials agree affordability is complex and will require multiple solutions, including regulation, new construction, and higher wages.

The Park Record (12/12/25) Clara Hatcher