Public Policy
The Gardner Institute provides data-driven, context-specific insights about public policy in Utah. We prepare in-depth quantitative and qualitative studies on key Utah issues in partnership with private-sector stakeholders and state and local government. Our research provides vital information decision-makers and the public use to help Utah prosper.
The Evolving Landscape of Utah’s Short-Term Rental Market
Short-term rental (STR) growth accelerated dramatically across the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted consumer behaviors, thus increasing their market demand. This report summarizes the recent trends in the growth of STRs across Utah and how this growth relates to the total housing supply.
Utah Small Area Diabetes Risk Profiles
The Utah Small Area Diabetes Risk Profiles are based on the Health Improvement Index (HII), 2022, and is a measure of health equity developed by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Areas with high and very high HII scores are characterized by social and economic disadvantage.
Navigating Utah’s Demographic Dip: Strategically Positioning Utah Higher Education Amid College-age Population Declines
Pending college-age population declines provide opportunities for state and institutional policymakers to strategically transform, conserve, and realign.
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, 2024 (Tri-Fold Brochure)
Visitors spent a record $12.71 billion in Utah’s economy in 2023, generating 159,800 total jobs and a record $2.35 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Utah Travel & Tourism County Profiles, 2023
The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute prepares annual travel and tourism industry profiles for all 29 Utah counties. These profiles include detailed breakdowns of several economic indicators such as employment, tax revenue, accommodations, and more.
The Impact of Housing on Health
The impact of housing on health, while complex, can be understood through three distinct yet interconnected pathways: (1) housing conditions, (2) neighborhood conditions, and (3) housing affordability.
Decoding the Income Tax Earmark: Proposed Changes to Utah’s Constitution
On the November 2024 ballot, voters will decide whether or not to amend the Utah Constitution to allow the use of income tax revenue for any public function, contingent on maintaining certain school funding provisions.
An Economic Summary of Summit County’s Cultural Industry, 2023
Summit County’s cultural industry, which includes the design, education, entertainment, fashion, film, humanities, and traditional arts sectors, generated $534.1 million in output (direct spending) and supported an estimated 1,845 Summit County jobs in 2023.
An Economic Summary of Rich County’s Cultural Industry, 2023
Rich County’s cultural industry, which includes the design, education, entertainment, fashion, film, humanities, and traditional arts sectors, generated $3.2 million in output (direct spending) and supported an estimated 36 Rich County jobs in 2023.
An Economic Summary of Cache County’s Cultural Industry, 2023
Cache County’s cultural industry, which includes the design, education, entertainment, fashion, film, humanities, and traditional arts sectors, generated $392.4 million in output (direct spending) and supported an estimated 2,516 Cache County jobs in 2023.