Letter to the editor: How can Utah build healthy, connected communities?

I appreciated the insights in the Oct. 10, 2024, article, “Housing design can increase affordability in Utah’s market.” While thoughtful design for individual homes is crucial, we should also consider city planning and neighborhood design as a whole.
I am the executive director of a nonprofit called Get Healthy Utah. Part of our mission is to encourage Utah leaders to build healthy, connected communities. We can promote healthy lifestyles and foster community by incorporating pedestrian pathways, green spaces and easy access to healthy foods. Creating affordable housing should go hand in hand with developing walkable neighborhoods that prioritize active transportation. Developers and planners working together can create close and safe routes to school, work and other destinations.
By aligning housing design with smart city planning, we can create vibrant, sustainable communities that address affordability while encouraging a more active, healthy lifestyle.
I urge builders and planners to collaborate closely, ensuring that new developments become integral parts of thriving neighborhoods. Together, we can create a future where every Utahn lives in an affordable and healthy community.
Alysia Ducuara
Salt Lake City