Affordable housing policies and adequate housing development are swelling public policy concerns for many Utahans. The demand for affordable housing throughout the state continues to grow, but its supply has not kept pace in recent years. While planning is an indispensable element of policy making, planning the development of low-cost housing is highly debated at the state and local levels. All policy decisions have consequences, and planning decisions in particular tend to have profound effects on both the landscape and the wellbeing of urban and rural communities in Utah. Therefore, those decisions are often highly scrutinized and contested. A complicated fusion of public and private interests determine the outcomes of affordable housing, given that these forces control whether housing policies reflect the will of those seeking to protect vested interests or those seeking to extend opportunities to the poorly housed. A handful of themes related to affordable housing policy run throughout this year’s affordable housing assessment. Firstly, effective, affordable housing policy in Utah requires a convergence of private and public interests. Second, Utah must collaborate, wherein state and local governments work in concert to address social and economic issues within Utah’s communities. Finally, it highlights the affordable housing needs of Utah’s vulnerable populations.