The Housing Advocate

We are joined by Scott Carlson of Utah Safe Company, and founder of Safes for a Cause to discuss the profession that is most at risk for mental health struggles: the construction industry. According to the CDC, construction is the leading industry for suicide: Deaths by suicide occur at a rate of 45.3 per 100,000 for men in construction versus 14 per 100,000 for the general population. High levels...

In this episode, St. George Mayor Jimmie Hughes shares what it’s like leading one of the fastest-growing cities in the region. From the surge of new residents during COVID to the growing pains that followed, he discusses how the city is working to keep up with demand. Tune in for a candid conversation on growth, opportunity, and the future of housing in Southern Utah. Connect with us on social med...

We’re joined by SUHBA’s 2026 President, Ashlee Weller Preston, of Sunterra Construction. Coming from a long line of builders, Ashlee discovered her passion for construction at a young age and is now making history as the organization’s first female president. During her service, she is focusing on inspiring the next generation of builders and bringing more awareness to mental health in the industr...

Utah is growing fast—and lawmakers like Representative Neil Walter play a crucial role in shaping the landscape. In this episode, Neil discusses his recent legislative work, including a new law sparked by one municipality's attempt to block a homeowner from participating in the St. George Area Parade of Homes. From protecting private property owners’ rights, to strengthening land use and housing p...

Stacy Young sits down with Mayor Chris Hart of Ivins and Mayor Rick Rosenberg of Santa Clara as they prepare to retire after many years of dedicated public service. Both leaders share insights from their time in office, reflect on the growth and challenges their communities have faced, and discuss what they see for the future of housing and development in Southern Utah. Connect with us on social m...

In this episode of The Housing Advocate Podcast, host Stacy Young leads a discussion to introduce the new Spotlight on Innovation Parade Home category. Joining Stacy are two key voices that helped shape this new Parade position: SUHBA Board Members Skyler Stephens and Kaelen Gulbranson. [ Skip to Spotlight on Innovation Parade Home main discussion: 20:00 ] Learn how SUHBA's Board of Directors came...

In this episode of  The Housing Advocate , we’re diving into the red-hot homebuilding market in Washington County, Utah. Join host Stacy Young as he talks with St. George City Council Member Dannielle Larkin and urban in-fill developer Jordan Wall (Wall 2 Wall Construction) about growth, downtown building, ADU regulations, water, and more unique challenges and opportunities facing Southern Utah. T...

In this inspiring episode of The Housing Advocate’s “Member Voices” series, Host Stacy Young sits down with Amanda Pectol of Interstate Homes—a dedicated SUHBA member and a powerful voice in the construction industry. Amanda shares how it was navigating her entry into a traditionally male-dominated field, and the support and advocacy she received that helped launch her into the leadership position...

In this episode of The Housing Advocate’s new “Member Voices" series, Host Stacy Young sits down with Josh McCourt, the driving force behind IGOTPOOP.COM and an active member of the Southern Utah Home Builders Association (SUHBA). At just 20 years old Josh started a Southern Utah branch of his dad’s waste disposal company, and he's here to share his journey – complete with challenges, tri...

Today's episode of The Housing Advocate covers a very exciting annual event for SUHBA, the 2025 St. George Area Parade of Homes. Erik Sorenson sits down with Stacy Young on today's episode to preview this year's event and give some background on its theme, "Home Sweet...WOW". He also highlights the economic development aspect of the Parade, its impact on the local community and how purchasing a ti...

Shaun Sullivan, the President of SUHBA, joins Stacy Young on today's episode of The Housing Advocate. Shaun reminisces about his early days in home-building, such as the first home he ever built and dealing with the Housing Crisis in the late 2000s. He also discusses his 2025 term as SUHBA's president and some of the issues he's focusing on this year. Follow SUHBA on Social Media! Website YouTube...

Today's episode of The Housing Advocate features a keynote presentation from the Utah Building Industry Conference this past October. Amy Haas, the Executive Director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah, steps to the podium to give an overview of the Colorado River and its importance to Utah and the other states with access to its basins. She outlines the historical legislation that has govern...

Join Stacy on today's episode as he sits down with Ross Ford, executive director of the Utah Home Builders Association, to explore exciting advancements in the homebuilding industry. From a cutting-edge VR training program piloted at a Cedar City high school to the promising role of AI in streamlining building plan approvals, Ross shares how technology is transforming construction training and pro...

Darren Prince, the Executive Director of Economic Development for Washington County, joins Stacy Young on today's episode of The Housing Advocate. Darren discusses the relationship between economic development and housing and how his organization is factoring housing into their plans going forward. Their conversation also touches on housing affordability and how that factors into Darren's goals an...

Jonah Joines, a student at BYU and a SUHBA scholarship recipient, joins Stacy on today's episode to talk about his family's connection to SUHBA, the construction industry, and the business that he and his friend co-founded. Jonah also discusses his studies at BYU and his goal to enter into the school's entrepreneurship program. He then talks about how he found out about the SUHBA scholarship progr...

In this episode of The Housing Advocate, host Stacy Young talks with Dave Gardner, Director of Career and Technical Education at the Washington County School District. They discuss the district's career and technical education advancements, focusing on the new Career Tech High School. Dave highlights the school's innovative programs, industry partnerships, and students’ success in internships and...

In addition to being SUHBA's legal counsel, Nathan Fisher also serves as a planning commissioner for St. George, UT. Nathan joins Stacy on today's episode of The Housing Advocate to talk about his role and give a brief overview of what a planning commission does for its city. Later in the episode, they give out some great insights on the planning process and advice for applicants and developers lo...

In this episode, Stacy shares a panel discussion with several leaders in the Utah housing industry. They discuss the current challenges in the industry, such as the decreased housing supply, labor shortages, and the difficulty of advancing higher-density developments in communities hesitant about growth. Follow SUHBA on Social Media! Website YouTube Twitter Facebook The Housing Advocate is brought...

In this episode, Utah Governor Spencer Cox discusses the challenge of housing affordability in Utah. Governor Cox stresses the need to increase the housing supply rather than curb demand through interest rates to solve the housing affordability crisis. He highlights the importance of homeownership for community strength and social mobility, noting the scarcity of affordable starter homes. Cox outl...

Ross Ford, the Executive Officer of the Utah State Home Builders Association, joins Stacy on today’s episode to discuss some new bills covering topics affecting Utah builders, such as stormwater inspection and third-party building inspectors. Tune in for insights and a comprehensive rundown on these bills and the discussions in the planning process. Follow SUHBA on Social Media! Website YouTube Tw...

In late 2023, Utah Governor Spencer Cox appointed Steve Waldrip as the Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation. On today’s episode of The Housing Advocate, Steve sits down with Stacy to discuss some of the issues he’s looking at involving housing in Utah, including the need for starter homes. Tune in for insights into the housing landscape of Utah and some of the housing-related project...

Today’s episode of The Housing Advocate is all about the Parade of Homes happening in Washington County later this month. Skyler Stephens and Erik Sorenson join Stacy Young to talk about the parade, what they’re looking forward to seeing at this event and the Parade of Homes's economic impact on our community. They also talk about the showcase aspect of a Parade home and how these same contractors...

In this episode of the Housing Advocate Podcast, Skyler Stephens, Construction Manager at SunRiver Construction and President of SUHBA, joins host Stacy Young to discuss the complexities of the home construction process. He emphasizes the importance of water conservation in their projects and shares the impact of community infrastructure developments. Skyler and Stacy also explore the impact of th...

Emily Merkley, the CEO of the Washington County Board of Realtors, is our guest on today’s episode of The Housing Advocate! Emily details her background in the housing industry and how she got into real estate in Utah. The discussion also explores different housing market trends, such as affordable housing, new construction and accessory dwelling units. Tune in for tons of insights into the housin...

In this episode of The Housing Advocate, Kyle Pasley, managing director of real estate at SITLA, joins host Stacy Young to discuss trust lands in Utah. Kyle talks about the history of trust lands in the United States and dispels some common myths surrounding these assets. Stacy and Kyle also discuss how Washington County has used trust land and how SITLA has helped facilitate this use over the pas...