Ivory Homes commemorated the completion of its 20,000th home today at the University of Utah’s Rice Eccles Stadium, announcing plans to expand its Utah Workforce Housing Priority initiative and improve air quality and water conservation efforts.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to help 20,000 Utahns achieve homeownership,” said Clark Ivory, CEO of Ivory Homes. “We care about each individual homebuyer. We understand that if we do our job right, we will create neighborhoods and communities that will appreciate in value and be sustainable for the long-term.”

Ivory Homes is addressing the state’s housing shortage by offering a diversity of housing designs for every lifestyle and demographic in more than 70 communities. This includes the Utah Workforce Housing Priority, a program that is reserving Ivory Homes’ most affordable homes for Utah’s most critical workforce.

“Our ability to improve affordability is in large part due to unique partnerships with cities, strategic land acquisitions and an increased focus of our Utah Workforce Housing Priority,” said Ivory. “We’re excited to accelerate our efforts to not only promote homeownership, but also improve our air quality, promote water conservation and enable more of our local community heroes to afford to purchase a home.”

The company provided Governor R Gary Herbert with an update on its progress on the Utah Workforce Housing Priority. This year, the company has helped more than 100 teachers, police officers, fire fighters, nurses, veterans, members of the construction trades and first-time homebuyers achieve homeownership through the program. As part of the announcement, Ivory Homes revealed plans to expand the program to more than 200 homes in 2020. This includes several new locations, including the program’s first homes in Salt Lake County, which will nearly double the existing program.

“Homeownership is a central part of the success of society, economy and families,” said Governor Gary R. Herbert. “I want to commend Ellis and Clark, and the Ivory Homes organization for all of their efforts to make homeownership not just attainable, but a joy for 20,000 families and individuals. As our state battles rising housing costs, it will take efforts like Ivory Homes’ Utah Workforce Housing Priority, our state’s collaborative spirit and strategic planning to keep the American Dream alive in Utah.”

Ivory Homes also announced programs to address air quality and water challenges.

Already one of the state’s top energy-efficient homebuilders, Ivory Homes plans to energize efforts to improve air quality with ‘EV Ready Homes.’ Starting in 2020, every new Ivory Home will come with a garage outlet for a current or future electric vehicle. Additionally, Ivory Homes and Rocky Mountain Power will be partnering to offer homebuyers a discounted electric vehicle charger.

“In our efforts to clear the air, there are no perfect answers, but there are practical solutions,” said Thom Carter, executive director of the Utah Clean Air Partnership. “Ivory Homes continues to lead the way with innovative approaches and community initiatives that provide practical solutions to Utah’s air quality challenges. We applaud this partnership between Ivory and Rocky Mountain Power and are excited they are charging ahead with ‘EV Ready Homes.’”

Also, as part of Ivory Homes’ commitment to sustainability, energy efficiency, and improving Utah’s natural environment, the company will be introducing “water-wise landscaping” techniques into future neighborhoods across the state. This effort is in addition to the homebuilder’s efforts to plant 30,000 trees across the state of Utah, in collaboration with TreeUtah, UCAIR and the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation.

Ivory Homes is increasing its commitment to being an eco-friendly and sustainable homebuilder by reducing its average Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score to 53. That means a new Ivory Home is more than 10% more efficient than code requires and four times as efficient as a home built 10 years ago.

Today’s Celebrate Utah event was attended by more than 300 Ivory Homes employees, and the Bui family, who purchased the 20,000th home. Speakers included Governor Herbert, Ivory, Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and associate dean, University of Utah; Derek Miller, CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber; and Mark Harlan, athletic director at the University of Utah. The state’s largest homebuilder has led the local market for 31 consecutives years. Ivory Homes achieved the 20,000-home milestone after 50 years building homes for Utahns.