At its core, upzoning is a change in land-use rules to give property owners more options for how they use their property. Most of Salt Lake City was zoned decades ago to allow only a narrow range of house types to be built on most properties. Upzoning is a shorthand term for updating those rules to allow a wider variety of home options—like duplexes, townhomes, and backyard cottages. Upzoning creates flexibility for builders and property owners to choose home types that reflect our city’s changing needs.