When we hear the word “homelessness,” we often picture someone sleeping on the street or in a shelter. However, after working with people experiencing crisis and housing instability, I’ve learned that homelessness often begins long before someone loses their home.
Housing instability can look like a family worried about paying rent, a parent choosing between groceries and utility bills, or someone staying in an unsafe situation because they can’t afford to leave. These situations may not look like homelessness from the outside, but they are just one unexpected expense away from becoming it.
While working with victims and survivors of domestic violence, I often had to budget plan with clients to see where their money is going and what they can pay that month; for nine out of 10 people, rent was their biggest struggle.
Housing shouldn’t be viewed as a privilege earned only when everything else in life is stable. For many, stable housing is the foundation that makes stability possible.
This issue is increasingly urgent in Utah. According to the Utah Housing Strategic Plan, over 45% of renters are rent burdened, meaning they spend at least 30% of their income on housing. Nearly 20% spend more than half of their income on rent. Utah also faces a shortage of approximately 35,000 homes to meet current demand, with an estimated need for 274,000 more homes over the next decade (Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, 2025).
I’ve seen firsthand how housing connects to every other challenge a person faces. Without stable housing, it becomes harder to keep a job, care for children, access services or plan for the future. For people already in crisis, losing housing can make everything feel impossible. This would also leave many Utahns debating whether to stay in unsafe situations to be able to remain housed for themselves or their children.
This is especially true for survivors of domestic violence. In my experience working with survivors, leaving an abusive relationship is rarely just a matter of choosing to walk away. It can mean giving up housing, financial stability, transportation, belongings and sometimes employment. A survivor who knows leaving is necessary still has to ask, “Where will I go?”
Utah’s homelessness data shows the link between domestic violence and housing instability. In 2025, 4,584 Utahns experienced homelessness in a single night, an 18% increase from the previous year. Over 30,000 Utahns accessed homeless services, including more than 1,100 women who had experienced domestic violence and 329 fleeing abuse at the time they sought help (Chastain & Reese, 2025).
These figures represent real people searching for safe places to live. That’s why I believe Utah’s approach to housing instability must extend beyond emergency responses after someone becomes homeless. Increasing the housing supply is essential, but we also need affordable rental options, emergency financial aid and supportive services that help people stay housed during crises.
Utah’s housing strategy recognizes that simply expanding market-rate housing won’t meet the needs of lower-income households. Subsidized and deeply affordable housing are equally vital (Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, 2025).
Housing shouldn’t be viewed as a privilege earned only when everything else in life is stable. For many, stable housing is the foundation that makes stability possible.
We shouldn’t wait until someone is sleeping outside to see their situation as a crisis. By supporting individuals before they reach that point, Utah can address housing instability earlier and offer better opportunities for individuals and families to stay safe, independent and housed.