Kennedy Plant
The World War II Memorial Park in Washington, D.C.
Although Utah’s homelessness rate is below the national average in the United States, the state is struggling to adapt to the rising number of helpless homeless individuals who have nowhere else to go besides the streets.
According to the Utah News Dispatch, the percentage of homeless individuals in Utah has increased by 18% in 2025 alone. This sudden rise can be linked to the progressively overpriced homes found throughout Utah. In Utah, the average house costs more than half a million dollars, making Utah one of the most expensive U.S. states to live in, tied alongside multiple other states, such as California and Hawaii.
Senior Cienna Henderson has moved five times in her life as a way to manage the constantly changing housing prices.
“Moving that much significantly affected my school life,” Henderson said. “It was hard to establish roots and feel like I belonged.”
Utah offers an immense amount of benefits to its residents, such as employment opportunities, affordable healthcare, and pleasant weather, which makes it one of the more sought-after places to live in the U.S. in recent years.
Despite the beauty and space the state offers, it still isn’t enough to manage the homeless population. With there being almost 5,000 homeless individuals residing in Utah, it can be demanding to provide shelter to everyone in need of it. State officials have prioritized building more shelters in Utah, providing a place for 95% of homeless people to stay. However, during especially cold months when there is snow and other poor weather, it can be incredibly difficult for homeless individuals to find a safe and warm place to reside. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the death rate for unhoused individuals is 3.5 times higher than those who are housed.
Ashley Marks, an English teacher at Orion Junior High, started the “Better Together” Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless individuals, after witnessing the number of homeless people living on the streets of Utah.
“I could not ignore what I was seeing in my own community,” Marks said. “I believe strongly in teaching my students and my own children that when we see a need, we should act. The Better Together Project started small with just a few people collecting items, but it grew because so many others also wanted to help. For me, it comes down to this: everyone deserves to feel seen, valued, and cared for, no matter their circumstances.”
For multiple years now, Marks and a group of volunteers meet every Sunday at the Ogden Municipal Building to hand out clothes, hygiene products, food, and blankets to those in need. Usually more than 300 hundred people show up to gather supplies.
“It was not just about giving away supplies,” Marks said. “It was about conversations, listening, and recognizing the humanity of each person. Seeing mothers with children, elderly individuals, and young people without support systems deeply impacted me. It reminded me how fragile stability can be and how quickly life circumstances can change.”
Around the world, numerous individuals live their lives without realizing how hard it can be to survive without a home. Some people are lucky enough to avoid the economic factors that lead to homelessness like poverty, unemployment, and debt, but now more than ever, Utahns cannot avoid unaffordable housing. There are other personal factors that lead to being unhoused like mental illness, domestic violence, family issues and health problems, but the increasing housing rates is becoming one of leading factors on why people are struggling tremendously right now. As a community, small changes can be done to help the ongoing homelessness problem by simply donating to a local organization or buying a meal for someone who cannot afford it. Larger and more permanent fixes will have to be done by the government, like state officials and lawmakers. Marks would like these government officials to know that “homelessness is not just a statistic. It has a face, a name, and a story.”
When it comes to putting solutions in place, Marks also has suggestions.
“Programs that focus on prevention are the most effective,” Marks said. “Rental assistance and eviction prevention programs can keep people in their homes before they ever end up on the streets. Shelters are important, but permanent supportive housing makes the biggest difference. It gives people stability and access to wraparound services like counseling, job training, and healthcare. It is also important to fund community organizations that meet immediate needs, such as food, clothing, and hygiene, because those small things restore dignity and buy people the time and hope to move forward.”
When it comes to addressing homelessness, one must also consider the stigma surrounding it. There are a large amount of negative beliefs and taboos stating that homelessness stems from laziness and poor decisions, when in reality, the problem may be much deeper than that.
“The first step is to see people experiencing homelessness as human beings, not as labels,” Marks said. “Using compassionate language, listening to their stories, volunteering, and teaching young people empathy can shift perspectives. On a larger scale, we need to highlight stories of resilience and strength rather than only focusing on despair. When we create spaces where people are treated with dignity, we begin to dismantle the stigma.”