Homelessness in Davis County

You’ve probably heard it in the news: homelessness has become an increasingly urgent issue in Davis County, Utah. While the county does not have a homeless shelter, homelessness still exists. It is simply less visible.

 

Numerous families are experiencing homelessness right now, and Open Doors is currently assisting 144 people experiencing literal homelessness in Davis County, and the number of people at risk is increasing.

 

More residents than ever are living on the edge of housing instability:

• 39% of Davis County residents are housing cost-burdened, spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
• The county’s poverty rate has risen to 6.4%, an increase of 1.8% since 2023.

 

 

These conditions mean that a single crisis—a medical expense, reduced work hours, or an unexpected bill—can quickly lead to housing loss.

 

Affordable Housing as Homelessness Prevention

Affordable housing is often described as the solution to homelessness, but research and experience show a more accurate picture. Affordable housing does not immediately reduce homelessness on its own, particularly for people who are already unsheltered. However, it is one of the most effective tools for preventing homelessness before it begins.

When people can afford their rent, they are significantly less likely to:

• face eviction,
• lose housing due to short-term financial setbacks,
• or enter homelessness at all.

In this way, affordable housing is an output of effective prevention systems, reducing the flow of people into homelessness even if it does not instantly resolve the number of people already experiencing it.

 

Prevention in Action

Homelessness prevention is practical, early intervention work. It includes landlord-tenant mediation, short-term financial assistance, and problem-solving support during temporary crises.

 

At Open Doors, prevention programs are producing measurable results. In just three months, Open Doors’ landlord-tenant mediator prevented 50 evictions in Davis County, keeping people housed and stable during moments of financial strain.

 

One of those families were Ana and James, parents of two. With Open Doors’ support, they were able to negotiate with their landlord for a deferred rent payment without additional fees, which allowed them to stay current on rent and utilities, and avoid the impossible choice between buying groceries and keeping a roof over their children’s heads. It also kept the landlord from needing to go through an eviction process or needing to find new tenants.

 

 

A Critical Moment for Prevention Funding

These proven services are now at risk. In the upcoming Utah legislative session, all of Open Doors' supporting programs are under threat of funding cuts. And when funding cuts come, families feel it first.

 

Cuts to prevention funding do not eliminate homelessness. They increase it by removing the supports that keep people from entering homelessness in the first place, and requiring more intensive, more costly, and less effective solutions to come into play.

 

Why Prevention Matters

Homelessness does not start on the street. It starts with housing instability.

 

Investing in affordable housing and prevention services keeps families housed, reduces long-term public costs, and strengthens community stability. When people can afford their housing, and receive timely support when they cannot, homelessness becomes far less likely.

 

Prevention works. And in Davis County, sustaining it now is more important than ever.