When thinking about rental assistance, “affordable” means housing expenses do not exceed 30% of a household’s income. If a family is paying more than 30% of their income on housing, they are considered “cost burdened.” And if a family is paying more than 50% of their income on housing, they are considered “severely cost burdened.” Approximately 48% of Utah’s renters are cost-burdened, and 20% are severely cost-burdened. This burden implies the need to support some families with their rent.
Five main rental assistance programs directly support low-income Utahns. Some programs are tied to households, and others to properties. Most assistance comes in the form of housing choice vouchers tied to households. In fact, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers alone account for nearly two-thirds of the 22,000 Utah households that received rental assistance in 2024.
