News Articles

Nearly 1 in 4 Washington County residents is 65 or older. Here’s how officials are preparing

August 11, 2026 (St. George News) - Washington County is already home to a sizable population of older residents, and that number is expected to grow as Utah undergoes a major demographic shift. A new Utah Foundation report examining whether communities are prepared for an aging population found that only about a third of Utah counties have adopted “concrete aging strategies.” Meanwhile, the share of Utahns ages 65 and older is projected to nearly double by 2060…

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American dream of homeownership on hold for most young Utahns

July 29, 2026 (Lehi Free Press) - …In the meantime, the Utah Foundation has kept publishing on the topic. A March 2026 report, “Appraising Utah’s Homeownership Approaches,” examined “shared-equity” programs, in which private investors help cover a buyer’s down payment or other costs in exchange for a share of the home’s future value, an emerging option as government subsidy programs remain limited relative to need…

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American dream of homeownership on hold for most young Utahns

July 29, 2026 (American Fork Citizen) - …In the meantime, the Utah Foundation has kept publishing on the topic. A March 2026 report, “Appraising Utah’s Homeownership Approaches,” examined “shared-equity” programs, in which private investors help cover a buyer’s down payment or other costs in exchange for a share of the home’s future value, an emerging option as government subsidy programs remain limited relative to need…

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Utah Bets Big On ‘Day 1’ Reentry Push To Slow Prison Revolving Door

July 22, 2026 (Hoodline) - Utah is quietly trying to break its prison revolving door by changing how it tracks, treats, and talks about recidivism. A new report from the Utah Foundation argues that earlier reentry planning, personalized case plans, and a tighter definition of who counts as a repeat offender could reshape both the numbers and the lives behind them. Lawmakers and corrections officials are now testing whether those shifts will actually cut repeat incarceration and the long-term bill … Continued

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Here’s how Utah is trying to lower its criminal recidivism rate, according to a new report

July 21, 2026 (KSL.com) - Utah has a lower rate of people under “correctional control” than much of the nation but spends more per inmate each year compared with neighboring states, according to a new report. The Beehive State has also seen its recidivism rate fall slightly in recent years, according to the report, published last week by the Utah Foundation. The report found that more than 30,000 Utahns “are under some form of correctional control,” meaning they are incarcerated … Continued

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Utah voters have felt ignored for years. On Tuesday, lawmakers heard them at the polls.

June 20, 2026 (Salt Lake Tribune) - Like he’s done after every election, state Sen. Dan McCay spent Wednesday morning driving around his district pulling up yard signs and loading them into his car. But unlike every previous election, McCay pulled signs this year contemplating why Riverton Republican voters chose his primary opponent, state Rep. Doug Fiefia, over him. Voters this year were upset nationwide about high gas prices, rising food prices, unaffordable housing and looking for a change, McCay said by … Continued

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Is your city ready for an age boom?

June 10, 2026 (Deseret News) - Ashley Marshall-Cantor thinks the reason people don’t like to talk about aging is because “we’re a little scared of our own mortality and our loved ones’ mortality.” Unless it’s unavoidably close, they skirt the topic. But that’s not something cities, counties and communities should do, she said. Especially since Utah and the U.S. itself are aging. Marshall-Cantor is a research analyst with the Utah Foundation, which recently undertook an analysis of whether county and municipal … Continued

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How’s Utah doing? A new report offers some good and bad

June 10, 2026 (Fox 13) - A report released Wednesday by Tulane University provided a look at how the state is doing compared to the nation, and how the United States is doing. The Utah Foundation, which partnered with Tulane University on the study, came away with the conclusion that we are “a state of extremes.” There are extreme successes. Utah’s social capital is strong as are people’s feelings about children and families. The state’s economy is still strong with low … Continued

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What aging Moab needs most: housing and memory care

June 09, 2026 (Moab Sun Times) - The two things Grand County’s older residents say they need most — affordable senior housing and memory care — are the two things the area has the least of. That’s the early read from a new county survey of older adults, and it arrives just as a statewide report singles Grand County out for something rarer: actually having planned, on paper, for its aging population. A Utah Foundation report, “Preparing for Utah’s Aging Population: A … Continued

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Guest opinion: Things we don’t see: Addiction

June 04, 2026 (Standard Examiner) - …Reports from the Utah Foundation and the Utah Legislature note that 80% to 85% of prisoners in the state grapple with substance abuse problems so why are we only treating a restrictive amount of inmates instead of all you have substance abuse disorders?…

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Will SLC be awesome when you are 65?

May 18, 2026 (City Cast Salt Lake) - By 2060, Utahns older than 65 are estimated to be 23% of the state’s population. Are our cities ready for that? Host Ali Vallarta asks Utah Foundation research analyst Ashley Marshall-Cantor about the gaps and bright spots in local aging plans.

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Letter to the editor: Negative consequences of large data centers

May 16, 2026 (Deseret News) - …Utah ranks 48th out of 50 states for air quality. The health consequences are severe and well documented — the Utah Legislature itself published a report titled “Utah’s Public Health Crisis” cataloging the health impacts Utahns face from poor air quality. Utah Foundation research estimates air pollution causes between 2,500 and 8,000 premature deaths in Utah annually…

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Utah cities updating growth plans, but few include detailed strategies for aging populations

May 14, 2026 (Cache Valley Daily) - As Utah’s population ages, a new Utah Foundation report says many communities across the state are still not adequately planning for the needs of older residents, even as demographic changes accelerate. The report, Preparing for Utah’s Aging Population: A General Plan Inventory, found that only about one-third of Utah counties and roughly one in five municipalities have general plans with concrete strategies aimed at supporting aging residents. Researchers reviewed general plans from counties, cities and … Continued

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Housing and healthcare on Access Utah

April 29, 2026 (UPR) - Utah Foundation President Shawn Teigen joins us today to talk about housing and healthcare. A new report from the foundation says that programs that directly reduce purchase prices, such as well-crafted community land trusts and shared-equity mortgage programs with public and nonprofit partnerships, are better aligned with today’s cost realities than previous solutions. Another report looks at how healthcare costs burden us, the drivers of these costs, and the federal changes that impact us.

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New report highlights growing health care affordability concerns across Utah

April 05, 2026 (Cache Valley Daily) - A new report from the Utah Foundation finds that a majority of Utahns are struggling with the cost of health care, even as most remain insured. According to the report, 69% of Utah residents experienced at least one type of health care cost burden, including expenses tied to insurance premiums, medical services or outstanding bills. Additionally, 86% of Utahns reported concern about affording health care in the future. The report, titled Primer: Healthcare Costs for … Continued

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This small Utah ski resort has billion-dollar expansion plans

March 28, 2026 (Deseret News) - Nordic Valley didn’t have a good winter. In fact, the small ski resort nestled in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah wasn’t open much this season due to unusually warm temperatures and lack of snow. But the 58-year-old ski area has transformational plans on the horizon to become a four-season destination. Clyde Capital Group is exploring possibly investing $500 million to $1.4 billion in a massive village at the base of the ski hill including … Continued

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Headline: Utah housing market update: What you need to know for 2026

March 21, 2026 (KSL.com) - It’s the American dream: work hard, save your money and buy a place to call your own. Find a home you love, move in and start building your future. If only it were that simple. For many Utahns, the path to homeownership has grown increasingly complicated. According to a 2024 Utah Foundation survey, housing affordability remains one of the top concerns for potential buyers…

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Report shows how ‘shared equity’ programs can help Utahns buy homes

March 20, 2026 (Deseret News) - Government programs can go only so far in helping Utahns buy homes in one the country’s most expensive housing markets, but there are other options available that involve private investors, according to a new report. “Appraising Utah’s Homeownership Approaches,” written by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Utah Foundation, highlights “shared-equity” programs where buyers and investors share both ownership of a home and its future appreciation. “Basically, it’s allowing you to get into a market that doesn’t exist … Continued

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This small Utah ski resort has billion-dollar expansion plans

April 06, 2026 (KSL.com) - Nordic Valley didn’t have a good winter. In fact, the small ski resort nestled in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah wasn’t open much this season due to unusually warm temperatures and lack of snow. But the 58-year-old ski area has transformational plans on the horizon to become a four-season destination. Clyde Capital Group is exploring possibly investing $500 million to $1.4 billion in a massive village at the base of the ski hill including … Continued

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