The State’s announcement about a new homeless services campus on the Westside was a shock to our community. We, as your city officials, share your frustration, and we always work to include you in early conversations about projects that will affect our home.
This campus could be an impactful opportunity: expanding services for people experiencing homelessness while also strengthening the safety and well-being of our neighborhoods. But it must be done thoughtfully, with an evidence-based strategy, the resources to support it, while addressing the potential impacts to our community
As your city leaders, alongside our partners at the county and beyond, we are advocating for:
- Addressing Neighborhood Impacts: Ongoing funding to ensure public safety and adequate infrastructure
- Accessibility: Reliable public transit so campus residents can access the jobs, services, schools and community that will be vital to getting them back on their feet.
- On-Site Support: Access to healthcare, substance use treatment and job training in addition to models for rehabilitative and healthy community-based treatment based on empirically validated best practices
- Established Process for Community Feedback: We want your voices to be heard by decision-makers, ensuring your input is considered.
While the decision to move forward on this site rests with the State, we as city leaders are committed to centering your voices and advocating for solutions so that this is done well.
We share the same goal: a compassionate, effective campus that helps people in crisis while ensuring Salt Lake City residents are safe and supported.
What comes next? The land is under contract, but operations are years away. Environmental studies, feasibility work and funding decisions are still ahead. That means there is still time to share your feedback and add your voice to help the State ensure this project compassionately serves people experiencing homelessness while protecting the safety and livability of the Westside.
We invite you to stay engaged and continue sharing your concerns with us and the State. Together, we can push for a campus that addresses homelessness in a humane way while respecting the community that will host it. You can learn more and subscribe to updates about the campus project at HomelessCampus.utah.gov/. Additionally, you can share your thoughts directly with the Utah Homelessness Services Board, the group leading the state response to homelessness.
Sincerely,
Victoria Petro & Alejandro “Ale” Puy
Tags: Homelessness, WESTSIDE