Utah and Salt Lake City leaders have been tight-lipped about where the state's planned 1,200-bed homeless campus could go, but City Cast has learned a potential location for the proposal: on 2200 West between 2100 and 2600 North, in Salt Lake City's Westpointe neighborhood.
State Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, represents the area and told City Cast she met with residents on April 30 to discuss the site. Escamilla said others attending the meeting included Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Council Member Victoria Petro, police Chief Brian Redd, and state Homeless Coordinator Wayne Niederhauser. City Cast also talked with a property owner in the area, Angela Taylor, who attended the meeting and said officials mentioned they were eyeing land "on 2200 West, with I-215 being the neighbor to the east."
According to Escamilla, it's one of a handful of locations the Utah Homeless Services Board is considering for a facility that has been described as a 30-acre "transformative, centralized campus model." The senator said she's been told this spot on Salt Lake City's Westside is among the top options.
Still, the state won’t confirm the site. In a statement to City Cast, Sarah Nielson, a spokesperson for the Office of Homeless Services, said a final selection hasn't been made.
"The Office of Homeless Services is actively evaluating potential locations for a transformative campus, as directed by the Utah Homeless Services Board," Nielson said. "Our office remains committed to working collaboratively with municipalities, residents, businesses, and all stakeholders in the statewide homeless response while ensuring public safety and benefitting the communities involved."
Similarly, Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, had little to share, but in a statement said, “Mayor Mendenhall remains steadfast in her desire to see the creation of additional, permanent shelter options. Our understanding is the State Office of Homeless Services is currently evaluating numerous locations, but we cannot confirm any additional details at this time.”
Regardless of whether the Westside location becomes the final site, some residents have already sounded the alarm. A post on the Rose Park Communities Facebook page claims the shelter would displace a ballfield and open space. Additionally, North Salt Lake community members appear to be circulating a petition on Change.org, opposing the location for being “too close to schools,” among other concerns. As of Tuesday afternoon, the petition had 224 signatures.
The Utah Legislature paved the path for the campus landing in Salt Lake City earlier this year. A new law allows the state to use eminent domain to put the shelter in Salt Lake City. And the clock is ticking: The Homeless Services Board set a deadline of October 2025 to build the facility.
Now, it's just a matter of where exactly it'll go. Wherever it's located, it's sure to draw strong feelings from community stakeholders. Many Westside residents in particular have long felt their neighborhoods are disproportionately targeted, a sentiment echoed by Sen. Luz Escamilla.
"We want to see a more robust system that is helping this vulnerable population," she said.
"But we also want to make sure that everyone in Utah is sharing that responsibility. Not just the Westside of Salt Lake City."
This is a breaking news story and may be updated.
