The housing crisis in Salt Lake City is a continuing problem prompting policy makers to propose programs to address it. Recently, $40 million was allocated for the “Thriving in Place” Initiatives for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which plans to protect against displacement and produce more affordable housing. The recent ratification of HB499 in 2023 is another example. This bill requires counties to develop plans to provide emergency shelters, or “code blue” sites, for those unhoused, specifically when temperatures reach 18 degrees.
However, a recent controversy highlighted concerns about where these code blue sites should be.
In Fruit Heights, the Mountain Road Church’s offer to host a code blue site was withdrawn after intense backlash from the community. Concerns centered on safety. One resident at the Fruit Heights City Council meeting said these facilities would house “drug addicts,” and that the unhoused would be “doing horrific things.” Another resident was “concerned about property values.” It is important to note that those using the facility would not remain in the community. The suggested plan was to bus unhoused individuals to the site and then, at 7 a.m. the next morning, the unhoused would be transported, again via bus, to the location they were picked up originally. Regardless, the concerns expressed by residents centered on the belief that the unhoused would stay in the community.
The reality is that Salt Lake City cannot manage all the unhoused population, and the prevalence of homelessness is increasing in suburban neighborhoods. With Salt Lake City selected to host the Winter Olympics in 2034, it is likely mass displacement of the unhoused will increase. This is the pattern seen in other host cities.
Stigma surrounding homelessness is not new. Many navigating housing insecurity are doing so because of factors outside their control. If we claim to be a society that cares about its members, then those who are the most disadvantaged in our society need our support.
Upcoming cold weather and the Olympics will continue to challenge the unhoused population. Suburban communities have an opportunity to step up and prepare for addressing these needs. One place to begin is by using more church meeting houses, from all denominations, as usable code blue sites. Some churches are already committed to supporting the unhoused population in Utah County, none of which are owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Based on data from 2014, on average an LDS chapel can be found every 1.3 square miles in Salt Lake County and every 1.4 square miles in Davis County. There are many meeting houses that could be used to support the unhoused as code blue sites.
These meeting houses could also play a huge role in supporting the unhoused as transitional housing sites. The LDS church does provide financial support to address homelessness, and those efforts should continue. Funding provided by the LDS church is vital and does help address this multifaceted issue, but there are facilities that are already available and could contribute to this ongoing problem.
Beyond the typical usage of meeting houses for Sunday meetings, it seems that these spaces could also be used at other times during the week when not used for regular activities. If there are concerns about safety or liability, partnerships could be built with local police departments and social programs.
Providing a space to help connect the unhoused with these resources is a key step to overall success. Initiatives focusing on providing stable housing, along with harm reduction education and peer support have found great success in reducing substance use and improving the quality of life for those that are unhoused. It is key to remember that this successful program began with housing.
LDS meeting houses that were identified as being “often empty” are already being used as community learning centers. The change from a community learning center to a resource center is not much of a jump. It is possible that these locations could serve both purposes. Overall, Utah has the space to provide support for the unhoused and suburban communities have a chance to lead this charge. Society thrives when we support each other. We can utilize existing resources to support one of our community’s most vulnerable populations.
(Chandler Whitlock) Chandler Whitlock is pursuing a master's degree in social work at the University of Utah.
Chandler Whitlock is pursuing a master’s degree in social work at the University of Utah. His interest in housing insecurity began with his work as a case manager for students at the university. Chandler plans to pursue a career in counseling and participate in advocacy work to address housing insecurity, substance use services, and LGBTQ+ health.
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