THREAD: It appears that some people either failed to read about the plan to help our homeless friends that was announced yesterday (taking a few media tweets out of context) or misunderstood what was actually proposed. So let me try to clarify.1/ deseret.com/platform/amp/u…
First, and most importantly, my colleagues and I stated multiple times that NO ONE will be turned away and left in the cold. Period. There will be a place for everyone. We will also continue to walk the streets every night and help people into shelter. 2/
A little history. 3 years ago a committee lead by Palmer DePaulis and Gail Miller proposed closing the downtown shelter and moving to dispersed resource centers. Salt Lake City & County agreed and proposed the new model—focusing on housing instead of emergency shelter. 3/
The original proposal was for 4 centers and 500 beds. Eventually that was changed to 3 centers and 700 beds. The state helped with funding and, by statute, the downtown shelter has to close when the last center opens (in approximately 4 weeks). 4/
The state has been playing a more active role than normal beginning with Operation Rio Grande (to help SLC restore order and get treatment/jobs to those who need it) and helping to fund the new centers. With the completion of the last center this role will be diminishing soon. 5/
Every morning the city/county/state and service providers have a call that details everything happening in this space including the exact number of people seeking shelter that night. We currently have about 100 people more than past years in the system. 6/
This is due almost completely to many staying longer at the new centers than expected. Some of this is good—it’s helping people to stabilize and a much safer/nicer option than the downtown shelter. But it’s also bad because we are lagging in getting people into housing. 7/
And so, yesterday officials (The Democratic Mayors of Salt Lake City/County/SSL and Republican Speaker, President and I) met together to discuss options. It was unanimously agreed to put more resources into housing and helping people—instead of continuing to warehouse them. 8/
While Salt Lake City is leading the housing push, it will take everyone to make it happen! We are asking landlords, volunteers, community leaders, churches—everyone—to step up to this challenge. We believe from past efforts we can house 60 of our most vulnerable this month. 9/
We also announced the completion of 72 new treatment beds at Odyssey House! This is a huge deal for many of our homeless friends struggling with chemical dependencies (we have now more than doubled the number of treatment beds under Operation Rio Grande). 10/
We also announced additional motel vouchers (up to 50) for those that are ready to transition into housing if needed. All of that together gives us close to 950 beds. That 75-100 more than our peak last year and this week during the coldest October on record. 11/
So, what happens if this doesn’t work? We are already working on contingency plans and—as the article mentioned—will meet back together in 4 weeks (sooner if necessary) to re-evaluate and adjust. NO ONE WILL BE LEFT OUT. We are united to save lives and help those suffering. 12/
Homelessness is an incredibly complex issue and no one has figured it out yet. Read this story on LA: nytimes.com/2019/10/21/us/…
Or this one on New York: pbs.org/wnet/chasing-t…
Or this one on Seattle and San Francisco: komonews.com/news/local/san… 13/
Or this one on New York: pbs.org/wnet/chasing-t…
Or this one on Seattle and San Francisco: komonews.com/news/local/san… 13/
And while we don’t pretend that we have it figured out, we have to try. The best and brightest and most compassionate people in the state have come together with a new model—Housing First. We owe it to our homeless friends to do everything possible to make it work! 14/
Several years ago on a desperately cold night (I believe it was 12 degrees), I put on my old farm clothes & walked the streets of Salt Lake before checking into the downtown shelter. I spent the night talking to others there. I couldn’t sleep. It was awful and it changed me. 15/
So to those who really believe that I (or the mayors of SLCity/County) just proposed leaving people in the cold to die, you couldn’t be more wrong. We will have a place for everyone. Not just cold shelter, but caring help. Loving and helping—it’s what we do best in Utah. /end
