On Saturday, October 22, Crossroads Urban Center and the Coalition of Religious Communities joined in the Rally for Homeless Babies outside the Utah Governor's Mansion.  The rally was organized because 78 families with children were turned away from the homeless shelter in Salt Lake County last month and the resources currently available to address this crisis are not sufficient to give every child a place indoors to get out of the cold.

At the rally we called on Governor Cox to declare this crisis to be an emergency and to call a special session of the Utah Legislature to address the suffering it is causing.  To fully solve this emergency our state needs to dedicate $5 million to increase the number of motel vouchers and case management services for families with children that are experiencing homelessness.  To prevent this emergency from happening again in future years Utah needs to spend $5 million to convert a motel into a noncongregate shelter for homeless families and $10 million to spur the creation of supportive housing for families headed by parents with disabling conditions.

$20 million is a small percentage of Utah's current budget surplus.  Keeping children indoors this winter and shoring up our shelter system for homeless families for future years will be worth the money.  This is a solvable problem!

rev. 9/19/22
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER – POWERFUL MOMS WHO CARE
 
Crossroads Urban Center employs a Community Organizer to work with Powerful Moms Who Care (PMWC), a Salt Lake-based, grassroots community group made up of low income mothers and their allies. Crossroads Urban Center is a private, nonprofit, community organization working on social justice issues by providing direct services, advocacy, and community organizing assistance to thousands of low-income people, people with disabilities, and people of color in Utah. The person in this position is directly responsible to the Executive Director. This is a full-time, permanent position.
 
Job Description:

• Foster relationships with low-income and marginalized women to expand and diversify PMWC.
• Help facilitate meetings to continue developing strategies to address issues articulated in the Mission Statement.
• Assist in researching issues identified by the PMWC.
• Coordinate with leaders to assist in mobilizing women to attend events and meetings, including direct action to highlight key community issues.
• Create opportunities for outreach to low income women, such as information sessions, one-to-one meetings, and community forums.
• Facilitate interaction between women and key decision makers such as city council members, mayor’s office representatives, and local state legislators.
• Help train members and others in issue strategy and action, as well as leadership and outreach skills.
• Assist working with news media and in preparation of public information materials.
• Support and help the PMWC Board of Directors.
• Assist in building partnerships and coalitions with other organizations engaging in similar efforts.
• Serve as liaison with Crossroads advocacy team and coordinate PMWC efforts with broader advocacy efforts.
• Maintain online communication and social media platforms, including the Facebook page, web site, email list, and monthly e-newsletters.
• Prepare proposals/reports for funders in coordination with the Executive Director.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

 
Minimum Qualifications:

• Commitment to social justice, direct action and systems change.
• Two years of experience in community organizing or related field.
• Ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Familiarity with housing, poverty, and minority issues in Utah.

•                Ability to articulate thoughts clearly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing.

• Willingness to serve as a facilitator for grassroots leaders, rather than being out front on issues.
• Familiarity with major social media and blogging platforms commonly used to share information about policy issues and volunteer opportunities.

•                Self-motivated, resourceful, creative, well organized and dependable. 
•                Some weekend and evening work will be required.
•                Experience (paid or as a volunteer) working to directly assist low income people.
•                Experience working with volunteers.
•                Ability and willingness to speak in front of groups.
•                Commitment to social change and empowerment of people.
•                Preferable with degree.

• Spanish fluency a plus.

 
Wages & Benefits:  Full-time position with compensation dependent on experience and qualifications; vacation and health benefits.
 
TO APPLY:  Resume by Friday September 30th to Glenn Bailey at glenn@crossroadsurbancenter.org or 347 S. 400 East, SLC, UT 84111.
 
Crossroads Urban Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer
​

Investments made this year should begin to reduce unsheltered homelessness in Utah

• This year the Utah Legislature appropriated $55 million to produce housing units to reduce homelessness.
• This month the Utah Homelessness Council approved a plan to use that funding to produce 1,078 housing units.

A $189 million package of investments discussed at the September 13, 2022 meeting of the Utah Commission on Housing Affordability would make it possible to eliminate unsheltered homelessness in Utah within five years.  The proposed funding packaged includes these elements:

• $150 million in one time money to go into the fund that the state Homelessness Council just used to award $55 million in grants for deeply targeted housing.
• $15 million in ongoing funding to help pay the operating costs of new permanent supportive housing projects.
• $15 million in new ongoing funding to the Olene Walker Loan funding to produce more new affordable units each year.
• A $9 million per year boost to the state low income housing tax credit which would allow the state to provide $10 million worth of funding to nine more projects per year. to further increase production of affordable units.

If you believe Utah should work to ensure no one in our state is forced to sleep outside because they do not have a home contact your legislators and let them know.  If you do not know your legislators, or would like to learn more about this issue, contact Bill Tibbitts at Crossroads Urban Center, bill@crossroadsurbancenter.org 

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   September 12, 2022
FOR MORE INFORMATION:   Bill Tibbitts at Crossroads Urban Center, 801-364-6655 ex. 107  bill@crossroadsurbancenter.org
 
Faith Leaders ask Governor and Legislative Leaders to find a way to fund additional housing units to reduce homelessness
 
On Monday, September 12, 2022, faith leaders from eight different faith traditions sent a joint letter to Governor Cox, Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and the Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives and the member asking them to find a way to fund additional housing units to reduce homelessness. 
 
On Friday, September 9, the Utah Homelessness Council approved a proposal to spend $55 million to build 1,078 housing units across the state to reduce homelessness.  The letter notes that this important investment was able to fund less than half of the projects that applied, “It is our understanding that there were more than $120 million in proposals submitted for consideration and so there are several worthy projects that would make a big difference that will not be built without additional funding.”
 
Rev. Monica Dobbins of First Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City notes, “Utah has a real opportunity to make a difference in affordable housing and reducing homelessness, in a time when its citizens really need that help. All that's required is the compassion and will to do it, and the creativity to use our resources to benefit everyday people.” 
 
Rev. Christine Higueria-Street of St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Taylorsville explains why she signed the letter  in this way, "I feel it is important that our representatives to make sure that the state of Utah is a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse place to live by insuring that people can afford to live here, this means making sure we have affordable housing for all its citizens. "
 
Rev. Lora Young of South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society adds, “Safe, affordable housing is public good that everyone benefits from.   We have the opportunity to dramatically reduce homelessness with these funds- and potentially becoming a community that leads the way to a society where all may be housed safety and with dignity.”
 
The Rev Deacon Elizabeth Hunter of the Cathedral Church of St. Mark notes, “It is critical that faith communities support state and local initiatives for safe, affordable housing and related support services and case management for our brothers and sisters who need shelter."
 
Rev. David Nichols of Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church states, “"As Lutherans we join with other people of faith in imagining a world where no one becomes homeless because of mental or physical health conditions.  We celebrate the 1,078 units that will be made possible with the funding that is available but know there is a way to fund the projects bid for funding but did not get it."

In addition to being sent via email today, the letter will be presented in person tomorrow at the State Capitol Building during a meeting of the Utah Commission on Housing Affordability in Room 445 at 1:00 PM. 

The full text of the letter, and the agenda for the meeting on Tuesday, can be found below. A  PDF version of the letter can be found here.

September 12, 2022
 
re:  Funding for housing to reduce homelessness
 
Dear Commission on Housing Affordability, Governor Cox, Senate President Adams and House Speaker Wilson,
 
Last week the Utah Office of Homeless Services released recommendations for the use of the $55 million in American Rescue Act funds that the Utah Legislature set aside for deeply affordable housing. The recommendations are expected to produce 1,078 total affordable units with 679 of those units projected to be deeply affordable and 529 units specifically to be used to move people out of homelessness.  
 
It is our understanding that there were more than $120 million in proposals submitted for consideration and so there are several worthy projects that would make a big difference that will not be built without additional funding. The Coalition of Religious Communities urges the Commission to explore options for funding these extra projects, including:

1. Determining if nondedicated ARPA funds placed in the transportation fund could be used for this purpose. It is our understanding the about $1 billion in ARPA funds were placed into the transportation fund at the end of the session without being committed to a specific projects.
2. Determining if non-committed Emergency Rental Assistance funds, that at are at risk of being returned to the feds if unused, can be dedicated to funding some of these projects,
3. Suggesting that projects which cannot be funded with ARPA funds instead be funded with one time budget surplus funding.

 
As faith community leaders, we urge you to please do what you can to support bold action in this area.  With strong leadership from the state Utah can dramatically reduce homelessness in the coming year. 
 

​Sincerely,
 
 
Fr. Martin Diaz
Cathedral of the Madeleine
 
Rev. Monica Dobbins
First Unitarian Church
 
Rev. Vinnetta Golphin-Wilkerson
Granger Community Christian Church
 
Rev.  Christine Higueria-Street
she/her/hers
St. Matthew's Lutheran Church
 
Rev. Charles Hines
St. Francis of Assisi Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
 
The Rev Deacon Elizabeth Hunter
Cathedral Church of St. Mark
 
Rev. Kim James
Ogden First United Methodist Church
 
Rev. Steve Klemz
Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Retired
 
Pastor Bruce Kolasch
Elim Lutheran Church

Rev. Elias Koucos 
Greek Orthodox Priest
 
Rev. Martha M. Moler
Prebyterian Church, USA
 
Rev. David Nichols
(he/him/his)
Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, ELCA
 
Rev. Dr. Curtis Price, (he/him/his) Pastor,
First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City
 
Rev. DanaLee Simon
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Rocky Mountain Synod
 
Rev. Lora Young
Unitarian Universalist Minister

COMMISSION ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AGENDA TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2022 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.
UTAH STATE CAPITOL - COMMISSION ROOM #445
ZOOM LINK: https://utah-gov.zoom.us/j/89274201183
 
I.  WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS CO-CHAIRS
 
II. PUBLIC COMMENTS
STACEY HERPEL
a. PLEASE SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS TO HOUSING@UTAH.GOV BY i. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 5:00 PM
 
III. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES:
a. JULY 12, 2022
 
IV. PRESENTATION – SUBGROUP ON RURAL HOUSING (20 MIN) MATT LOO
 
V. PRESENTATION - SUBGROUP ON LOW INCOME HOUSING (20 MIN) BETH HOLBROOK
 
VI. PRESENTATION - SUBGROUP ON ATTAINABLE HOUSING (20 MIN) CHRIS GAMVROULAS
 
VII. DISCUSSION - SUBGROUP PROJECTS
 
VIII. OTHER BUSINESS CHAIR/CO-CHAIRS
 
IX. ADJOURN
 ​