New study shows need for new shelter and housing options for homeless families in Salt Lake County

​On Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 11:00 AM, Crossroads Urban Center will be releasing a new report showing that Salt Lake County's services for homeless families are already sufficiently overcrowded to necessitate the construction of a new shelter.  Salt Lake County began to redesign homeless services for families in 2016 when the Midvale seasonal overflow homeless shelter was repurposed to become a family shelter that is open all year.  This redesign of homeless services for families was completed when all of the families staying in the downtown homeless shelter were moved out on July 15 of this year.
 
"Over the past few years we have heard people say that if we change our model for homeless services we will see improved outcomes," says Glenn Bailey, Executive Director of Crossroads Urban Center.  "Unfortunately, the redesign of the shelter system includes no new beds for families, despite the inadequate size of our current family shelter. We interviewed moms experiencing homelessness to get a better sense of the barriers facing homeless families. The evidence is pretty clear that if we do not expand the availability of family shelter and permanent supportive housing options, conditions will get worse and not improve with the opening of three new shelters that do not include children."
 
The researchers who conducted the study will be releasing their findings at a press conference at 11:00 AM in the lobby of the Crossroads Urban Center emergency food pantry located at 347 South, 400 East in Salt Lake City.

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