State Legislators Respond to Proposed State Homeless Services Campus on Salt Lake City's West Side

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

September 3, 2025 

Contact:

Isabella Durham

Utah Senate Democratic Caucus

801-866-2643| idurham@le.utah.gov

Jessica Lowell

Utah House Democratic Caucus

801-834-3135 | jlowell@le.utah.gov 

State Legislators Respond to Proposed State Homeless Services Campus on Salt Lake City's West Side

SALT LAKE CITY- In response to the announcement by the Utah Office of Homeless Services regarding a state homeless campus to be located at 2520 N 2200 W, Sen. Luz Escamilla and Rep. Sandra Hollins issued the following statement:

“With the Utah Homeless Services Board’s proposal of a new homeless services campus in the area we represent, we are concerned that this decision was made without any significant input from the public. As leaders and champions on issues of homelessness, we know how critical it is for our unhoused neighbors to have access to safe shelter and the services they need to regain stability. This campus is an important step in addressing the state’s homelessness crisis, but it must move forward in partnership with the people who will live alongside it. 

“Our community has always been committed to helping those in need; it is central to who we are, and we are proud of this. At the same time, this neighborhood has historically carried a disproportionate share of the state’s social and environmental burdens. The relocation of the state correctional facility here is one example. Now, with the addition of a 1,300-bed homeless services campus, the West Side is once again being asked to carry a disproportionate share of the state’s response to homelessness. 

“We urge the Office of Homeless Services, the Board, and Salt Lake City to move forward with care and foresight, guided by a clear and comprehensive plan that addresses transportation, public safety, and the well-being of both campus residents and the surrounding neighborhood. If done thoughtfully, this project can meet urgent needs while respecting and strengthening the community that hosts it.”

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