Utah Shelter Plan Criticized as ‘Homeless Detention Camp’

The National Homelessness Law Center is calling a proposed Utah  shelter a “homeless detention camp,” saying such projects shouldn't be supported by federal funding, reports Ryan Kushner in Smart Cities Dive. Several Congress members joined the organization in condemning the plan and the Trump administration’s focus on punitive measures and civil commitment. 

The state is proposing to build a 1,300-bed facility as part of a comprehensive “homeless services campus” in Salt Lake City. State and city leaders have lauded the project, with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall calling it “critical step forward in supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities.”

According to Kushner, the center would include involuntary detention elements for some of its residents. Representative Maxwell Frost joined NHLC in criticizing the plan, saying, “Instead of criminalizing poverty, leaders should be investing in housing, treatment, and economic opportunity.”