As Utah prepares for another winter, emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness are opening their doors to help individuals survive the harsh months ahead. However, the current shelter capacity falls short of the state’s goals, underscoring the persistent gaps in addressing homelessness.

Salt Lake County’s winter response plan includes approximately 732 overflow beds and 250 “code blue” beds. While these numbers are a step in the right direction, they remain below the 900 overflow beds and 100 code blue beds recommended by the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, in collaboration with the Utah Office of Homeless Services. The shortfall highlights the ongoing challenge of meeting the needs of Utah’s homeless population during the winter.

Earlier this year, Salt Lake County’s initial winter plan, which identified only 450 shelter beds, was deemed noncompliant with state law. This prompted the state to intervene. The state’s involvement reflects the urgent need for better planning and resources, not just for winter overflow, but for year-round solutions to homelessness.

“Identifying the high number needed beds in the short time allotted was no doubt a difficult task and demonstrated that additional year-round beds are needed,” said the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness leadership team. 

In response to these gaps, the Utah Homeless Service Board allocated funding to acquire Ville 1990, a property on North Temple in Salt Lake City. The building, slated to provide 210 beds for winter overflow, will eventually be converted into deeply affordable housing in April. This property represents a shift toward addressing homelessness through permanent solutions, reflecting a broader understanding that long-term stability, not just temporary shelter, is essential for solving the homelessness crisis.

The county’s current winter plan includes several key shelters:

• 170 beds at the West Valley overflow site operated by Switchpoint, with the potential to increase to 200 pending fire marshal approval.
• 65 beds at St. Vincent de Paul.
• 50 micro-shelter units that were recently relocated.
• 175 beds at three resource centers.
• 32 beds for youth and families, likely through motel vouchers.
• 210 beds at the Ville 1990 facility, contingent on finalizing the purchase.

While these beds are a crucial part of the winter response, the shortfall of over 150 overflow beds compared to the recommended target points to the limitations of the current approach. More beds are expected to become available as shelters gradually expand their capacity. Yet, the reality is that emergency shelter is still a temporary fix and the need for long-term, sustainable housing solutions remains pressing.

In addition to overflow beds, Salt Lake County’s plan also includes 250 code blue beds. A code blue alert is triggered when temperatures drop below 18 degrees Fahrenheit, including wind chill, and aims to prevent cold-weather deaths. The 2023 legislation that established this protocol followed the deaths of at least eight unsheltered individuals in 2022, underscoring the urgency of keeping people safe during extreme weather.

The code blue beds will only be available when temperatures hit critical thresholds, with shelters required to increase capacity by 35% and warming centers activated as needed. These measures are vital for addressing immediate threats to life, but they also reveal a larger issue: the lack of permanent, stable housing options for those affected by homelessness. Code blue beds include:

• 10 family hotel rooms.
• 20 additional beds at the Geraldine E. King resource center.
• 20 additional beds at the Gail Miller resource center.
• 30 additional beds at the Pamela Atkinson resource center.
• 85 beds at First United Methodist Church and 85 more at another church, both operated by the 2nd and 2nd Coalition.

While these emergency measures are essential for keeping people alive during the coldest months, they do little to address the root causes of homelessness. The city's approach also involves ensuring compliance with state laws that link homelessness services to the enforcement of no-camping ordinances.

This intersection of shelter provision, enforcement, and funding underscores a broader challenge facing the state and local governments: How to not only provide immediate relief but also create long-term strategies to end homelessness. Salt Lake City’s ability to access funding from the State Homeless Shelter Cities Mitigation Fund hinges on proving that it is not only enforcing ordinances but also making genuine efforts to reduce homelessness in the long term.

“The state is currently looking to bring more year-round beds online, which will help address the seasonal as well,” the Coalition’s leadership team said. “We anticipate with more year-round beds online, the need for temporary beds will decrease.”