State agencies purchase land in SLC for new homeless campus
Utah state agencies have contracted for land in Salt Lake City’s northwest neighborhood for the construction of a homelessness campus. The 15.85-acre site will provide services and up to 1,300 beds for the homeless population. (Rendering courtesy Utah Office of Homeless Services)
The Utah agencies charged with finding solutions to help the state’s homeless population have announced the purchase of land to locate a homeless services campus.
The Utah Office of Homeless Services and the Utah Homeless Services Board have signed a contract for a 15.85-acre parcel on the city’s northwest side for the construction of a first-of-its-kind-in-Utah center to serve citizens experiencing homelessness.
Located at 2520 N. 2200 W. in the city, the planned facility will provide approximately 1,300 beds, creating a sustainable and transformative solution to address homelessness in Utah, the agencies said in a joint release.
“The campus is envisioned as a comprehensive hub where individuals experiencing homelessness can access the support and treatment they need to move from homelessness to stability and long-term self-reliance,” the release said. “Designed to complement the existing homeless resource centers, shelters and service providers throughout Utah, the transformative campus is a place where those experiencing homelessness find help for recovery, employment, criminal justice assistance and housing, accessible in a single location.”
“This is more than a campus; it’s a turning point for Utah of reimagining hope,” said Wayne Niederhauser, state homeless coordinator. “It will further fulfill the identified need to provide additional beds and treatment in Utah’s homeless response while providing individuals served by the campus a transformative path from crisis to stability and, ultimately, thriving.”
Leaders describe the center as “operating as a ‘hub and spoke’ system,” where individuals can “Step In” to access core services at a centralized hub, and once stabilized and ready to “Step Up,” they can “Step Out” to be connected to additional specialized resources across the community — representing the spokes.
“This model reduces barriers to service access, increases operational efficiency and strengthens the broader network of support. By expanding capacity and improving the overall system’s accessibility, the campus would enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of the region’s homelessness response,” according to the statement.
“Despite tremendous effort, resources and goodwill across the state, homelessness in Utah has continued to worsen — for both those experiencing it and for our communities,” said Randy Shumway, chair of the Utah Homeless Services Board. “The proposed Utah campus will take a human-first approach that provides healing and stability while embedding accountability at every stage. By pairing compassionate support and medical care with clear expectations and opportunities for growth, the campus will help individuals reclaim their inherent dignity; achieve self-reliance; and live drug-free, crime-free and contributing lives.”
A feasibility study has been completed and environmental studies are ongoing before construction of the center can begin. The next steps are to secure funding partnerships, continue to engage with community stakeholders, service providers and state leaders to bring the campus to actualization, the releases explained.
It is anticipated that the initial operations of the campus will begin in 2027.
“Our state has long needed more shelter beds and services, and this campus represents a critical step forward in supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “By providing consistent shelter and wraparound services in one location, this facility could also help Salt Lake City first responders by reducing the number of emergency calls, freeing up law enforcement to focus on public safety and better connecting people to the help they need.”
“We’re grateful to State Homeless Coordinator Wayne Niederhauser for his exhaustive efforts to secure land in Salt Lake City for a centralized campus that will serve as a hub for homeless services,” said Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz. “To succeed, this new campus must offer more than just shelter; it must deliver real accountability through treatment, recovery and long-term stability, or it will fail like every half-measure before it. If done correctly, this transformative campus has the opportunity to improve public safety, clean up our cities and change lives.”