Webinar Recap: Recent Study: An Evidence-Based Assessment of Homelessness in Salt Lake County and the Proposed Utah Campus

Thank you to everyone who joined us on April 30 for our webinar, Recent Study: An Evidence-Based Assessment of Homelessness in Salt Lake County and the Proposed Utah Campus. We are grateful for the thoughtful questions, engagement, and dialogue from everyone who took the time to be part of this important conversation.

During the webinar, independent researchers Kimberly Burnett and Samuel Dastrup shared findings from their recent study examining the proposed Utah homelessness campus model in Salt Lake County. Their research explores whether the proposed campus is likely to reduce chronic homelessness, improve outcomes for participants, and align with evidence and experiences from other communities. Burnett and Dastrup each bring decades of experience researching the economics, systems, and policies that shape housing and homelessness, and their presentation helped provide important context around effectiveness, cost, participant outcomes, and evidence-based alternatives.

One of the key findings discussed was that large, centralized shelter campuses have not been shown to reduce regional homelessness rates. According to the study recap, research from other cities suggests that when communities prioritize large-scale shelter capacity over stable, affordable housing, people may remain homeless longer rather than moving into long-term stability.

The report also raises questions about the proposed size of the Utah campus. While state leaders have described the campus as serving a narrower population of unsheltered individuals with serious behavioral health needs who frequently cycle through jail, the study finds this group may number in the dozens, not the thousands. Because of that, the researchers suggest that a 1,300-bed facility may be much larger than what is needed for the population it is intended to serve.

Another concern discussed during the webinar was location. The study notes that placing the campus seven miles from downtown Salt Lake City could move people away from jobs, public transportation, service providers, and other community connections. The researchers argue that this distance could increase instability for people experiencing homelessness rather than improving outcomes.

The webinar also highlighted concerns about cost. The study estimates construction costs at roughly $165 million, which is more than double the previously cited $75 million figure. It also estimates annual operating costs of about $53 million, compared with the $34 million figure previously claimed. The report notes that federal funding would likely cover only a small share, leaving taxpayers responsible for most of the cost.

The researchers also discussed Haven for Hope in San Antonio, a model that has often been referenced in conversations about Utah’s proposed campus. According to the report, Haven for Hope has moved away from its original more coercive approach after too many people remained unsheltered. The program now places greater emphasis on therapeutic services and pathways to stable housing.

The bottom line from the report is clear: decades of research show that the strongest outcomes come from pairing affordable housing with voluntary, non-coercive mental health and substance use treatment. Because the proposed campus would be one of Utah’s largest homelessness investments in decades, the researchers urged careful consideration of whether the model is likely to deliver the outcomes promised.

We also want to clarify that this report and research were not funded by the Utah Housing Coalition. Kimberly Burnett and Samuel Dastrup reached out to us independently to share and present their findings with our members, partners, and the broader community.

For those who were unable to attend, or for anyone who would like to revisit the discussion, we encourage you to review the materials below.

Webinar Resources

Please see the following recap materials:

Webinar recording | Passcode: LS5?5hQ@

Full report

New York Times article

KSL article

We appreciate everyone who joined the webinar and contributed to a thoughtful conversation about homelessness, housing stability, and evidence-based solutions in Utah. As communities across the state continue working to address homelessness and housing insecurity, we believe it is important to make space for research, questions, and public dialogue that help inform the path forward.