Utah selects site for 1,300-bed homeless services campus

State of play: The one-stop homeless services campus is expected to open at 2520 N. 2200 West, offering recovery, employment, criminal justice assistance and housing support, the Utah Office of Homeless Services and the Utah Homeless Services Board announced Wednesday.

• The parcel sits in the Northpoint area, west of Interstate 215 and near manufacturing facilities and warehouses.

Friction point: After a months-long search, the site announcement comes amid growing tensions between Republican legislative leaders — who argue Salt Lake City has failed to address homelessness and crime — and Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who maintains the issue requires more state resources.

What they're saying: "This is more than a campus, it's a turning point for Utah of reimagining hope," Wayne Niederhauser, the state's homeless coordinator, said in a statement.

• Mendenhall, in a statement, said the center would reduce emergency calls and allow police officers to focus on other public safety matters.

By the numbers: While Utah's unsheltered population is not as large as other Western states, homelessness in the state rose 18% from the previous year, according to a January point-in-time count.

Zoom out: The planned campus would not replace existing homeless resource centers, some of which can accommodate up to 300 people.

What's next: Homelessness coordinators plan to lock in funding partners and continue talks with community stakeholders, service providers and state leaders.

• Services are expected to begin in 2027.