Homelessness

in Utah
By: Aracely Zavala
Are Utah's initiatives to end
homelessness working? If not what
needs to be done?
Preview
● Discuss Research
● Solutions
● Project
● Why It Matters
● Q & A activity
What is homelessness and what’s
Utah’s current homeless situation?
People Become Homeless due to...
❏ Lack of affordable housing
❏ Lack of employment opportunity
❏ Low income
❏ Health problems
❏ Lack of affordable healthcare
❏ Physical disability
❏ Domestic violence
❏ Divorce
❏ Mental illness
❏ Addiction or substance abuse
 ❏ Adults (both men and
women)

Who Experiences ❏ Young adults

❏ Children

Homelessness? ❏ Families
❏ Veterans
❏ Those with physical or mental
health conditions
2,798 people
Experience homelessness on any given day
Utah’s Initiatives
❏ Housing First Program
❏ Rio Grande Operation
❏ Day Services
❏ Street Outreach Programs
❏ Emergency Shelters
❏ Rapid Re-Housing
❏ Transitional Housing Programs
Possible Solutions
❏ Fighting for affordable housing
❏ Increase outreach and access to mental health, substance use and
healthcare services
❏ Preventing institutional homelessness
❏ Increase investments in the Housing First or Permanent Housing Program
❏ Increase access to transportation
❏ Creating more emergency beds and shelters
My Project
Website
Why does it matter?
Quiz Time
References
Research:

State of Utah Annual Report on Homelessness. Department of Workforce Services,

2020, jobs.utah.gov/housing/scso/documents/homelessness2020.pdf.

“End Utah Homelessness.” End Homelessness in Utah, endutahhomelessness.org/.

Zhang, Paige, et al. “Cold Weather Conditions and Risk of Hypothermia Among
People Experiencing Homelessness: Implications for Prevention Strategies.”
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, MDPI, 5 Sept.
2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6765826/?tool=pmcentrez.
“What Causes Homelessness?” National Alliance to End Homelessness, 3 June
2020, endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/what-causes-
homelessness/.

Operation Rio Grande, operationriogrande.utah.gov/.

“Utah Homelessness Statistics.” Homeless in Utah Statistics 2018. Homeless

Estimation by State | US Interagency Council on Homelessness,
www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ut/.

“State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, 20

May 2020, endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-
statistics/state-of-homelessness-2020/.
“Homelessness & COVID-19: Considerations and Action Steps.” National
Alliance to End Homelessness, 13 Apr. 2020,
endhomelessness.org/resource/homelessness-covid-19-considerations-and-
action-steps/?gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-
BRAAEiwAuWVggjVCnhus27UpzUDemd4yZMtgBs01u5GXpesYo3SfJEXytFoyWpd8b
RoCl6kQAvD_BwE.

“Would Adding More Emergency Shelter Help Reduce Unsheltered Homelessness?

It's Complicated...” National Alliance to End Homelessness, 9 Jan. 2019,
endhomelessness.org/adding-emergency-shelter-help-reduce-unsheltered-
homelessness-complicated/.
Works Cited
Images:

“Homeless.” What Happens to Utah's Homeless Population?, 2019,

www.ksl.com/article/46496957/what-happens-to-utahs-homeless-population-in-th
e-winter
.

“Bracing for Winter.” Bracing for Winter, Salt Lake Mayor Lays out Plan for COVID-
19, Homeless Camps, 2020,
www.deseret.com/utah/2020/9/1/21411363/utah-salt-lake-city-mendenhall-winter-
plan-pandemic-covid-19-homelessness-camps
.