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SALT LAKE CITY — Businesses are worried about a "tidal wave" in the homeless population headed for downtown this summer. Some say it's Utah's good reputation that's working against us.
The fears come as the city prepares an aggressive campaign against panhandling.
"Homeless people aren't panhandlers, and panhandlers aren't always homeless," said Nick Como, communications director for the Downtown Alliance.
He said giving to panhandlers could be making Utah's homeless crisis even worse.
"They're taking your money from you and using it for things that you probably wouldn't be so proud to know where that money is going," Como said.
That's why the Downtown Alliance is working with Salt Lake City to create what it calls an aggressive and bold initiative to discourage handing out money on the street. The ad campaign is designed to teach Utahns to give to charities instead of directly to individuals.
"Homeless people need our help, and it's the correct urge to want to give and to want to help," Como said. "There's just a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it."
Dave Kelly with the Pioneer Park Coalition says the anti-panhandling messaging is a step in the right direction, but he wants a better plan for managing the surging homeless population this summer.
"Our biggest concerns are the tidal wave that's coming," Kelly said.
The nation's perception (is), 'Come to Utah and you get a house if you are homeless; come to Utah and the LDS Church will take care of you because you are homeless; come to Utah and they give money to everybody.'
–Dave Kelly, Pioneer Park Coalition
The worry is that homeless people from other states are being attracted to Utah before our new homeless resource centers are even built.
"The nation's perception (is), 'Come to Utah and you get a house if you are homeless; come to Utah and the LDS Church will take care of you because you are homeless; come to Utah and they give money to everybody,'" Kelly said.
"And now we throw in an 'Oh, by the way, they're building new facilities to help even more.' That message will get out and more people will keep coming."
Kelly said the Pioneer Park Coalition wants to see more short-term solutions since the resource centers won't be finished until 2019.
As for the anti-panhandling ad campaign, exact details haven't been released. But Como said it could include billboards and other forms of advertising with instructions on ways to donate.
