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SALT LAKE CITY — Amid discussions about Salt Lake City’s homelessness issue and how to deal with new shelters already reaching capacity, Utah officials announced Wednesday the decision to close the downtown Road Home shelter on schedule, in four weeks.
In a closed-door meeting Wednesday, state officials and local leaders discussed the closure of the downtown shelter, namely whether it would be postponed to accommodate more people experiencing homelessness while the three new shelters see overflow issues.
According to the Deseret News, the meeting was held between Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, House Speaker Brad Wilson, Senate President Stuart Adams, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood and Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski’s deputy chief of staff David Litvack.
Cox told reporters after the meeting that the current plan is to close the shelter, but another meeting is scheduled in four weeks “to see where we are,” he said.
Related:
South Salt Lake shelter hasn't even opened yet, but already expected to overflow
The Road Home’s downtown shelter isn’t anywhere close to shuttering — that is, unless state officials can figure out with to do with more than 100 men.Wednesday marked the coldest October day in the Beehive state’s history, or at least since 1874 — the earliest year records exist.
But Cox assured the public Wednesday that officials would make sure people aren’t left in the cold.
“There will be a place for everyone,” Cox said. “We will never allow anyone to go out into the cold and spend the night without some sort of shelter.”
Officials also called on landlords to step up and become part of the solution, echoing calls to action delivered by state leaders in the past.
