Utah’s first homeless services campus coming to Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Office of Homeless Services (OHS) and the Utah Homeless Services Board announced a contractual agreement that will establish a new homeless services campus, the first of its kind in the beehive state.

The State Homeless Campus will be located on a 15.85-acre parcel located at 2520 N 2200 W in Salt Lake City and will have approximately 1,300 beds.

The campus is designed to provide treatment for individuals experiencing homelessness and empower them to move from homelessness to stability.

Utah’s homelessness increased 18% in 2025, with over 4,500 individuals affected, according to the latest data released by OHS. The state’s homelessness rate now stands at 13 per 10,000 people, up from 11 per 10,000, but still well below the 2024 national rate of 23 per 10,000.

“Our state has long needed more shelter beds and services, and this campus represents a critical step forward in supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “By providing consistent shelter and wraparound services in one location, this facility could also help Salt Lake City first responders by reducing the number of emergency calls, freeing up law enforcement to focus on public safety, and better connecting people to the help they need.”

What will the campus offer?

According to the city, the campus will offer help for recovery, employment, criminal justice assistance, and housing. It will operate as a “hub and spoke” system, where individuals can ‘Step In’ to access core services at a centralized hub, and once stabilized and ready to ‘Step Up’, they can ‘Step Out’ to be connected efficiently to additional specialized resources across the community.

“This is more than a campus, it’s a turning point for Utah of reimagining hope,” said Wayne Niederhauser, State Homeless Coordinator. “It will further fulfil the identified need to provide additional beds and treatment in Utah’s homeless response while providing individuals served by the campus a transformative path from crisis to stability and, ultimately, thriving.”

Officials say this model will reduce barriers to service access. It will increase operational efficiency, and strengthen the broader network of support.

Randy Shumway, who is the chair of the Utah Homeless Services Board said the proposed Utah campus will take a human-first approach that will provide healing and stability while embedding accountability at every stage.

Where the project stands

A feasibility study has been completed and environmental studies are ongoing. Officials say the next steps are to secure funding partnerships, engage with community stakeholders, service providers, and state leaders to bring the campus to actualization. It is anticipated that the initial operations of the campus will begin in 2027.

More information on the campus can be found here.