Reimagining Hope: A Bold,
Transformative Approach
The Utah Campus

A transformative campus brings together a wide range of comprehensive services including emergency shelter, residential and in-patient treatment, temporary housing and resources at a single location. Resources may include intensive case management, healthcare, food, vocational and employment services and more.

A transformative campus integrates services to allow people experiencing homelessness to improve their lives within a community of healing and hope.

Campuses use a “hub and spoke” model. Those who need help can come to a centralized “hub” to receive services and also be quickly referred to additional community resources, the “spokes.” This model reduces the time and effort required for individuals to seek help.

No, the transformative campus will not replace the existing homeless resource centers. Instead, it will complement them and make the system more accessible and sustainable. This approach addresses the immediate need for shelter and enhances the overall support network for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Despite tremendous effort, resources and goodwill throughout the state for many years, homelessness continues to increase and negatively impact individuals and communities. The new campus will address the need for additional emergency shelter beds and offer more complete resources to address these issues.

The campus will address the exceeded capacity of current homeless shelters. Salt Lake County’s emergency shelter system currently has a capacity of 1,560 beds across a number of different facilities, serving more than 30,000 people annually throughout the system.

Annual data from the Utah Office of Homeless Services demonstrates that Salt Lake County needs 1,200–1,600 additional emergency shelter beds to end the inefficient cycle of winter response spending. Local officials involved in this process report that beyond the financial costs, the current model is consuming significant community goodwill. Each winter, local officials are forced to negotiate emergency beds in communities and facilities that were never designed or intended to serve people experiencing homelessness. This reactive approach creates friction with neighborhoods, erodes trust, and places individuals in settings ill-suited for long-term success.

The campus will enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of the region’s homelessness response by bringing together a full spectrum of services into a single, accessible location. The transformative campus is a place where those experiencing homelessness find help for recovery, employment, criminal justice assistance, and housing.

The campus will be located on a 15.85-acre parcel located at 2520 N 2200 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84116. There are few parcels of land in Salt Lake County that are of adequate size and can be developed. We have already completed a feasibility study and environmental study that show this property is safe to develop.

The site’s location is in an agricultural and light manufacturing, distribution, and warehousing area of north Salt Lake. It is spatially disconnected from the urban peripheries of North Salt Lake, Woods Cross, and Bountiful. There are limited commercial, residential, and retail neighbors within a reasonable distance of the site. Services and amenities are being planned for co-location on this site to ensure that clients have everything they need to make substantial progress and exit the homeless system successfully.

Yes, the Utah Office of Homeless Services participated in a public City Council District 1 meeting on April 30, 2025 where it shared that the 2520 N 2200 W site was under consideration as a top site for the campus.

Potential sites that met size, construction, and accessibility requirements were carefully evaluated. However, specific locations were not broadly shared to respect property owners’ privacy and protect potential property negotiation needs.

The campus is currently anticipated to have capacity for approximately 1,300 beds. Further study and planning are currently underway.

Security for the surrounding community, the individuals to be served by the campus, and its staff are of utmost priority. The security plan for the campus is still under development and will incorporate feedback from the community.

The intent is that there would be security personnel present at the campus 24/7/365. The campus will be surrounded by a security fence to ensure guest and staff safety, while still maintaining a welcoming and respectful appearance.

Because this campus provides a variety of services in a community of support, it gives more reason for individuals being served to stay at the campus, rather than meandering, camping, or loitering. This provides more stability and safety to both the community and to the population experiencing homelessness. Partnerships with local law enforcement, and safety protocol enforcement will protect both individuals served by the campus and the surrounding area.

The location has been announced, a feasibility study has been completed and other studies are underway. Architecture and design plans will begin shortly as well as selecting service providers.

There is still a lot of planning to do, funding to be secured, providers to be contracted, and details to be determined. The Office of Homeless Services will work closely with the city and county, partners and service providers and the local community. We are committed and hopeful to work together in a constructive way to find a solution that addresses the needs of our state.

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