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SOUTH SALT LAKE — A former Motel 6, located at 315 W. 3300 South, will be remodeled and opened as a new emergency shelter for families, bringing the state closer to its goal of expanding the number of shelter beds.
An application to remodel the building as a Family Interim Housing facility was submitted and announced by Shelter the Homeless, the Road Home and South Salt Lake late last week. The new family facility will be operated by the Road Home, providing temporary housing and on-site support services for 70 to 80 families staying in private rooms.
"Our team at the Road Home has worked with South Salt Lake to develop a strong, supportive partnership over the past five years," said Michelle Flynn, executive director of the Road Home. "We know how much this community cares about children and families and look forward to developing a welcoming, safe and supportive environment for families to build the connections they need and move quickly into stable housing."
The building has already been purchased but the Road Home will need approval from the South Salt Lake Planning Commission and South Salt Lake City Council to remodel and operate it as transitional housing for families experiencing homelessness.
"We are grateful for the support from South Salt Lake's mayor and city leadership and are committed to engaging with the community in a collaborative and transparent manner," said Laurie Hopkins, executive director of Shelter the Homeless, in a statement. "Working together we can establish the foundation for a successful partnership to provide families with a safe and productive place to help them get back on their feet."
A second facility for families has been a top priority for the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness and the state Office of Homeless Services as the Connie Crosby Family Resource Center, formerly the Midvale Family Resource Center, has been at or near capacity for several years.
The winter of 2022 was the first time since 1998 that families with children were turned away from shelter due to capacity. The issue was recognized that summer by the Utah Homelessness Council, which voted to dedicate $3 million to building a second emergency shelter for homeless families in Salt Lake County. The move was recognized by homeless advocates, at the time, as progress in meeting the growing need.
"It's exciting that the state is realizing that we need to have enough beds to meet the emergency needs of families who are experiencing homelessness. Nobody wants children to be sleeping outside," said Bill Tibbitts, deputy executive director of the Crossroads Urban Center, at the time.
But as last winter approached it was clear that the process of selecting the building, purchasing it and gaining approval by the city's planning commission and City Council would not be complete in time, leaving families with children who are experiencing homelessness with limited options for the second time.
Last November, the building had already been purchased by the state but still had not received approval.
"This year the focus has been on developing a permanent solution," Tibbitts said last winter. "What we didn't do adequately, it seems, is come up with a plan for getting through the winter until that facility opens."
A joint South Salt Lake City Council and planning commission special meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. regarding the application. If the process moves quickly enough, it's hoped the project will provide "an additional program option and capacity to better meet the current need and help avoid turning families away due to lack of space as has been the case for more than a year," Shelter the Homeless and the Road Home officials said in a joint statement.
