New York Times' Journalist Finds Salt Lake City's Homeless Policies Appalling

Five years ago, the New York Times sent journalists to Salt Lake City to report on the deteriorating homeless situation and particularly Operation Rio Grande. Robin Pendergrast was sent on assignment and he landed in Salt Lake to photograph the City’s efforts to contain and rehabilitate one of the fastest-growing segments of our population: the unsheltered homeless.

What began as a four–day photoshoot has now become a five-year stay in Salt Lake City. Pendergrast says, “ I kind of got hooked on the situation, and even then how mismanaged it was, how poorly there was a response to the homeless people.”

Since then Pendergrast has personally witnessed what he describes as the inhumane treatment of those who are so unfortunate to find themselves living on the streets. Further, the absence of compassion by city leaders toward assisting especially those who cannot, or will not stay in the shelters. The worst of the treatment Pendergrast says are the police and Health Department “abatements”.
Thumbnail photo credit Robin Pendergrast.