Homeless Harming Main Street Business in Salt Lake City

The homeless in Salt Lake City have always been on the periphery, but today they are camping right on Main Street impacting local business operations and causing blight of various areas.

Should the homeless population be allowed to camp on the street? Should they be allowed to use drugs in front of shops? This is a national legal problem dozens of cities are currently attempting to combat.

Since 2017 Salt Lake City along with Salt Lake County and Utah State authorities has invested over $250 million in new homeless resource centers, permanent assisted housing, and treatment centers for the homeless. But from what we can see the root problems are not being solved.

Utah Stories would like to conduct an investigation to determine if these programs are paying off, and how the city and state leaders are measuring the effectiveness of these investments.