New study warns Utah’s proposed homelessness campus would worsen the crisis

A new independent study from Social Impact Insights raises doubts about Utah’s proposed “transformative campus” for people experiencing homelessness. It finds that the campus is unlikely to reduce rising homelessness, is far more expensive than anticipated, and defies best practices. The project is on hold amid budget delays and uncertainty about federal funding.

• Campuses do not reduce homelessness.
• The Utah campus is oversized.
• Location would worsen outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.
• Costs are higher than advertised.
• The model homelessness program that Utah cites has already changed.

Bottom Line

Decades of research show the best results come from pairing affordable housing with voluntary noncoercive mental health and substance use treatment. The proposed campus would be one of Utah’s largest homelessness investments in decades. The evidence suggests it is unlikely to deliver the outcomes promised.