What do we need to change about how we address homelessness?

SALT LAKE CITY — As we see more people experiencing homelessness gather in public spaces around the country, including here in Utah, some experts suggest “seismic” changes in how we address the issue. 

Inspired by the holidays and an article from the Deseret News, Amanda Dickson, the Host of A Woman’s View, has been pondering how to reduce homelessness in Utah.

“I have been thinking more about this and perhaps we all do at this time of year … We feel the abundance in our own lives,” Dickson said. “Then, our hearts go out to those who do not share in that abundance.”

Utah Homeless Services chair Randy Shumway told the Deseret News homelessness “is not a bed crisis, [it is] is a human crisis.” Shumway said Utah doesn’t need more facilities to support people who are homeless, rather, it needs more care.

What could prevent chronic homelessness in Utah?

Shauna Scott-Bellaccomo is the former president of the Women’s State Legislative Council of Utah. She said it was “astonishing” to find out that 27% of Utah’s homeless population is chronically homeless.

“I really like the way this article addressed [homelessness],” she said. “It’s just more than ‘let’s just provide a place for these people to live.’ They may be mentally ill [or] they may be battling substance abuse issues.”

Dr. Michelle Arnold is a professor of physics at Weber State University. She said she likes the idea of bringing resources to unhoused people where they are.

“It doesn’t matter what services you have if people aren’t organized enough to go and find out about them,” Arnold said.

She hopes future resources will be able to catch on earlier.

“Whether that’s targeting people earlier … to try and give them help before they end up in that situation,” she said. “[Or] trying to recognize teenagers or young adults that are at risk and maybe trying to help them before they end up there.”

Making spaces safer for unhoused people

Shauna Cheshire is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She said the areas where people experiencing homelessness congregate and/or receive services can be a target for illegal activity such as drug deals.

“If there was a way we could sanitize those areas to make them where … illegal drug activity just couldn’t take place, then I feel like it would be a much safer place for unhoused people,” Cheshire said. “There are some [unhoused people] that don’t fit in that category. I think how scary it would be to be either on the street or even in shelters with this type of activity going on all around and … you feel … incredibly unsafe and not secure.”

Cheshire said living in environments like this can cause trauma for unhoused people.

“None of us live in that kind of threat environment on a daily basis,” she said. “Those that have come out of homelessness, who now have a way to perhaps give us insight on how to help this population better, they have something we totally need. They have lived experience and we need to listen to what they think is going to help the most.”

Amanda Dickson contributed to this article.

Amanda Dickson is the co-host of Utah’s Morning News and A Woman’s View on KSL NewsRadio. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram. 

Devin Oldroyd is a digital content producer for KSL NewsRadio. Follow them on X.

Follow @oldroyd_devin