Once a Motel 6, Utah's long-awaited family shelter is about to open
Tears welled in Michelle Flynn's eyes as she told a crowd of onlookers how for years Utah's only family homeless shelter in Midvale has operated at max capacity — at times having to turn parents and their kids away.
'Our team members know better than anyone what it means to tell a family with children that we don't have any room for them,' said Flyyn, executive director of The Road Home, one of the state's largest homeless shelter operators.
Until recently, the 300-bed Connie Crosby Family Resource Center in Midvale has been the only emergency shelter in the state exclusively for families with children. The dorm-style facility has been overrun — unable to keep up with the growing number of Utah families experiencing homelessness. Since 2022, upwards of 75 families at a time in the Salt Lake area have been on waiting lists to get into emergency shelter, resorting to living with relatives, friends, or in cars or tents, according to The Road Home.
But soon, there will be another place for struggling families to go.
On Wednesday, Flynn and other state and local leaders celebrated the ribbon cutting for the Family Interim Non-Congregate Housing Facility, or FINCH for short.
The new facility — expected to begin housing families in early May — marks the state's first ever emergency shelter offering private rooms for families. Previously, the property at 315 W. 3300 South in South Salt Lake functioned as a Motel 6. Now, it will house up to 85 families, and has a maximum capacity of up to 400 people — though on average, depending on family sizes, it's expected to house an average of 72 families and 340 people.
'I want to make sure that everyone knows that the FINCH is not just a facility. It's a reflection of our community values and ensuring that children and families are not on the street,' said Laurie Hopkins, executive director of Shelter the Homeless, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing homelessness in Utah and the owner of the property.
In 2023, the number of Utahns in families experiencing homelessness increased by a striking 27% in three years— up from 5,520 individuals in 2020 to 7,033. That included 3,748 children, according to a 2024 report by the Utah Office of Homeless Services.
Emily Wegener, general counsel for Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems and a member of The Road Home's board, said that during her time volunteering at the Midvale family shelter, she's seen 'firsthand some of the challenges that congregate shelter' poses for families.
Family homelessness is a growing problem in Utah. What should be done?
'Some families are able to face that challenge of congregate shelter better than others,' she said. 'In some cases, it causes families to bounce back and forth out of shelter to friends' couches, other shelters, and creates even more instability for children.'
So Wegener said she's 'thrilled' to see FINCH open to fill an unmet need for Utahns and their kids experiencing homelessness.
Each family staying at FINCH will have their own private room with beds, a bathroom, a mini microwave and a fridge. The main building also offers common areas, including a dining room — providing three meals a day — a play room, laundry room, and an outdoor area for pets. It also offers on-site case workers to help connect families with resources including schools, jobs, health care, and other needs while providers work to find them a solution for permanent housing.
Wegener said FINCH is needed now more than ever, not just because the Midvale shelter is full, but because Utah's high housing prices continue to squeeze families.
'It's really difficult to afford a place to live in Utah,' she said, adding that a two-bedroom apartment averages $1,390 a month. 'For one person making minimum wage of $7.25, that is the same as 148 hours a week, or 3.7 full-time jobs. So even for two parents, it's pretty much impossible to have a two-bedroom apartment if you're paying market rate.'
Families, according to The Road Home, will be admitted to the facility on a referral basis through Salt Lake County's coordinated entry process, which is managed by the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness.
It's been a long road for FINCH, taking years of financial and political wrangling to become a reality.
Shelter the Homeless purchased the former motel all the way back in April 2023 for $14 million, which included $10 million from the state, plus another $1 million in state funding for remodeling, according to Hopkins. She said another $1 million from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, plus other private donors and money from Salt Lake County, made up the rest
Last December, the South Salt Lake City Council voted to approve FINCH's zoning, one of the last hurdles for the shelter to open. It wasn't until earlier this year that the Utah Legislature set aside $3.9 million in ongoing funding to pay for its operations. That's still short of the $5.8 million needed to fully fund it year to year, but Hopkins said Shelter the Homeless will be looking to fill that gap with other public funds and private donations, which she said she's confident will come through.
'The philanthropic community, I think, will step forward and has indicated they're interested in supporting us. I think Salt Lake County is another possible avenue for us,' Hopkins told Utah News Dispatch, though she added that she's grateful for the money the Utah Legislature appropriated.
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'Really, there's been so much government funding that came into this project to get it up and running, and that was really important,' Hopkins said. 'The state, city, county, they all had to invest in this to help us with getting families off of the street.'
South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood joined Wednesday's ribbon cutting ceremony for the FINCH. As did billionaire Gail Miller, owner of Larry H. Miller Company and Utah's wealthiest person. She serves on Shelter the Homeless' board, along with Josh Romney, CEO of The Romney Group, a development company.
Romney, who shared remarks during Wednesday's celebration, said 'two women in particular were instrumental' in making the FINCH a reality. He pointed to Wood — for being willing for her city to host another homeless shelter — and Hopkins, for urging state and local leaders to recognize the need for another family shelter.
'Two years ago, (Hopkins) came to our board and said, 'We need another family shelter, and we need to find it now,'' said Romney, who is also the son of former Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah. 'She worked tirelessly to find the site and work to put the funds together to make this happen.'
Also crediting Wood, Romney said 'it's always a challenge when you have a homeless shelter in your city.'
'Most cities say no. Mayor Wood is one of the few mayors in this state who says yes, and she makes things happen,' Romney said.
Wood called the FINCH's opening 'exciting.'
'This new shelter demonstrates what's possible when people come to the table with 'yes' in their heart, and we figure out hard things,' the mayor said.
Wayne Niederhauser, state homeless coordinator, also attended the ribbon cutting. He joked that when Gov. Spencer Cox appointed him to the role four years ago, 'I thought things would happen faster,' drawing laughs from the crowd.
He said facilities like FINCH 'are very complicated and challenging.'
'But they're worth it.'
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