24-04-2025
First non-congregate shelter for families opens in South Salt Lake
Homelessness among families, the elderly and youth rose steadily from 2020 to 2023, as noted in a report from the Utah Office of Homeless Services published last year. Classified as a statewide crisis, the report attributes this rise in homelessness partly to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising housing costs, and the overall high cost of living.
The Family Interim Non-Congregate Housing (FINCH) Facility in South Salt Lake had its grand opening on Wednesday, unveiling the future interim housing with onsite services for up to 85 Utah families experiencing homelessness.
'I want to make sure that everyone knows that the FINCH is not just a facility, it's a reflection of our community values, ensuring that children and families are not on the streets,' said Laurie Hopkins, executive director of nonprofit organization Shelter the Homeless, which will be operating the facility.
The shelter is a non-congregate shelter, meaning it offers private housing units without requiring a lease signature or occupancy agreement. As homelessness has increased, shelters in Utah have struggled with limited capacity, especially for families.
Josh Romney, board president of Shelter the Homeless, said Hopkins approached the board expressing the need for another family shelter in Utah — specifically a private family shelter — which ultimately found its home in South Salt Lake.
Congregate shelters, like Midvale's Connie Crosby Family Resource Center, have large open settings that provide less personal privacy, said Emily Wagner, board president of the private nonprofit social services agency The Road Home.
'In some cases, it causes families to bounce back and forth out of shelters, to friends' couches, to other shelters,' she said. 'That creates even more instability for children.'
'The goal of The Road Home is to connect families with housing, and that means making sure that it's sustainable when they move out of shelter, making sure that they have the appropriate support necessary to integrate into our communities,' Wagner said.
She added that last year, The Road Home helped 178 families transition out of shelter and into more stable housing — a total of 639 individuals.
'I truly believe our communities are richer for it. My experience with these kids and these families is that anyone would benefit from having them as part of their school and community, and I am so grateful to be a part of this great organization that will be operating the shelter.'
