DWS Press Release
September 25, 2018
Shelter the Homeless announces decision to sell the downtown shelter to the state
Selling the shelter will be a critical step in transitioning to the new resource centers
Salt Lake City, UT (September 20, 2018) — Shelter the Homeless announced today the decision to sell the downtown shelter to the state of Utah. The decision came when the board voted in favor of selling the shelter after receiving a letter of intent to purchase from the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
“Selling the downtown shelter became necessary in obtaining the needed capital for the three new resource centers,” said Harris Simmons, board president of Shelter the Homeless. “It was essential that we get a fair price and a purchaser willing to work with us through the transition. The state purchasing the site is the right move to accomplish the needed next steps for the transition.”
The state of Utah outlined the following reasons for the state to purchase the downtown shelter:
- To help guide the operations, security and other elements needed for The Road Home as the tenant of the property.
- To assist in transitioning services to the three new resource centers by June 30, 2019.
- To help provide needed capital for the development of the three new resource centers.
“The state has been and will continue to be invested in the successful transition to the new resource center model,” said Lt. Governor Spencer Cox. “The purchase of the shelter will put us in the optimal position to lead the transition process and support The Road Home and other community partners.”
"Once the transition occurs and the downtown shelter closes, the state will first consider the potential use of the property by other state agencies.
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