Press Release
October 10, 2024
State of Utah Leadership to Visit San Antonio Homelessness Support Sites
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 10, 2024 — A delegation of Utah leaders will travel to San Antonio from Thursday, Oct. 10 to Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, to visit key homelessness support sites and engage with local experts. The goal of the visit is to learn from successful models of homelessness support and apply these insights to strengthen Utah’s efforts to overcome homelessness. This trip aligns with the Oct. 9, 2024 directive by the Utah Homeless Services Board to explore a transformative, centralized campus model for the state.
The delegation will meet with local community leaders and service providers to explore innovative approaches and partnerships that could inform Utah’s ongoing homelessness initiatives.
During the tour, the delegation will visit Haven for Hope, a nationally recognized provider of comprehensive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. The group will also tour The Terraces Apartments, a permanent supportive housing (PSH) project, as well as Nxt Level Youth Opportunity Center and Towne Twin Tiny-Home Village. Nxt Level Youth Opportunity Center focuses on connecting youth with education, employment, workforce development resources and more. Towne Twin Tiny-Home Village showcases a long-term project that provides housing specifically for elderly individuals.
“We are always seeking new ideas and successful models that can help us better serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Utah,” said Wayne Niederhauser, Utah’s state homeless coordinator. “San Antonio has developed effective community-based solutions, and we are eager to learn from their experience in providing not just shelter but long-term, sustainable housing solutions.”
Utah Delegation Attendees:
- Wayne Niederhauser, state homeless coordinator, State of Utah
- Nick Coleman, assistant state homeless coordinator, State of Utah
- Anndrea Wild, director, Salt Lake County Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform
- Andrew Johnston, director, Salt Lake City Homeless Policy and Outreach
- Jen Campbell, member, Utah Homeless Services Board
- Ryan Beck, member, Utah Homeless Services Board
- Molly Wheeler, deputy director, Utah League of Cities and Towns
- Stephen Hunter, government affairs director, Utah Association of Counties
- Michael Parker, executive director, Utah Impact Partnership
- Laurie Hopkins, executive director, Shelter the Homeless
When:
Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 – Friday, Oct. 11, 2024
Where:
Haven for Hope, The Terraces Apartments, Nxt Level Youth Opportunity Center, and Towne Twin Tiny-Home Village in San Antonio, Texas.
This site visit will give Utah leaders the opportunity to explore successful models of homelessness support, including permanent supportive housing and integrated community services, that could inform ongoing efforts to reduce and prevent homelessness in Utah.
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About Utah Office of Homeless Services: The Utah Office of Homeless Services’ mission is to address homelessness through partnerships and collaborative initiatives with state and local leaders, philanthropic partners, service providers, and individuals with lived experience. Our vision for the homeless response system in Utah is to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. We aim to ensure that all people experiencing homelessness can thrive to their fullest potential, and that our communities are stable and safe for everyone.