After writing my blog last night, it occurred to me there might be another reason plans have been dropped from scattering homeless shelters throughout the valley: The government services are downtown, so that makes Salt Lake City the best place to serve the homeless.
I believe only two new homeless facilities are now planned, and they will both be in Salt Lake City, proper.
And, I wonder if the plan for scattered sites wasn't dropped for yet another reason. An election is just around the corner, and if someone thought it might affect their chances, they might have changed things.
I do believe locating the homeless should be considered from the vantage of what is best for them, as much as on any other basis. But, not being well acquainted with all the services, I am not ready to endorse all of them. I want the homeless to have all the services they need, but I am wary of the homeless becoming an industry. The different services can get government money for what they do. I think we should be mindful that each "service" truly serves the homeless.
As for whether we have one central site for the homeless, or many, I do not have a strong opinion. Take care of them, whether in one site or in many.
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