A proposal has been offered to keep homeless people off of the streets during the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City. But who would pay for the plan is a mystery.
Many small businesses are welcoming the new federal and provincial support programs announced Wednesday, but some say the programs aren't inclusive enough, fail to provide adequate support or are unfairly enforced.
Robert Gehrke: The pandemic makes Utahâs homeless situation more complicated than ever
More people are camping outside or getting vouchers to stay in hotels.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.
  | Dec. 23, 2020, 2:00 p.m.
Theyâre down by the library or at Pioneer Park, clustering under overpasses and in lots, the makeshift homeless camps that seem to be as widespread and jammed pack as theyâve ever been.
As with everything during the pandemic, the coronavirus has exacerbated the inequities in our society and made one of our most intractable problems many times worse.
âThere is always going to be some amount of unsheltered homelessness in our community and I think we can be smart about how we respond to that,â Michelle Hoon, the project and policy manager with Salt Lake Cityâs Homeless Engagement and Response Team, told me, âbut I think the pandemic has made it a lot more challenging.â