'Makes no sense': Democratic officials stress opposition to 1,300-bed homeless shelter at forum

SALT LAKE CITY — As the 2026 Utah Legislative session looms, lawmakers representing Salt Lake City's west side will be keeping a close watch on legislative proposals related to the proposed 1,300-bed homeless facility in the northern reaches of the city.

The area is a relative stronghold for Democrats, and four Salt Lake City lawmakers representing parts of the city's west side, all Democrats, expressed varying levels of opposition to the proposal, pursued by the administration of Gov. Spencer Cox. Funding the $300 million shelter will likely be a focus of debate during the session, and it was a major topic among lawmakers at a legislative preview hosted Tuesday by the Westside Coalition, which advocates for the diverse west-side area.

The legislative session starts on Jan. 20.

"We don't support that," said Rep. Angela Romero, calling the proposed facility, meant to be a service hub for the state's unsheltered population, an "internment camp." She will travel to Miami on Wednesday with Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and others to visit a facility there for the unsheltered that could serve as an alternative model.

Sen. Luz Escamilla said the 15.9-acre site, undeveloped land abutting North Salt Lake and the I-215 corridor, "makes no sense." She's skeptical that the level will get a green light anytime soon. Moreover, she doesn't think the proposal will work without parallel plans to address the ongoing needs of a population of 1,300, likely amounting to $100 million per year.

"I think this session will be more about resources, assessing how much funds are available. But I'm telling you, there's not enough funds to build that thing," said Escamilla, the minority leader in the Senate. She already has two bills in the works meant as checks on the proposal, should it move forward.

Plumb blasted the process that led to the formulation of the proposal by the board of the Utah Office of Homeless Services, which operates under the umbrella of the Department of Workforce Services. The proposal was publicly unveiled last September, and proponents are eyeing a 2027 opening, though it also faces opposition from some.

"I don't think there was fairness and transparency to communities. There was limited opportunity for people to be able to have a word, to weigh in on things," Plumb said. Some people with expertise in the area of homelessness served on the board that formulated the plans, but the others were "political appointees" more attuned to real estate interests.

She blasted the proposed facility as "a warehouse" where project proponents can place people "they didn't want to see," and is also skeptical that plans will gain significant traction this year. Funding will be an issue, she thinks, and she also warned that the proposal could face litigation.

Rep. Sandra Hollins lamented the lack of a "long-term plan" in tandem with the proposal for the facility to address the day-to-day needs of the unsheltered people it would help.

The lawmakers also discussed moves to do away with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, the focus of a 2024 bill that prohibits such programming at Utah's public universities and other public entities. The 2024 measure, HB261, garnered strong GOP support and opposition from Utah's Democratic minority.

Escamilla said she fears the next steps by the political forces behind moves to do away with diversity initiatives will be efforts by lawmakers to direct the educational curriculum at universities and other higher-education facilities. A precursor to the efforts, she said, is SB334, which passed in 2025. The new law calls for the creation of "a coherent curriculum" for students at Utah State University based, in part, on "foundational primary texts representing 'the best of what has been thought and said,'" the legislation reads. Escamilla will be paying close attention to safeguard against continued action.

On immigration, Escamilla said she is bracing, in particular, for initiatives to halt Utah programming that benefits some Utah children who are in the country illegally. A proposal to that end is already in the works.

Among other issues, Hollins, the key legislative force behind making Juneteenth a state holiday in Utah, said she plans to prepare legislation fine-tuning the day Juneteenth is recognized in the state to align with the federal government. Romero plans to pursue legislation to address the higher rates of murders and cases of missing people within the Native American community. Escamilla says she's planning legislation to expand the number of students who can access free breakfast and lunch at school.

More generally, the west-side lawmakers are "always going to be fighting for our west-side communities," Romero said. "We're always going to be fighting for people who are disenfranchised."

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the title of Jenny Wilson. She is the Salt Lake County mayor, not the Salt Lake City mayor.

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