Pushing out homeless?

A Salt Lake Chamber plan that would uproot homeless services has some residents worried the measure will edge out the city's indigent population and perpetuate a cycle of homelessness.

In a special community meeting orchestrated by Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, chamber members and residents gathered Monday night to discuss the plan that would move a cluster of homeless services a few blocks south of their current site near The Gateway.

The spot vacated by the Road Home, Catholic Community Services and the Fourth Street Clinic would then be developed into 150 units of mixed-income housing and retail space.

"By isolating them in remote areas, it prolongs their process of integration back into the community," said David Henderson, a University of Utah student. "We're sending a statement that we're placing a greater value on land than we are on human life."

Several residents expressed similar concerns that pushing the homeless community out of the heart of downtown would hinder the effort to integrate homeless men and women into mainstream society.

Chamber member Mark Howell said the project, which would cost about $48.3 million, is aimed at giving service providers more space for emergency shelters and temporary housing. The new lot, he said, would allow space for 75 such "first-step homes."

"We're talking about a three-block move. We're not talking about moving them out of the city. We're not talking about hiding them," he said.

Howell added that the plan was dependent on approval by homeless service providers and would not be forced on anyone. But there has been some speculation that the motive behind the proposal may be tied to the expensive land near The Gateway shopping mall.

Glenn Bailey, executive director of the Crossroads Urban Center, said he wondered whether the plan was just a means to capitalize on that prime location rather than any effort to expand homeless services.

"The land at the crossroad for The Gateway is extremely valuable. When the property around the new location becomes valuable, are we just going to move them again?" he said. "It's time to say, 'This is where these services are.' "

Many residents also said the plan to expand the shelters is not in sync with a 10-year state plan to cure chronic homelessness. Jack Gallivan, co-director of the Crusade For the Homeless, said the emphasis needs to be on building permanent, affordable housing instead of expanding shelters.