On June 12, the Gardner Institute hosted its monthly Newsmaker Breakfast, which focused on homelessness in Utah. We were joined by state leaders to discuss the state's next steps for homeless services. The discussion included potential new policies, investments, and outreach efforts necessary to make substantial progress in restoring dignity and improving lives. The Utah Impact Partnership co-sponsored the event. 

Utah’s challenge with chronic homelessness reached critical levels last year, with a 96% increase from 2019 to 2023, including a sharp 27% rise just last year. To combat this, state leaders – including state government, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, the philanthropic community, and service providers – aligned to implement structural changes that incentivize and enhance services across the care continuum. We were joined by Wayne Niederhauser, Co-Chair of the Utah Homeless Services Board, Carol Hollowell, Executive Director of the Switchpoint Community Resource Center, and Utah State Sen. Kirk Cullimore.

Gardner Institute Director Natalie Gochnour moderated the conversation.