SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's House Majority Leader has filed a bill that would block plans for a homeless shelter campus in Salt Lake City's Northpointe neighborhood, angry over what he suggested were broken promises to protect the Great Salt Lake.
On Monday, House Majority Leader Casey Snider, R-Paradise, filed House Bill 253. It would prohibit any permanent shelter over 300 people and shut down any efforts to develop land for what critics have blasted as a "mega-shelter."
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"That is my response to maybe some inaction I believe was committed to on the long-term sustainability of the Great Salt Lake," he told reporters.
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Rep. Snider said tucked into previous legislation he passed was a provision on land trades that broke some conservation easements. But he said promises have not been kept by some of those involved in the shelter land swaps and sales, which included private and public entities.
"I think we should continue to have discussions and make sure people are being transparent and honest throughout the process. If we can resolve these issues, I can resolve my bill," he said.
House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, agreed and said protecting the Great Salt Lake remains a top priority.
"There were commitments last year about the placement of the shelter and the Great Salt Lake. There were commitments made that have not been followed up on," the Speaker said.
The news stunned many environmentalists and advocates for unsheltered Utahns who have protested the shelter.
"We are grateful to see legislative leadership move away from plans to build a giant detention center for homeless people on wetlands. This comes two weeks after President Trump signed a budget bill in which Congress blocked some of the worst ideas for homeless policy that had been proposed by his own HUD Director. Ending homeless is hard work and it is good to see we are not going to waste time on counterproductive approaches that would make things worse," said Bill Tibbitts with FACE Hunger & Homelessness.
