A public meeting to discuss the Salt Lake City homeless-housing issue is set for Oct. 25, from 5-7 p.m. at City Hall, Room 315.

Rocky Anderson has "serious reservations" about the idea of moving homeless services from near The Gateway on the west side of downtown to a new campus further south in Salt Lake City. But not enough to reject the Salt Lake Chamber's campus concept outright.

Instead, the mayor wants to harness the chamber's energy and "good intentions" to help the homeless and perhaps ease suspicions of some homeless-service providers.

After meeting with representatives from the chamber and Crossroads Urban Center Wednesday, Anderson called for an Oct. 25 public meeting to be guided by a facilitator.

"We all need to listen to one another and see what best serves our common goals of providing the best quality services to the homeless," Anderson said after the meeting. "I'm not saying anybody's right or wrong at this point. We all need to explore every option and possibility."

There is little consensus now. Homeless-service providers who have been working on a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness say the emphasis should be on building more housing for homeless, not on new shelters. But Anderson said it may not be that simple. The $48 million the chamber is talking about spending on the campus includes housing and possibly bigger shelters but the the funding formula is complicated and may require the shelters to move.

The group has presented a broad concept of moving The Road Home, Catholic Community Services to a campus a couple of blocks further south and west of downtown. (One block being discussed is owned by the Newspaper Agency Corporation, which prints and advertises for The Salt Lake Tribune and The Deseret Morning News.)

Newer, bigger shelters would be built at the campus, along with temporary and transitional housing. The existing shelters on 200 South would be replaced by mixed-income apartments that would help pay for the campus.

"I don't think what the chamber has proposed is well thought out," said Glenn Bailey, executive director for Crossroads Urban Center after his meeting with Anderson.

"Everybody's talking about housing first. This is sort of housing comes last," Bailey said, adding that he believes the chamber's interest is about helping The Gateway shopping center succeed by removing the homeless.

"The chamber said it has nothing to do with proximity to Gateway, but we simply don't buy it," Bailey said.

His organization wouldn't move under the proposal. Its food pantry is already east of downtown.

The providers that could be moved have said they have questions, but are listening to the chamber proposal. In some ways, they have to. Organizations behind the homeless campus concept - such as Zions Bank and the United Way - help fund such homeless charities.

Other homeless advocates are also raising concerns. Jack Gallivan, founder of Crusade for the Homeless and former Tribune publisher, said the $48 million should go to housing.

"It's an anachronistic plan," he said. "A very logical way to end homelessness is to provide homes."

Crusade for the Homeless has raised a $4.5 million endowment - an amount the chamber has apparently eyed for the campus. Gallivan called that idea "screwy."

Instead, endowment interest is helping to fund a 100-unit apartment building designed as permanent housing for the homeless at 524 W. 600 South. The Salt Lake Housing Authority is part of that effort, although the agency debated whether the apartments should be built after the chamber revealed its idea. The campus would be near the 100 units. Rosemary Kappes, executive director of the Housing Authority, said the project will move forward.

Still, "the housing is better a few blocks away" from a campus, Kappes said.

hmay@sltrib.com