The 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness will be presented at two public meetings later this month:

l Thursday, Aug. 18, 4-6 p.m., 4th floor, Salt Lake City Library, 210 E. 400 South.

l Thursday, Aug. 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m., South Jordan City Hall, 10615 S. 1600 West. JoAnn Seghini scoffs at the danger stereotype and sighs when she hears the term "those people."

She prefers descriptions such as veterans, jobless or mentally ill. And, the Midvale mayor insists, Salt Lake County's 1,500 chronically homeless can make good neighbors. "We're talking about our folks," Seghini says. "Our people who have lost their jobs and need help."

More than a year ago, the mayor known for championing charitable causes joined a county committee to tackle the transient problem. Its mission: mirror the housing-first approach as part of a 10-year goal to end chronic homelessness in the state.

Now, the plan is ready to go public. But before it does, Seghini and former Salt Lake City Mayor Palmer DePaulis will host two public meetings later this month to gather ideas on where to house the county's downtrodden, and how to care for them once they're off the streets.

The chronic homeless - those who don't have a home for more than a year or find themselves homeless four times over three years - are the costliest. They represent a little more than 10 percent of that population, but use 50 percent of all resources.

And the bulk - most are single men - are in Salt Lake County.

"We get the most coming in because of the airport, because of the freeways, because of the bus line," explains Kerry Steadman, homeless services coordinator appointed by Mayor Peter Corroon to research solutions.

Steadman says the cost to the county has never been quantified, pointing to state or federal tax credits used for low-income housing. Corroon has since shown support, he notes, due to the mayor's background in building affordable housing.

Much of the funding for homeless services will continue to come from private sector entities like The Road Home, Catholic Community Services and the Salvation Army. But the committee also may seek community development block-grant money after the plan is officially adopted in October.

"It's not my vision that this will be assumed through county government," Steadman says. "But we will coordinate better to deal with that chronic population."

Besides affordable rooftops, the idea is to find ways to offer drug rehabilitation, job training and even mental-health services.

Still, Seghini fears the perception problem.

"A lot of people say, 'Well, that's a good idea, but we don't want those people in our community,' ” she says. "It's a tough sell."

The mayor hopes to bust bias and educate the public during the upcoming meetings. She even hopes county residents will identify places near their neighborhoods to eventually house more homeless. "There's nothing like sleeping safe and having a nice place to go home to, to make you a productive member of society."

“A lot of people say, 'Well, that's a good idea, but we don't want those people in our community. It's a tough sell.”

JOANN SEGHINI

Mayor of Midvale

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