Utah’s leading homelessness official will step down, leaving behind a state system set for big changes.
State homeless coordinator Wayne Niederhauser will retire Dec. 5, a Tuesday news release from Gov. Spencer Cox’s office said. Niederhauser served almost five years in the role. Before that, he was a Republican state senator from Sandy and spent more than six years as the Senate president.
“On behalf of the state of Utah, I thank Wayne Niederhauser for his exemplary public service,” Cox said in the release. “Wayne met hard problems with solid leadership and a focus on people. He built partnerships, plans and tools that now anchor Utah’s response to homelessness. I’m grateful for his years of service and for the steady foundation he leaves for the next coordinator.”
During his tenure, Niederhauser secured record legislative appropriations for homeless services and opened additional winter beds for homeless Utahns.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished,” said Niederhauser in the release. “Thank you to the teams and partners who show up every day. This work is about helping people move forward with dignity, stability and a real next step.”
Nick Coleman, currently the assistant coordinator, will step into the interim role. Coleman will aim to convince Utah lawmakers during the upcoming general session that plans for a massive new homeless campus and more behavioral health services are worth funding fully.