Letter: Places for the homeless
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ron Barrett is overwhelmed as he looks over the four shopping carts that contain his and his wife's belongings. Hours before, police officers told the homeless couple to move their tent and belongings two times during the night or risk getting another 'no camping' ticket. Ron's goal was to re-pack the tent they've been living in Salt Lake City, get organized and downsize for easier mobility, but sleep deprivation and anxiety from the night's events wore him down. "They [police officers] call our tent the "Hobo Palace," Barrett said.
Every morning, Utahns creep out of gullies and out from under bushes, trees and doorways where they have spent the night. They roll up their blankets/bedrolls/sleeping bags and place them in a cart/walker/backpack before they go off in search of a place to clean up and something to eat.
You don’t have to go far to see them. Every morning they move around in the city centers as well as on the thoroughfares like Redwood Road. Their numbers are increasing due to the economy.
At the same time, there are large, spacious buildings called stake centers that sit mostly empty. They could be adapted as centers for sleeping and serve a warm breakfast every day. It would be a huge contribution to humanity for the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But what else are churches for?
Sherri Park, West Jordan
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