Photo: Kelli Pierce
SUGAR HOUSE — More people are using the new overnight emergency homeless shelter at night for a place to sleep.
It opened last Thursday. Their low was 60 people one night. It was 125 people at the high point overnight Monday into Tuesday. It’s a 145 bed facility.
The executive director of Shelter the Homeless, Preston Cochrane, says people are coming in who may have been shelter-resistant or service-resistant before.
“I was there yesterday (Monday), and a couple of individuals showed up during the day and wanted to come in. We asked them where they have been staying. They said they had been camping out,” said Cochrane.
Cochrane says the other homeless resource centers are running at 96 to 99 percent capacity.
“It does fluctuate throughout the evening. People may have a bed reserved and may not show up, and those beds turn over,” he said.
Intake is different now. They would like to take each person as an individual case to refer services or shelter options. People should check in at the Wiegand Center or St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall downtown. Catholic Community Services operates those.
“The seasonal temporary overflow would be for folks who may not want to go to a resource center. They just want a place to sleep that’s safe,” said Cochrane.
He said they want to get people to the right place. Those with questions can call the help line, which is 801-990-9999.
The Sugar House shelter is only open 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and is supposed to close in April.
More information on the Sugar House homeless shelter
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