Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homelessness And Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to create fund for property damage near homeless service centers
Summary
The House Law Enforcement Committee advanced a substitute to SB121 to create a small, state-seeded loan fund administered by the Department of Workforce Services and the Office of Homeless Services for property owners within one-fifth mile of homeless service centers to pay for damage repairs; the measure passed the committee by voice vote.
Senator Becky Plumb, sponsor of Senate Bill 121, told the House Law Enforcement Committee that SB121 would create a centralized fund to help businesses and residents repair property damage tied to nearby homeless services centers.
The bill creates a fund managed by the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS) and the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) and allows contributions from philanthropic groups, cities, counties and the state. "This fund would do would essentially be available to assist these property owners if they live within 1 fifth mile of a homeless shelter," Plumb said. She told the committee the one-fifth-mile standard was selected as roughly a two-block radius.
The measure would make 0-interest loans—not grants—available for property owners who provide documentation such as insurance claims. Plumb said the draft was revised to reduce administrative costs substantially: "To give you an idea, the initial fiscal note of my bill was over $800,000. We've done so much work to bring it down now to where the fiscal note is $13,000," she said. The bill includes a $10,000 initial state contribution and a sunset in 2028.
Amy J. Hawkins, chair of the Ballpark Community Council in Salt Lake City, urged support in public comment, describing repeated damage and business losses near the Gail Miller homeless resource center: "I consistently hear from businesses surrounding the Gail Miller about their thousands of dollars of property damage and customer-facing businesses have it the worst," Hawkins said.
Representative Tyler Clancy, a co-sponsor, framed the fund as a pragmatic tool that could help prevent urban blight: "Even just the physical piece of a broken window on a city block can bring more crime and disorder to an area," he said.
The committee adopted Substitute 6 and passed SB121 out of committee with a favorable recommendation by voice vote; the motion passed unanimously according to the transcript.
The bill directs administration to DWS/OHS, requires loan applicants to document insurance claims, and contemplates low administrative costs and private and local contributions alongside the modest state seed amount. It also includes a 2028 sunset to allow the legislature to review whether outside contributions materialized.
The committee did not take further amendments during the hearing. Next steps will be floor consideration by the full House under the chamber's calendar.
