City Approves $500K to Address Waste and Crime in the Park

Salt Lake City Council Approves Over Half a Million Dollars to Address Human Waste and Violence

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Quite a collection of stories in the Spring of this year from the press about Pioneer Park and the Rio Grande neighborhood. Unfortunately, things are not getting better but worse.

Scott Howell, our former chairman, compared the park to Gotham City. "It's as dangerous and uncivilized as its ever been," Howell told ABC4 Utah News. "We see a greater amount of drug activity going on, sex, prostitution. It has almost festered to the point that its at the boiling level of unconducive behavior for any city, especially a major city like Salt Lake City, Utah."

"Right now what's unacceptable is the pee and the poop that goes on every single day," Howell said. "You can go down there and it's as prevalent as anything."

The Pioneer Park Coalition recognizes the city’s effort will provide temporary relief, but we have a long way in addressing the systemic issues affecting our neighborhood. All these articles in the past few months of homicides and this public health crisis highlight how tragic this area has become. The need for your support and involvement in the Pioneer Park Coalition has never been more urgent- we can do more.

More in the News:

Rio Grande stakeholders demand immediate action on crime, homelessness
By Katie McKellar – Deseret News
Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Business owners near Pioneer Park say one area can’t carry full load of SLC’s homeless
By Zach Whitney – FOX 13 News - JUNE 2, 2016

Poll: Utahns Want to Move Homeless Shelters Away from Downtown Salt Lake City
By Bob Bernick for Utah Policy
Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Jay Evensen: Police shooting shows how Rio Grande Street is out of control
By Jay Evensen – Deseret News
Wednesday, March 2, 2016

My view: Amidst Rio Grande shooting investigation, police should be commended
By Sean Halls – For the Deseret News
Thursday, March 24, 2016

Utah says it won ‘war on homelessness’, but shelters tell a different story
Maria L La Ganga – The Guardian
Wednesday 27 April 2016 10.25 EDT

Jay Evensen: Utah’s homeless problem still rages
By Jay Evensen – Deseret News
Thursday, April 28 2016 12:15 a.m. MDT

Homelessness rose 7% in Utah last year, even as economy grew
By LEE DAVIDSON | The Salt Lake Tribune
Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Audit: State doing poor job tracking job training and education cases
By ROBERT GEHRKE | The Salt Lake Tribune
Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Editorial: More homeless left behind by Utah’s economic boom
The Salt Lake Tribune
Saturday, May 14, 2016

Tactical toilets produced locally could solve Salt Lake City’s potty problem
By CHRISTOPHER SMART | | The Salt Lake Tribune
Tuesday, Jun 8, 2016

Man arrested for assault of Salt Lake City police officer
BY HUNTER GEISEL – KUTV 2 Salt Lake City
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8th, 2016

Police investigate possible connection between Salt Lake City stabbings
BY HUNTER GEISEL – KUTV 2 Salt Lake City
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8th 2016

Some Salt Lake City Council members seeking potties on wheels downtown
By CHRISTOPHER SMART | The Salt Lake Tribune
Friday, Jun 3, 2016

How leaders in rural Utah counties are trying to end the cycles of poverty
By Marjorie Cortez – Deseret News
Saturday, June 4, 2016

Cop Attacked, Bitten by Homeless Man
Randal Carlisle – ABC4 Utah
Sunday, June 5, 2016

Man Found Stabbed in Front of Closed Business
Randal Carlisle – ABC 4 Utah
Sunday, June 5, 2016

SLC Council looks to address human waste issue around Pioneer Park
By LAUREN STEINBRECHER – FOX 13 News
Monday, June 6, 2016

Salt Lake City Council Earmarks Over Half A Million Dollars For Downtown Homeless Problem
Funds will pay for more police, new transportable toilets
By RICK AARON | ABC 4 Utah
Tuesday, June 7, 2016

SLC Council approves new money for portable potties, targeting homeless issues
BY DANIEL WOODRUFF TUESDAY – KUTV 2 Salt Lake City
Tuesday, JUNE 7th, 2016

Salt Lake City seeks public’s help in selecting new homeless shelter sites
By Katie McKellar | KSL News
Tuesday, Jun 7th, 2016