Last week the Governor of Utah boldly proclaimed that he will not allow Salt Lake City to “turn into San Francisco or Portland.” Of course, Governor Spencer Cox was referring to the now ubiquitous association of those two famously (or infamously) liberal cities with endemic homelessness.
San Francisco in particular has become inexorably associated with tent-clogged streets and sidewalks piled-high with excrement. An oft-heard talking point associates that association with the city’s “progressive” politics and its perceived permissiveness. And that’s why Utah’s Republican Governor bluntly declared, "We will not allow that to happen in our capital city."
Although it is true that San Francisco’s homeless crisis is particularly acute, the sad fact is that it is far from alone. And a case could be made that the inordinate attention paid to San Francisco by conservative media is, in fact, obscuring a much larger and far more troubling homelessness crisis gripping the entire nation.
In the week since Governor Cox made his bold statement, Newsvandal collected stories from around the country. And in just seven days, that survey revealed the stark truth about this crisis, which, if he was paying attention instead of playing politics, would mean Governor Cox could say he wasn’t going to allow Salt Lake City to go the way of…
ANCHORAGE, AK: “Officials are aiming to move all of Anchorage’s homeless campers into housing or shelter in October”
ALBANY, NY: “Albany homeless shelter to reopen amid homeless crisis”
AUSTIN, TX: “Austin council members briefed on ongoing homeless crisis”
FORT WORTH, TX: “This summer was deadly for Fort Worth’s homeless. ‘How are we going to respond?’”
KILLEEN, TX: “Killeen homeless shelter likely to close within months”
SAN ANTONIO, TX: “San Antonio’s largest homeless shelter still at capacity after surge of families over the summer”
TAHLEQUAH, OK: “STUDY: Tahlequah homeless population doubled since 2021”
McALESTER, OK: “'We are in a crisis': McAlester holds meetings over homelessness”
LINCOLN, NE: “Human fecal matter, discarded needles among Nebraska’s homeless camp concerns”
TOPEKA, KS: “Sen. Marshall visits Topeka homeless encampments”
ST. LOUIS, MO: “Homeless encampment outside St. Louis City Hall still the talk of town”
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA: “Advocacy group says dispersing homeless population leading to increasing mortality rate”
LAFAYETTE, IN: “Homeless outreach coming to rural communities”
DAKOTA COUNTY, MN: “Dakota County ditches plan to seek state grant for permanent homeless shelter”
FOND DU LAC, WI: “What will happen to Fond du Lac's homeless population? As one shelter closes, another opens”
MILWAUKEE, WI: “Holt Avenue Park and Ride homeless concerns”
LEWISTON, ME: “Maine's housing crisis contributes to a big increase in student homelessness”
PORTLAND, ME: “Portland businesses voice concerns over homeless encampment at park-and-ride”
CONCORD, NH: “New or existing housing for homeless proves hard to acquire in Concord”
MANCHESTER, NH: “Homeless advocates are hoping a new approach in Manchester will help ease the crisis in the city”
BOSTON, MA: “Massachusetts non-profit tutoring homeless children shifts gears amid migrant crisis”
BROCKTON, MA: “By end of 2022-23 school year, over 1,000 Brockton students were homeless”
MASHPEE, MA: “Wampanoag Tribe declares a state of emergency due to homelessness: here's what we know”
HARTFORD, CT: “‘A humanitarian crisis’: Mom and 2 toddlers, 90-year-old woman among unhoused in CT as winter approaches”
BETHLEHEM, PA: “Bethlehem Community Development Committee debriefs 2023 Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness”
HARRISBURG, PA: “Volunteers making showers more accessible to the homeless in Harrisburg”
NORRISTOWN, PA: “Emails show Norristown officials turned down federal funding to fix homelessness crisis. Advocates plan to denounce them at the UN.”
PITTSBURGH, PA: “Pittsburgh groups come together to find solutions for homeless population”
LEXINGTON, KY: “If you’re shocked by number of homeless children in Lexington, take a look around Ky.”
CHATTANOOGA, TN: “Chattanooga combats homelessness: Local organization and community efforts offer hope amid ongoing crisis”
LOUDON COUNTY, VA: “As Loudoun's homeless population grows, local nonprofits are concerned about lack of shelter space”
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA: “City removes curfew at Market Street Park”
CHARLOTTE, NC: “Homeless camp leads to man’s arrest. It’s proof Charlotte’s handling crisis wrong, he says”
OUTER BANKS, NC: “Outer Banks homeless shelter grapples with cut in resources”
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL: “'A viable solution': NSB partners with First Step Shelter to help homeless population”
MIAMI BEACH, FL: “FIU Students Speak Out on New Miami Beach Homeless Ordinance”
AIEA, HI: “Aiea and Pearl City host Community Town Hall on homelessness”
HONOLULU, HI: “Honolulu Responds To ACLU Homelessness Lawsuit”
LAS VEGAS, NV: “Inside Sin City's growing homeless crisis: Shocking photos show scores of people sleeping in makeshift tents and the sidewalk on iconic Las Vegas strip”
PAHRUMP, NV: “Record number seek aid at homeless event”
BOULDER, CO: “Homelessness in Boulder: What’s new, what’s working — and what’s left to do”
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO: “Colorado Springs touts itself as a national leader on homelessness. Unhoused people beg to differ.”
DENVER, CO: “Frustrated Denver CEO dumps human poop from homeless on city hall steps”
GRAND JUNCTION, CO: “Grand Junction residents react to Whitman Park closure”
CASPER, WY: “Wyoming communities are overburdening Casper's social service agencies, city manager says”
GILLETTE, WY: “Council of Community Services at 'crisis point' with homeless shelter”
SPOKANE, WA: “Mayor Nadine Woodward claims Lisa Brown supports 'safe parking' as solution to homelessness in Spokane”
SEA-TAC, WA: “Seattle, Tacoma among cities pushing for Supreme Court review over camping ban enforcement”
SACRAMENTO, CA: “Sacramento's homeless crisis affecting wildlife in American River Parkway”
SANTA CRUZ, CA: “Santa Cruz needs more money to keep its newest homeless programs running”
WHITTIER, CA: “Whittier-area school districts get $200k to help combat student homelessness”
OGDEN, UT: “‘Good energy’: Two Rivers HS opens center for homeless kids, others in need
SALT LAKE CITY, UT: Misty Nomberto: Utah can’t ignore the correlation between dementia and homelessness