A year ago, LaDonna Sidney said she was living in her apartment and came home everyday a little tired but grateful. She was trying to further education because she wanted more for her granddaughter and her son.
“Sometimes when you go that route, you end up having start back in square one and building again,” she said. Sidney said she moved from Illinois to Utah to find opportunities to build her life again.
After a successful pilot program that started in December 2023, the community was moved to a more permanent location. The microshelters are not the only solution to rising homelessness in Utah, but for some of the residents that live there, it has been a stepping stone to permanent housing. The new community has room for 50 residents. There are paved pathways to each dwelling and a fence surrounds the area.
“I feel a sense of home,” said Sidney pointing out her bed with floral print blankets and new laundry supplies. “I feel a sense of safety and comfort.” She said she felt safe at a Redwood Road shelter where she previously stayed, but felt a sense of home and friendship where she is now.