She said voting for this would be failing her neighbors. It was Petro-Eschler’s first full meeting as a council member and the vote was on a temporary shelter not just in her district, but four blocks from her home. The two council members who opposed the temporary shelter were Victoria Petro-Eschler and Ana Valdemoros. She thought earlier that the motel would be refashioned into apartments. Her restaurant has moved twice before, but she loves the spot on North Temple and worries about how an overflow shelter may affect her business. “I know we’ll make it,” owner Param Kaur said, “but it is just shocking.” The Star of India restaurant is part of the complex and the owners just heard about the plans. The Ramada is at the corner of North Temple and Redwood Road and it is attached to a thriving business. There also is a family shelter for 300 people in Midvale. These beds are in addition to the 700 beds available for the people who can stay at three Salt Lake County resources centers, two in Salt Lake City and one in South Salt Lake. The city also has allowed overflow beds at a Salt Lake City dining hall operated by Catholic Community Services of Utah. The year before that, it was set up in an old Deseret Industries in Sugar House. Last year it was at the old Airport Inn, on North Temple, which continues to be used for homeless services. Salt Lake City has hosted a temporary overflow shelter each of the past two winters. “Despite the fact that our city already hosts far more than its fair share of homeless services,” she said, “I think that our city’s residents would rather have people with a shelter option than seeing people with nowhere to go, freezing and dying on our streets.” Mendenhall has placed a moratorium on permanent homeless shelters in Salt Lake City for six months, but she said she left a door open to adding a temporary shelter. “I’m frustrated,” she said, “how disproportionately and largely unsupported the efforts of our city are to bring relief to the statewide homelessness crisis.” Mendenhall supported the council’s decision Tuesday but also said there’s a growing weariness among capital city leaders. The mayor even set aside $1 million in federal coronavirus aid to support an overflow shelter anywhere in the county, a move she hoped would entice another city to volunteer. Mayor Erin Mendenhall has repeatedly asked other cities and Salt Lake County for more help serving people who are without homes. It added, “We know the neighborhoods in the vicinity have faced many pressures over the years and we look forward to working with the community as we serve our most vulnerable residents this winter.” ![]() ![]() “After careful review of multiple sites, it was determined the North Temple facility would best meet the needs of those we serve at this time,” the coalition said in a statement. The coalition said the 250 beds offered at the Ramada, combined with hotel vouchers and smaller temporary sites, will be enough to get through this winter. The members expressed frustration that other cities have not stepped up to help. 16, 2021, voted to allow a temporary overflow shelter at the Ramada on North Temple and Redwood Road. ![]() (Courtesy photo) The Salt Lake City Council, meeting remotely on Nov.
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