How SLC Criminalizes Homelessness
Salt Lake City police are asking for an extra $1.8 million from the City Council to keep cracking down on illegal camps. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that since October, officers have made 60 arrests and written up 152 citations. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will soon decide whether cities can punish people for sleeping outside when there’s no shelter available. But when folks have nowhere to go, what are their options? Taylor Hastings, an attorney with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, joins executive producer Emily Means to explain how the city criminalizes homelessness and what measures could keep folks out of the criminal justice system while trying to survive on the streets.
This show originally aired March 16, 2023
Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm.
Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC.
Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
- Women’s Work: neighborhood caucus night on March 5, 2024.
- Utah Museum of Fine Arts: “Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” exhibition open now to June 30, 2024.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Salt Lake and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Officer Charged in Shooting, Data Center Vision, Cushy Seats at the Broadway
What could the Box Elder County data center look like? Executive producer Emily Means and City Cast Salt Lake contributors Jack Stauss an...

Who Wins Summer in the USA? Salt Lake Makes Its Case
City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson hosts this showdown where 12 City Cast reps, including City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta, c...

The LDS-Mom-to-Influencer Pipeline
From MomTok to Ballerina Farm, LDS moms over-represent on the internet. Executive producer Emily Means asks Fortesa Latifi, journalist an...

Data Center Ripple Effect, Ideal Salt Lake Day, DadTok’s Demise
The conversation around the Box Elder County data center is having ripple effects throughout Utah. Executive producer Emily Means and soc...

Will SLC Be Awesome When You’re 65?
By 2060, Utahns older than 65 are estimated to be 23% of the state's population. Are our cities ready for that? Host Ali Vallarta asks Ut...

'Your City Could Be Better': Do DC’s Hated Traffic Cameras Really Make the City Safer? — Presented By City Cast Salt Lake
Would Salt Lake City be safer if there were more automated traffic cameras? In 2025, Washington, DC, brought in nearly $270 million from...

SLC Council Member Booted, Data Center Referendum, Free Trib!
Salt Lake City Council Member Eva Lopez Chavez got booted from her seat, after it was determined she didn’t live in her district. Executi...

How To Survive Kilby Block Party and Other Concerts
According to the Trib, there are more than 170 concerts to look forward to this summer at major venues in the Wasatch. Host Ali Vallarta...

Is It Time To Stop Saving Lake Powell?
Northern Utah has begun sending up to 1 million acre feet of water to help fill Lake Powell on the Arizona border. How should Salt Lakers...

Supreme Court Justice Quits, Helpful Fires, Epic Ice Cream Collab
Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen has resigned, after legislative leaders pushed to investigate her. Host Ali Vallarta, executive pr...

