Cost overruns and budget uncertainty
Independent researchers Kimbley Burnett and Samuel Dastrup found Utah's cost estimates to be significantly underestimated. Based on construction costs from similar campuses in Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Reno, Nevada, they estimated the project could cost at least $142 million to build—nearly double the state's $75 million estimate—and $47 million annually to operate, compared to the state's $34 million projection. The state never made its estimation methodology public, complicating efforts to understand the discrepancy.
Lack of master plan and transparency
State officials acknowledged to KSL Investigates that no master plan for the homeless campus was ever created, despite an October 2024 email showing then-director Tricia Davis promising to present a comprehensive master plan in January 2025 including schematics, program details, cost estimates, and success metrics. The January 2025 Utah Homeless Services Board meeting minutes do not show such a presentation occurring during the open session. Officials cited property search delays as reason for the lack of planning document, but provided no explanation for why no master plan existed nearly a year after identifying the site.
Site location and infrastructure concerns
The proposed 15.85-acre site is roughly half the minimum 30 acres initially specified in state communications. Located in Salt Lake City's largely undeveloped Northpoint neighborhood approximately seven miles from downtown, the site sits outside existing service networks, employment centers, and major transit infrastructure. It also faced earlier scrutiny over its distance from most resources and proximity to the Great Salt Lake.
Questionable effectiveness and mixed evidence
The independent report found that evidence on centralized campuses is mixed, with no proof that such facilities reduce homelessness. Projects with the best outcomes instead invested in permanent housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. The report noted lacking evidence that the treatment approaches proposed for the campus would work, and identified that blending high-risk and low-risk individuals at the facility could worsen outcomes for low-risk populations.
Legal and operational complexity
The report raised concerns about potential policy issues, including possible legal challenges to large-scale involuntary treatment components of the campus. The project's complexity in attempting to tackle multiple issues simultaneously—emergency shelter, behavioral health services, and forced treatment—could present significant implementation challenges.
Current status and funding decision
The Utah Legislature did not fund the centralized campus concept during the 2026 legislative session. Instead, approximately $45 million was allocated toward three elements of Governor Spencer Cox's broader homelessness strategy: creating accountability for high-utilizers, creating housing and emergency shelters, and improving mental and behavioral health infrastructure. State officials said the campus remains in scope for the long term but was not prioritized for current funding. 
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