SANDY, UTAH (Jan. 22, 2024) — The first clients were admitted today to Sandy’s new Medically Vulnerable People (MVP) facility, marking the culmination of a multi-year vision and several month public process to better serve seniors and others with serious underlying health conditions who are experiencing homelessness.
The MVP Facility, located at 8955 South 255 West, is a referral-only, safe haven for up to 165 individuals, providing interim housing, onsite health care and other support services, and helps connect clients with community resources such as affordable housing. In addition to relieving occupancy pressure on the overnight homeless resource centers and other shelters, this new facility also provides a secure space for people with medical challenges and other vulnerabilities who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness to heal in a supportive environment.
“The MVP facility offers an innovative approach and underscores our commitment to assist those who are most vulnerable,” Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski said. “Seeing this vision come to fruition after the hard work, cooperation and compromise of so many is a proud moment for Sandy.”
Shelter the Homeless, the non-profit which owns and oversees the property, along with The Road Home and Fourth Street Clinic, the operator and medical provider at the MVP facility, worked with Sandy City through a formal public process to obtain approval for a code amendment to open the facility. The former Sandy Econolodge was then remodled and transformed into an innovative facility that had been envisioned by Shelter the Homeless and its partners from their experience working with those experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The opening of the MVP facility is an important milestone that marks the beginning of a journey to health and self-sufficiency for some of the most vulnerable in our community,” said Laurie Hopkins, executive director of Shelter the Homeless. “We are grateful for the leadership of Mayor Zoltanski, the Sandy City Council and many in the community who have worked tirelessly to make today possible. We also want to thank the MVP staff and volunteers who are making a difference and will change and save lives.”
In collaboration with community partners, including clients being vetted by the Fourth Street Clinic, the MVP Facility operates on a referral-only basis. This approach ensures that individuals who are seeking assistance are connected to the right channels in a more streamlined process of care. Participants will reside in the facility for the briefest period until suitable, permanent housing or assisted living facility placements can be obtained.