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by Frank Curreri
People living on the streets of Salt Lake City are not yet clamoring to get
into homeless shelters despite the week's snow and subfreezing
temperatures.
Up to 6 inches of snow fell in the Salt Lake Valley on Thursday and
temperatures reached a chilling low of 28 degrees early Friday morning,
according to the National Weather Service. But of the 2,000 to 3,000
homeless people in the Salt Lake area, only about 555 sought beds at
shelters, said Pamela Atkinson, vice president of Mission Services, a local
group that helps impoverished people.
That left at least 320 beds unclaimed at shelters in Salt Lake City and
Midvale.
Atkinson said she had expected more homeless people to flock to the
shelters, but "a lot of the men just told me they were going to continue to
camp out because they like their freedom."
Many have stayed away so they could arrive early to stand in line at a
temporary job placement agency, Atkinson said. Lines sometimes begin
forming around 5 a.m., and those in the front often stand a better chance
of getting work. Several agencies have handed out warm clothing, blankets
and sleeping bags to many homeless people who are braving the cold, she
said.
However, Atkinson said many homeless men who skipped the shelter have told
her that if it gets much colder, they may come in.
A more intense cold front and significant snowfall could engulf the Wasatch
Front by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing temperatures in the mid-teens, the
National Weather Service reported.
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