City Cast DC logo
Advertisement image
March 8, 2026

'Your City Could Be Better': What DC Needs To Know About Utah's Controversial 'Homeless Campus' Plan

City Cast DC

'Your City Could Be Better': What DC Needs To Know About Utah's Controversial 'Homeless Campus' Plan

00:00:00
View all City Cast DC episodes

Homelessness is one of the major issues that cities like DC are trying to solve. The state of Utah is planning to build a 16-acre homeless campus on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, where unhoused people with mental illnesses or addiction issues could be sheltered and in some cases involuntarily committed. This controversial idea is the brainchild of conservative think tanks, and it’s one that’s very much being embraced by the Trump administration and the Utah legislature. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Salt Lake podcast host Ali Vallarta about how this plan is meant to work, the concerns about forced institutionalization, and why the state is pushing for this even though it goes against the recommendations of local experts and service providers.

Mentioned on the show:


Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! 

We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter

Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey DC

Get smart about D.C. with our news roundup and analysis.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
May 11

Robert White Wants To Be Your New Warrior On The Hill

We’re chatting with DC Councilmember Robert White. He’s one of the candidates running for the job of DC’s nonvoting Congressional delegat...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 10

'Your City Could Be Better': Philly's Bold Nightlife Experiment — Presented By City Cast DC

Washingtonians, would your city be better if the bars stayed open later? This summer, Philadelphia is anticipating a record-breaking numb...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 8

Crime Stats Scandal Rocks MPD, All About That Obama Musical, and National Mall Food Might Get Good?!

Happy Friday. We’re talking about the fallout from the MPD’s scandal over manipulated crime data. We’re talking about the Obama musical t...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 7

Trump's Elite Golf Vision Could Kill Public Access at Hains Point

Does Donald Trump want to hijack a DC municipal golf course from the middle class and hand it over to the rich? That’s what critics of hi...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 6

A Kennedy Center Insider Explains Its Shocking Plan to Dump Art

Josef Palermo is the author of an explosive recent piece in the Atlantic recounting what he saw as a senior staffer at the Kennedy Center...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 5

How Protests in 1991 Changed Mount Pleasant

It’s the 35th anniversary of the protests that rocked D.C.’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood after the police shooting of El Salvadoran immig...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 4

Kenyan McDuffie Talks Housing, Police Crisis, and Why He Won’t ‘Suck Up’ to Trump

We’re talking with Kenyan McDuffie. As you may have heard, the longtime DC Council member is running for mayor. We talked about how he th...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
May 1

Ranked Choice Voting Confusion, Make DC Square Again, Bad Take on WHCD Shooting

City Cast’s Emma Uber and the 51st’s Martin Austermuhle are here talking about the state of the DC election campaign, who’s up, who’s dow...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 30

Your Guide to May 2026 in DC

What are you gonna do this month? We’ve got answers. Aperol Spritzes! Raves! Beaches! Allergies! Jazz! Upcoming elections! Stick around b...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 29

Your Guide to DC’s Porchfests in 2026

It’s almost one of the most fun times of the year — porchfest season! Adams Morgan’s is this Saturday, Petworth’s is in May. City Cast’s...

City Cast DC podcast episode art