Utah Lawmaker Threatens to Block Homeless Campus Over Great Salt Lake Concerns

House Majority Leader Casey Snider says broken promises on land swaps to protect the lake are behind his surprise bill.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A top Utah Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prohibit the state's Office of Homeless Services from spending money to establish a large-scale, low-barrier homeless shelter of 300 beds or more. House Majority Leader Casey Snider says his bill is a response to what he sees as broken promises to create a larger buffer zone around the shrinking Great Salt Lake in exchange for the state using eminent domain powers to clear the way for a proposed 1,300-bed homeless campus.

Why it matters

The Great Salt Lake's water levels have dropped dramatically in recent years, raising concerns about the environmental and economic impacts. Snider's bill threatens to derail progress on the planned homeless campus, a key priority for Governor Spencer Cox. The dispute highlights the tensions between development, conservation, and addressing homelessness in Utah.

The details

Snider's bill, HB523, would also repeal a provision he sponsored last year that gave the state eminent domain powers to condemn a Salt Lake City-owned property for the homeless campus. Snider says commitments were made to increase the buffer zone around the southeast side of the Great Salt Lake in exchange, but those promises haven't been kept. He's 'not comfortable' allowing the state to use eminent domain to overturn a conservation easement on the city property without seeing other land conservation efforts.

  • In September 2025, state officials announced they were under contract to purchase a nearly 16-acre Salt Lake City-owned property for a 1,300-bed homeless campus.
  • On Monday, February 10, 2026, Snider introduced HB523 in response to the lack of progress on expanding the buffer zone around the Great Salt Lake.

The players

Casey Snider

A Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives and the House Majority Leader, who introduced HB523 to block funding for a large homeless campus.

Mike Schultz

The Republican Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, who supports Snider's bill and says more land needs to be protected around the Great Salt Lake.

Erin Mendenhall

The mayor of Salt Lake City, whose office says the city will continue to work with the state to find solutions that protect the community, improve public safety, and help the unhoused.

Spencer Cox

The governor of Utah, who has advocated for the proposed 1,300-bed homeless campus that Snider's bill could derail.

Ivory Foundation

A nonprofit founded by Utah's largest home builder, Clark Ivory, which has been involved in discussions about the land swaps around the Great Salt Lake.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We had some long-term discussions about what we were going to do permanently around the Great Salt Lake, and there were some exchanges and commitments made. Unfortunately those haven't been followed through at that level, local level.”

— Casey Snider, Utah House Majority Leader (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“There are still another few hundred acres that need to be worked out in order to protect encroachment upon the Great Salt Lake. That's the overall goal that we're trying to achieve as a state.”

— Mike Schultz, Utah House Speaker (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“We will continue to work in partnership with the Office of Homeless Services to find solutions that protect our community members, improve public safety, and help the unhoused.”

— Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake City Mayor (utahnewsdispatch.com)

What’s next

The Utah Legislature will consider Snider's bill, HB523, which could potentially derail progress on the planned 1,300-bed homeless campus. Snider says he's open to backing off the bill if land swap negotiations around protecting the Great Salt Lake make progress.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the complex balancing act between addressing homelessness, protecting the environment, and managing development in Utah. The fate of the proposed homeless campus hangs in the balance as lawmakers grapple with competing priorities and broken promises around the shrinking Great Salt Lake.