A cold city in Germany has adopted a more humane approach to caring for unhoused people. Ulm has implemented sleeping pods for people that do not have overnight shelter and housing – giving them warmth and protecting them from the brutal weather of the winter season. Perhaps the best part of Ulm's approach is that in addition to protection from the elements, when a pod is activated, a social worker comes to visit in the morning to check in on the person and ensure that they are safe. This approach – of supporting unhoused populations with care and social support, rather than criminalization – is not only more compassionate, it also works!
Sign now to demand that Salt Lake City adopt this model of support and care for unhoused people!
These wonderful protective pods used in Ulm have each been fitted with safety systems to measure carbon dioxide and temperature, and have lighting and ventilation systems. They have also been fitted with solar panels, and have enough room to store each person's belongings, as well as space for a pet! It is time we bring this model to an American city.
Salt Lake City has a large number of unhoused people and a complex, toxic history of treating them inhumanely. At one point not long ago, the city was heralded for its ethical treatment and management of folks without shelter. Since then, though, local officials have been reluctant to fully support the needs of their community, with police notoriously -- and violently – destroying encampments throughout the city, even in the middle of a pandemic. But the example of Ulm shows there is another, more humane way to approach and care for unhoused people.
We must give people who are unhoused shelter and access to social workers now! Rather than criminalizing people for poverty, Salt Lake City should take a compassionate approach and implement a program like that in Ulm. Sign the petition if you agree! 