Michelle Flynn took a moment to soak it all in. As The Road Home CEO, Flynn was on hand for the opening of the Family Interim Non-Congregate Housing program, or FINCH, in South Salt Lake (315 W. 3300 South). The shelter will provide stable, interim housing for up to 85 families. 

FINCH offers private, furnished rooms at no cost, in a safe environment, while allocating resources to help families find permanent housing. 

“Our team members know better than anyone what it means to tell a family with children that we do not have any room for them,” Flynn said. “This is a momentous day that we are celebrating for our team, for families in need in our community and for our entire community.”

Previously a Motel 6, the renovated FINCH facility includes a dining area with meals, a community room, case management and therapy resources, a laundry facility, secured parking, ADA rooms and even a pet area. Each of the 85 rooms is furnished with beds, a table and chairs, a microwave and a refrigerator. A crib can be requested if needed.

FINCH is the first non-congregate shelter for families in Utah and it already has a waiting list. The Connie Crosby Family Resource Center in Midvale (529 9th Ave.) can house families, but not in private rooms like the new FINCH shelter, and it is filled to capacity, along with other homeless shelters in the state. 

Between 2023 and 2024, families with children showed a 39% increase in homelessness, based on a 2024 report by the Utah Office of Homeless Services. Estimates show nearly 17,000 children were homeless in Utah from 2022 to 2023.

“We’re excited for the 85 families that we’ll be helping to get out of their cars and get out of scary, scary situations,” said SSL Mayor Cherie Wood. “We’re a community committed to ensuring that all residents are safe…I strongly believe, and I think many of you agree with me, that no parent should experience the inability to provide shelter for their family.”

Fourth Street Clinic’s mobile bus will offer health care at FINCH and children will attend school as part of the Granite School District. Families can also access Promise SSL, which provides childcare, teen programs, community engagement and career training.

As homelessness continues to grow, it’s getting harder to find cities and communities willing to step up and support shelters in local neighborhoods. The lack of affordable housing, skyrocketing living costs, low-wage jobs, domestic violence, job loss and situational emergencies all contribute to high rates of family homelessness. 

“Children, especially, need stability in a less chaotic environment so they can thrive,” Wood said. “This new non-congregate model is exciting. It’s exciting to see what it will do for these families. We, as a community, have built an infrastructure of after-school programs and cradle-to-career work in our community. We feel like we are the right community to help these families navigate a really tough time.”

The Road Home has a long history of serving families in Salt Lake communities, going back to 1988. After it became apparent that mixing families with other unsheltered patrons was causing problems, the Midvale shelter was opened. Now, families can find safe accommodations at FINCH.

Emily Wegner, The Road Home board president, said a two-bedroom apartment in Utah averages nearly $1,400 a month. The state’s minimum wage of $7.25 per hour makes it difficult for many families to afford housing, even if both parents work full-time jobs. 

“In spite of these challenging conditions, last year, The Road Home was able to move 178 families out of shelter; that’s 639 individuals into stable housing,” Wegner said. “The goal of The Road Home is to connect families with housing and that means making sure that it’s sustainable when they move out of shelter, making sure that they have the appropriate support necessary to integrate into our communities. I truly believe our communities are richer for it.”

The ribbon-cutting was attended by dignitaries and donors, including Shelter the Homeless Board President Josh Romney, Utah Office of Homeless Services Chief Administrative Officer Wayne Niederhauser, Larry H. Miller Company Owner Gail Miller, Shelter the Homeless Executive Director Laurie Hopkins and Midvale Mayor Dustin Gettel.

“We’re so grateful, and this is a day to celebrate, but we know we can do better in keeping families in their own homes, and that’s what’s next,” Flynn said. “So this is the start to the next phase of what we’re going to do in our community to help keep families safe in
their homes.” λ