The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the largest landowners in Utah and surrounding states. Among their real estate holdings are an estimated 1,210 “meetinghouses” in Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties alone (per a 2014 Tribune article). Most of these are large facilities, with many classrooms, kitchens and even multiple chapels.
As the colder winter weather approaches, we are seeing overcrowding in the current homeless shelters for women and families, the soon-to-be-closed Road Home, for example.
Many church meetinghouses sit empty during the weeknights. Could some of these facilities be opened up as temporary housing for the less fortunate among us?