SALT LAKE CITY — Federal funding is on its way to the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City to combat human trafficking and the affordable housing crisis in Utah.
HASLC is one of only nine authorities nationwide to receive Congressional funding to expand its "human rights housing" designed to house and support survivors of human trafficking instead of subjecting them to deportation and incarceration.
“By moving them confidentially to affordable housing while providing needed services, we are able to help them physically and psychologically heal from their ordeal.” said HASLC Deputy Director Britnee Dabb.
The project was started in 2020 by the Asian Association of Utah’s Refugee & Immigrant Center in partnership with the HASLC under the direction of Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who was a city councilmember at the time.
Human rights housing helps move victims away from their exploiters; these victims are often in low-paying jobs such as in agricultural fields, on factory floors, or with service industry.
HASLC serves more than 10,000 individuals, more than 85 percent of whom are extremely low income.
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