In The News
The work of the Nomad Alliance has been featured in print and broadcast news more than twenty times.
Please read and watch and see how we're making an impact in our unsheltered community.
Community raises funds for struggling family who cared for dog taken in carjacking
"He was the coolest dog ever, he didn't bark or anything. He was so cute, we just hung out with him gave him food, water, treats, played with him, you carried him around everywhere, the kids and dad were building the doggy a doghouse," said Mariah Mills
Funding in place for sanctioned homeless camp in Salt Lake City
"They get to have showers and water, running water, and bathrooms and trash, and people can get services to them, and we can find people to get them permanent supportive housing," said Nomad Alliance Executive Director, Kseniya Kniazeva.
Deseret News: Does cleaning up, closing homeless camps do any good when new camps just pop up elsewhere? (PHOTOS)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Feb 14, 2021 -- Kelsey Wright moves methodically around a campsite she’s called home for more than two months trying to decide what is worth saving and what will be snatched up in the jaws of an approaching backhoe.
“Devastating,” she said as she tosses two backpacks onto an already overloaded baby stroller. “It’s everything we’ve tried to put together to at least make some kind of livelihood for ourselves. And now it’s just gone.”
Wright and her boyfriend, who goes by Sasquatch, woke up on Feb. 4 to the sound of heavy equipment and county officials asking them to vacate the camp they’d set up with several other couples next to a set of dead railroad tracks a stone’s throw from FrontRunner tracks.
(Caption on the photo on the right, reads: Kseniya Kniazeva, executive director of Nomad Alliance, speaks to Jason Gove about obtaining a new wheelchair for him on Rio Grande Street in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021. A large homeless encampment has formed on the sidewalk where the Road Home shelter existed until it was demolished in January 2020. Numerous grassroots organizations have been formed by volunteers to assist homeless people.)
To read the full article, click HERE.
In Focus Discussion, Providing Mobile Services to the Unsheltered
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Apr 15, 2021 -- Utah’s homeless population is made up of diverse individuals who are spread out in different areas of the state. A number of them aren’t always near or able to access services that are meant to assist them, as we saw with this week’s clearing of the homeless camp on SLC’s Fleet Block. Wednesday’s IN FOCUS discussion highlights agencies and organizations that go to where the unsheltered population is to provide resources they may need.
Kseniya Kniazeva, Founder of the Nomad Alliance talks about where the concept for her organization came from, the services they provide, how they determine which locations they go to, and how the idea of nomads applies to Utah’s unsheltered population.
Click HERE to read the rest of the article on ABC4 Utah.
IN FOCUS Discussion: Listening to the Unsheltered
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) May 13, 2021 – Tackling Salt Lake County’s homeless crisis has been a passionate debate for years. There are expenses. There are barriers. There are a number of stakeholders including business owners, city and state officials, and residents of neighborhoods where serviced are offered. But how do unsheltered residents feel about what’s being done to help provide housing, jobs, and other resources to them? And what do advocates with boots on the ground and the city think their top needs are?
Debra Evans, who is currently living unsheltered in Salt Lake City joined ABC4’s Glen Mills for an IN FOCUS discussion about her experiences. She shared how she ended up unsheltered, how often she has to move from place to place, what she feels would make her life on the streets easier, and what she wants the public to know about the unsheltered population.
Kseniya Kniazeva, the founder of Nomad Alliance talked about her organization, how they help people like Evans, what most people don’t know about the unsheltered population, why homeless shelters don’t work from some individuals, what impacts unsheltered residents the most, and what she would say to the numerous groups (governmental, contracted, and volunteer programs) about the needs of the unsheltered population.
Watch the full news broadcast HERE.
ABC4: Unsheltered mother gifted tiny home before the birth of twins
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) June 7, 2021 – A survivor of domestic violence and an expectant mother-to-be was gifted a “tiny home” in hopes to promote stability and security as she welcomes a set of twins this year.
According to Nomad Alliance, a support and advocacy group for the unsheltered, a woman was gifted a home to better support her new family and support her as she transitions into safer living conditions.
To read original article and watch the news footage please click HERE.
Midvale City Journal: ‘We help each other’—a story of kindness in the Midvale community
SALT LAKE CITY (Midvale Journal) Jul 20, 2021—
One day Wendi Hatfield stopped to help a family in need and ended up being touched by someone else’s kindness.
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She posted on the Midvale Residents Facebook group page and someone recommended a mechanic named Don (who wishes to keep his last name anonymous).
“He came over within moments,” Hatfield said. “He was the sweetest guy. He said the wheel needed to be fixed because it was destroying the car every time it was driven.”
Don started calling around, looking for the part he needed, and Hatfield went back to work. The mechanic spent the entire afternoon searching for the part and finally found it in Salt Lake City.
Hatfield paid for the part over the phone and met Don at The Road Home, where the man had returned with his son. He was shocked that two strangers had worked so hard to help him.
“He looked at me and said, ‘You spent the whole day looking for this?’” Hatfield said. “The guy went to his knees, crying his eyes out because he was so grateful.”
To read the rest of the article, click HERE.
IN FOCUS Discussion: Mental Health Awareness Week
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4), October 8, 2021.
Gunner, an Army veteran, former Executive Assistant, and resident of both of our micro-house communities in Rose Park and later in Murray City, was interviewed live for the In Focus segment of ABC4 Mental Health Awareness week about the intersection of mental health, PTSD from war and homelessness.
Click HERE to watch the full interview.
Deseret News: Salt Lake City mayor bans new homeless shelters for next 6 months
Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Oct 5, 2021 --
Photo Credit: Kseniya Kniazeva, executive director of Nomad Alliance, speaks to Jason Gove about obtaining a new wheelchair for him on Rio Grande Street in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall wants to ban the creation of any new, permanent homeless shelters in her city for the next six months. -Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Article:
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall wants to ban the creation of any new, permanent homeless shelters in her city for the next six months.
The aim, she said, is to take the time to chart a new course for homeless services in Salt Lake City and prevent Utah’s capital from taking on a higher burden than other cities across the Wasatch Front and the state.
The move comes after Mendenhall withdrew her support for a new homeless shelter proposed in the Ballpark neighborhood, saying she would like to see more homeless services distributed throughout Salt Lake County before supporting another shelter in the city.
Read more HERE.
KSL TV: Nomad Alliance serves Thanksgiving meal to unsheltered Utahns
SALT LAKE CITY, KSL TV, Nov 29, 2021 — A group of volunteers worked together to serve a sit-down Thanksgiving meal to dozens of homeless Utahns Sunday afternoon.
The Nomad Alliance brought turkey, potatoes, pie, and all the extras.
Sunday’s event was an extra part to the group’s already planned donation of supplies, like clothing, shoes, blankets and more — something they do every two weeks.
“These are just human beings who are going through a really difficult time and it came happen to any one of us.
Especially during COVID, people are treated as even more disease, people are afraid of even looking at these beautiful humans, so we want to change that paradigm,” said Kseiya Kniazeva, executive director of Nomad Alliance.
See the news broadcast HERE.
KUTV: Tiny Home Evictions Apparent
Salt Lake City, KUTV, February 27, 2022 -- The Nomad Alliance has housed nearly 20 people in micro-homes on several properties in Salt Lake Valley, ranging from one night stay to an entire year of housing.
Listen as KUTV, Channel 2 News, interviews Javier about how a micro home, safety and security has helped him.
Murray City forced the Nomad Alliance to evict our tenants, and end our micro-house program because of lack of permits and sanitation, despite the nomads having access to the bathroom and kitchen inside. Each home was private, had a lock and electricity.
Watch the full new coverage HERE.
KUTV: Mass DMV appointments for the unsheltered are a leap toward stability
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) March, 2, 2022 — The homeless in Utah face many challenges, but one hurdle keeping some from permanent housing and employment is a lack of state ID.
The Salt Lake City group, Nomad Alliance, is the first to offer a mass DMV appointment for the unsheltered, which is great step toward stability.
“You're nobody without your ID,” said William Bloomfield.
Bloomfield's wallet was stolen six months ago.
"And I had an interview for this job the next day,” he said.
Without his ID, he couldn't be hired for the job. He eventually lost his apartment and has been living in a tent. But that changed when the Nomad Alliance came though his camp asking if anyone needed help getting an ID.
Read more HERE.
KSL News Radio: Homeless camp cleared in Salt Lake, camp residents believe they should have been left alone
SALT LAKE CITY, KSL News Radio, Feb 17, 2022 - A busy homeless camp near downtown Salt Lake is cleared out by county health workers, which is drawing heavy criticism from some homeless community advocates. They believe the camp was not a danger to the public and it should have been left alone.
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Even if there are enough beds in shelters, some advocates say many homeless will never go back to one. Nomad Alliance Executive Director Kseniya Kniazeva says there have been too many attacks in resource centers in the past, and safety is never guaranteed. She once heard a wheelchair bound veteran tell her about the time he was attacked in a shower and his chair was taken from him.
“[We’ve heard about] everything from violence and abuse to someone’s boots stolen from under their beds as they sleep,” she said.
Kniazeva also says shelter managers place strict rules on the guests and people are kicked out for minor violations. She advocates for cities to set aside sanctioned campsites where shelter-resistant people can stay without fear of being forced to leave.
Read the rest of the article HERE.
Fox 13: Utah organizations step up to provide resources for homeless individuals during winter weather
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Fox 13) October 17, 2021 — Thursday was a bitter day in the cold for those facing homelessness. Limited shelter beds filled up across the city and dining halls and overflow shelters stepped up to make sure people were equipped to face the elements.
Out on the sidewalks, members of the organization Nomad Alliance passed out hot chocolate, coffee and cookies.
“We’re going to do what we can to save some lives tonight and provide some humanity on these streets,” said Nomad Alliance founder Kseniya Kniazeva.
Kniazeva said Salt Lake City needs more shelters and affordable housing.
“My heart breaks for this population. Nobody should live like this,” she said.
Read more HERE.
Salt Lake Tribune: Camp Last Hope in Salt Lake City dispersing ahead of planned health department sweep
SALT LAKE CITY, Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 3, 2021 -
The tents at one of the largest and most organized homeless encampments Salt Lake City has seen in recent years began coming down this week ahead of a Salt Lake County Health Department “cleanup” planned for Thursday morning.
Organizers have spent the last few days helping disperse many of the more than 100 unsheltered individuals who have been living at Camp Last Hope — which is located in an industrial area in Utah’s capital city near 900 South and 500 West — to shelter, detox or smaller camps throughout the city.
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Kseniya Kniazeva, an organizer with the Nomad Alliance, said she wanted the abatement postponed even longer — “until there is a permanent solution or place for them to move.”
“We’ve never had 150 people forcibly moved from a space before,” she added.
Read the rest of the article HERE.
PHOTOS: Protesters slam Mendenhall, city for dump truck removal of homeless camp
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) April 3, 2021— Protesters on Friday rallied against Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and other officials after the city used 15 dump trucks to clear out a downtown homeless encampment.
Tractors were seen picking up the belongings of those in the camp and loading them into the dump trucks.
Photos of our team members Poppy and Kelly Henry are included in article slideshow.
To see the photos and read the article please click HERE.
