KarunaNews Story

Darin Mann, who lives in a neighborhood five minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, has invited people experiencing homelessness to set up camp in his front yard. Mann opened his impromptu tent area, dubbed Village Camp, in mid-January after other camps in Salt Lake City were shut down. Currently, about 15 people are living in Mann's yard; he allows them to use the bathroom in his house and encourages them to help maintain the community garden he runs in a nearby public park. Mann says he has an open line of communication with his neighbors, some of whom cook food for the camp and donate clothing. He is in discussions with high-level city officials to help keep his front yard village open. We hope that this new camp can be the genesis of something beautiful, Mann said.