The Other Side Village
Impact score: 50
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Focus: Chronic homelessness from addiction/trauma
The Other Side Village - Fierce Philanthropy Research Report
Date: March 21, 2026 Methodology: Todd Manwaring's Social Impact Evaluation Framework Organization: The Other Side Village (theothersidevillage.com)
PROMPT 1 -- Organization and Social Problem Summary
- Social Problem: Chronic homelessness from addiction/trauma
- Population: Chronically homeless adults with addiction and mental health challenges
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
PROMPT 2 -- Top 20 Negative Consequences of Chronic Homelessness Among Adults with Addiction and Mental Health Challenges in Salt Lake City
| # | Negative Consequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cycling through emergency shelters without achieving stable housing |
| 2 | Chronic substance abuse and addiction relapse without sustained recovery |
| 3 | Untreated mental health conditions worsening on the streets |
| 4 | Unemployment and inability to maintain steady work |
| 5 | Lack of life skills and self-governance capacity for independent living |
| 6 | Social isolation and severed family and community connections |
| 7 | Physical health deterioration from exposure, malnutrition, and neglect |
| 8 | Frequent emergency room visits for preventable health crises |
| 9 | Overdose deaths from unsupervised substance use |
| 10 | Criminal justice involvement and incarceration for survival behaviors |
| 11 | Loss of personal dignity, identity, and sense of purpose |
| 12 | Lack of safe, private hygiene and sanitation facilities |
| 13 | Vulnerability to violence, exploitation, and victimization on the streets |
| 14 | Trauma accumulation compounding existing PTSD and mental illness |
| 15 | Massive public cost burden from emergency services, policing, and hospitalization |
| 16 | Neighborhood disruption and community conflict around homeless encampments |
| 17 | Inability to access or sustain participation in treatment programs |
| 18 | Income instability and inability to build financial self-sufficiency |
| 19 | Premature death from combined effects of exposure, addiction, and untreated illness |
| 20 | Loss of civic participation and marginalization from society |
PROMPT 3 -- Negative Consequences Classified as Intermediary or Ultimate Outcomes
| # | Negative Consequence | Outcome Type |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Lack of life skills and self-governance capacity for independent living | Intermediary |
| 6 | Social isolation and severed family and community connections | Intermediary |
| 11 | Loss of personal dignity, identity, and sense of purpose | Intermediary |
| 12 | Lack of safe, private hygiene and sanitation facilities | Intermediary |
| 17 | Inability to access or sustain participation in treatment programs | Intermediary |
| 20 | Loss of civic participation and marginalization from society | Intermediary |
| 1 | Cycling through emergency shelters without achieving stable housing | Ultimate |
| 2 | Chronic substance abuse and addiction relapse without sustained recovery | Ultimate |
| 3 | Untreated mental health conditions worsening on the streets | Ultimate |
| 4 | Unemployment and inability to maintain steady work | Ultimate |
| 7 | Physical health deterioration from exposure, malnutrition, and neglect | Ultimate |
| 8 | Frequent emergency room visits for preventable health crises | Ultimate |
| 9 | Overdose deaths from unsupervised substance use | Ultimate |
| 10 | Criminal justice involvement and incarceration for survival behaviors | Ultimate |
| 13 | Vulnerability to violence, exploitation, and victimization on the streets | Ultimate |
| 14 | Trauma accumulation compounding existing PTSD and mental illness | Ultimate |
| 15 | Massive public cost burden from emergency services, policing, and hospitalization | Ultimate |
| 16 | Neighborhood disruption and community conflict around homeless encampments | Ultimate |
| 18 | Income instability and inability to build financial self-sufficiency | Ultimate |
| 19 | Premature death from combined effects of exposure, addiction, and untreated illness | Ultimate |
PROMPT 4 -- Positive Results Shared by The Other Side Village
| # | Negative Consequence | Outcome Type | Positive Results Shared by Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Lack of life skills and self-governance capacity | Intermediary | Yes. Prep School program teaches life skills, accountability, and personal management before residents move into permanent cottages. Democratic therapeutic community model requires residents to actively participate in self-governance through neighborhood council and regular resident meetings. |
| 6 | Social isolation and severed connections | Intermediary | Yes. Peer-led community model explicitly designed to rebuild social connections. 4.9/5 resident satisfaction score for happiness, safety, and wellbeing. Coaches live on-site. Regular community events and shared spaces foster belonging. |
| 11 | Loss of personal dignity, identity, and purpose | Intermediary | Yes. "Human First" approach emphasizes dignity, accountability, and empowerment. Residents become active participants in their own transformation. Required daily work and service responsibilities provide purpose. |
| 12 | Lack of safe, private hygiene and sanitation | Intermediary | Yes. Each 350-400 sq ft cottage provides private living space with hygiene facilities. Permanent housing replaces shelters and streets. |
| 17 | Inability to sustain participation in treatment | Intermediary | Yes. 80% Prep School retention rate. Holistic support services including mental health resources and substance use programming are embedded in the community. Residents must be clean and sober and committed to rules to participate. |
| 20 | Loss of civic participation and marginalization | Intermediary | Yes. Democratic self-governance model. Neighborhood council and resident meetings give residents voice in community decisions. Social enterprises (Other Side Movers, Other Side Donuts) connect residents to the broader economy. |
| 1 | Cycling through shelters without stable housing | Ultimate | Yes. 100% housing stability rate -- all residents maintain permanent housing after one year. 60 cottages completed in Phase 1. Plans for 500-600 residents at full build-out. |
| 2 | Chronic substance abuse and addiction relapse | Ultimate | Yes. 100% sobriety and recovery rate. Sobriety is a condition of residency and is maintained through peer accountability and therapeutic community culture. |
| 3 | Untreated mental health conditions | Ultimate | Partial. 75% health stabilization improvement (physical and mental indicators after one year). Health clinic under construction will include mental health services and dentistry. No isolated mental health outcome data reported. |
| 4 | Unemployment and inability to maintain work | Ultimate | Yes. 100% employment or vocational training engagement. 538% average income growth after one year. Social enterprises provide job training and employment. |
| 7 | Physical health deterioration | Ultimate | Yes. 75% health stabilization improvement after one year. Stable housing, nutrition, and sobriety contribute to health improvement. Health clinic under construction. |
| 8 | Frequent ER visits for preventable crises | Ultimate | Partial. $85.2M projected reduction in public costs over 20 years (Phase 1) from decreased emergency services usage. Specific ER visit reduction data not isolated. |
| 9 | Overdose deaths from unsupervised substance use | Ultimate | Partial. 100% sobriety rate eliminates active substance use within the community, dramatically reducing overdose risk. No specific overdose mortality data reported. |
| 10 | Criminal justice involvement | Ultimate | Partial. Stable housing, sobriety, and employment reduce drivers of criminal behavior. No specific recidivism or criminal justice data reported separately. |
| 13 | Vulnerability to violence and exploitation | Ultimate | Yes. 4.9/5 resident satisfaction for safety. Gated, managed community with on-site coaches provides safe environment. |
| 14 | Trauma accumulation | Ultimate | Partial. Mental health and trauma programming available. 75% health improvement includes mental health indicators. No trauma-specific outcome data. |
| 15 | Massive public cost burden | Ultimate | Yes. $85.2M projected reduction in public costs over 20 years from Phase 1 alone, from decreased emergency services usage. Self-funded social enterprise model reduces government dependency. |
| 16 | Neighborhood disruption and community conflict | Ultimate | Partial. Master-planned community integrates into existing neighborhood. Community endorsements suggest positive neighborhood relations. No specific data on surrounding community impact. |
| 18 | Income instability | Ultimate | Yes. 538% average income growth after one year. 100% employment or vocational engagement. |
| 19 | Premature death | Ultimate | Partial. Combination of stable housing, sobriety, health improvements, and safety significantly reduces mortality risk. No direct mortality data reported. |
PROMPT 5 -- Counterfactual Results Shared by The Other Side Village
| # | Negative Consequence | Outcome Type | Positive Results Shared | Counterfactual Results Shared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Lack of life skills and self-governance | Intermediary | Yes. Prep School and democratic governance model. | No counterfactual. No comparison to similar populations not receiving the intervention. |
| 6 | Social isolation and severed connections | Intermediary | Yes. 4.9/5 satisfaction score. Peer-led community. | No counterfactual. |
| 11 | Loss of dignity, identity, purpose | Intermediary | Yes. Human First approach. | No counterfactual. |
| 12 | Lack of hygiene and sanitation | Intermediary | Yes. Private cottages with facilities. | No counterfactual. Access is the intervention itself. |
| 17 | Inability to sustain treatment | Intermediary | Yes. 80% Prep School retention rate. | No counterfactual. No comparison retention rate for similar programs serving chronically homeless populations. |
| 20 | Loss of civic participation | Intermediary | Yes. Democratic self-governance. | No counterfactual. |
| 1 | Cycling through shelters | Ultimate | Yes. 100% housing stability at one year. | No counterfactual. No comparison to outcomes for similar chronically homeless individuals in traditional shelter systems or Housing First programs. |
| 2 | Chronic substance abuse and relapse | Ultimate | Yes. 100% sobriety rate. | No counterfactual. Note: sobriety is a condition of residency, which introduces selection effects. No comparison to control group relapse rates. |
| 3 | Untreated mental health conditions | Ultimate | Partial. 75% health improvement. | No counterfactual. |
| 4 | Unemployment | Ultimate | Yes. 100% employment engagement. 538% income growth. | No counterfactual. No comparison to employment outcomes for similar populations in other housing programs. |
| 7 | Physical health deterioration | Ultimate | Yes. 75% health improvement. | No counterfactual. |
| 8 | Frequent ER visits | Ultimate | Partial. $85.2M projected cost savings. | No counterfactual. Cost savings projection is modeled, not measured against a control group. |
| 9 | Overdose deaths | Ultimate | Partial. 100% sobriety. | No counterfactual. |
| 10 | Criminal justice involvement | Ultimate | Partial. Reduced drivers of crime. | No counterfactual. |
| 13 | Vulnerability to violence | Ultimate | Yes. 4.9/5 safety score. | No counterfactual. |
| 14 | Trauma accumulation | Ultimate | Partial. 75% health improvement. | No counterfactual. |
| 15 | Public cost burden | Ultimate | Yes. $85.2M projected savings. | No counterfactual. Projection is modeled based on emergency services cost data, not measured against a matched comparison group. |
| 16 | Neighborhood disruption | Ultimate | Partial. Master-planned community. | No counterfactual. |
| 18 | Income instability | Ultimate | Yes. 538% income growth. | No counterfactual. |
| 19 | Premature death | Ultimate | Partial. Reduced risk factors. | No counterfactual. |
SUMMARY REPORT
Section 1 -- Our Recommendation
We recommend The Other Side Village for donor support as an innovative and promising approach to chronic homelessness. The organization's early metrics are striking: 100% housing stability, 100% sobriety, 100% employment or vocational engagement, 538% income growth, and 75% health improvement -- all within the first year. The 4.9/5 resident satisfaction score and 80% Prep School retention rate further indicate a model that is working for its residents. The master-planned therapeutic community approach, combining permanent tiny-home housing with peer-led accountability, democratic self-governance, and embedded social enterprises, represents a fundamentally different strategy from traditional shelters or Housing First approaches. However, the evidence base has significant limitations: the organization is still early-stage (60 cottages completed, 32 residents at initial occupancy), and there are no counterfactual measurements of any kind -- no control groups, no matched comparisons, no external benchmarks. The 100% sobriety rate reflects a residency requirement (sobriety is mandatory), which introduces selection effects. The $85.2M cost savings figure is a model-based projection, not a measured outcome. As the Village scales toward its 500-600 resident target, building a rigorous evidence base with comparison data will be critical to validating these promising early results.
Seven-Point Evaluation:
- a. Understands the Social Issue
- b. Has Intermediate Outcome Goals
- c. Has Ultimate Outcome Goals
- d. Measures these Intermediate & Ultimate Outcomes
- e. Measures Intermediate Counterfactuals
- f. Measures Ultimate Counterfactuals
- g. Evidence of Continual Learning & Adaptation
Section 2 -- The Social Problem
Chronic homelessness in Salt Lake City -- and across the United States -- represents one of the most intractable social problems in the country. Chronically homeless individuals, defined as those who have experienced homelessness for at least a year or repeatedly while struggling with a disabling condition, cycle through emergency shelters, hospitals, jails, and the streets without ever achieving lasting stability. In Salt Lake City, this population faces intersecting crises of addiction, untreated mental illness, and trauma. Traditional interventions -- emergency shelters, transitional housing, and conventional treatment programs -- often fail to produce durable outcomes because they address symptoms in isolation without creating the sustained community, accountability, and purpose that lasting recovery requires. The consequences are devastating for the individuals (premature death, overdose, untreated illness, victimization) and costly for the public (emergency room visits, policing, incarceration, and hospitalization). Studies estimate that a single chronically homeless individual costs public systems $30,000-$50,000 or more per year.
Section 3 -- The Solution
The Other Side Village is a master-planned therapeutic community in Salt Lake City designed to end chronic homelessness through four integrated components:
- Permanent Housing: The Village provides 350-400 sq ft permanent cottages -- not transitional or temporary housing. Phase 1 includes 60 completed cottages, with plans for 500-600 residents at full build-out. Homes were built through partnerships with local schools, community volunteers, and inmates from Utah prisons, reducing costs while building shared investment.
- Prep School: Before moving into the Village, residents complete a preparatory stabilization program focused on mental health, accountability, and life skills. The Prep School has an 80% retention rate and serves as the gateway to permanent Village residency. Residents must be chronically homeless, clean and sober, and committed to community rules.
- Peer-Led Democratic Therapeutic Community: The Village is self-governing -- residents participate in neighborhood council meetings, make collective decisions, and hold each other accountable. Coaches live on-site to provide guidance. The model emphasizes that lasting change comes from peer relationships and community belonging, not top-down case management.
- Economic Integration Through Social Enterprise: Social enterprises (Other Side Movers, Other Side Donuts) generate revenue for the Village while providing residents with real employment and vocational training. 100% of residents are engaged in employment or vocational training. A health clinic (mental health, dentistry) and grocery store are under construction, both offering additional employment opportunities.
Section 4 -- Key Outputs
- 60 housing units completed (Phase 1)
- 32 residents at initial occupancy (as of late 2025)
- 500-600 residents planned at full build-out
- 350-400 sq ft per cottage
- 80% Prep School retention rate
- Social enterprises: Other Side Movers, Other Side Donuts
- On-site coaches living in the community
- Neighborhood council and regular resident meetings
- Health clinic under construction (mental health, dentistry)
- Grocery store under construction (with resident employment)
- Homes built through partnerships with local schools, community volunteers, and prison inmates
- No cost to residents for housing
- $85.2M projected public cost savings over 20 years from Phase 1
Section 5 -- Key Intermediate Outcomes
The Other Side Village tracks several intermediate outcomes reflecting behavioral and life-skill changes among residents:
- Treatment retention: 80% Prep School retention rate, indicating that 4 out of 5 chronically homeless individuals who enter the preparatory program complete it and transition to permanent Village residency.
- Self-governance capacity: Residents participate in democratic community governance through neighborhood council and regular meetings, developing the decision-making and accountability skills needed for independent living.
- Social connection and belonging: 4.9/5 resident satisfaction score for happiness, safety, and wellbeing, indicating successful rebuilding of social bonds and community belonging that were severed during chronic homelessness.
- Dignity and purpose: Human First approach combined with daily work and service responsibilities provides residents with sense of identity and purpose. Peer mentorship model allows experienced residents to guide newcomers.
- Access to hygiene and basic needs: Private cottages with hygiene facilities replace the deprivation of street homelessness and shared shelter facilities.
Counterfactual note: No intermediate counterfactual measurements are reported. The organization does not compare intermediate outcomes against a control group or matched population receiving different interventions.
Section 6 -- Key Ultimate Outcomes
The Other Side Village reports strong early ultimate outcomes across multiple dimensions:
- Housing stability: 100% of residents maintain permanent housing after one year. This represents a fundamental shift from the cycling through shelters and streets that defines chronic homelessness.
- Sobriety and recovery: 100% sobriety and recovery rate. Note: sobriety is a condition of residency and is maintained through peer accountability. This introduces selection effects -- residents who relapse presumably leave the community, which would maintain the 100% rate among current residents.
- Employment and income: 100% employment or vocational training engagement. 538% average income growth after one year. Social enterprises provide the primary employment pathway.
- Health improvement: 75% health stabilization improvement (physical and mental indicators) after one year.
- Public cost savings: $85.2M projected reduction in public costs over 20 years from Phase 1, from decreased emergency services, hospitalization, and criminal justice usage. This is a model-based projection, not a measured outcome.
- Safety: 4.9/5 resident satisfaction score for safety, indicating residents feel protected from the violence and exploitation they experienced during homelessness.
Counterfactual note: No ultimate counterfactual measurements are reported. There is no control group, matched comparison, or external benchmark study. The organization does not compare its residents' outcomes to those of similar chronically homeless individuals in traditional shelter systems, Housing First programs, or other interventions. The $85.2M cost savings figure is modeled, not measured against actual comparison data.
Section 7 -- Continual Learning & Adaptation
The Other Side Village demonstrates meaningful commitment to learning and adaptation, particularly for an early-stage organization:
Know-by-Name Phase 2: The Village participates in a shared outcomes framework ("Know-by-Name Phase 2") that refines exit criteria and performance measures collaboratively with partner organizations. This represents a systematic approach to defining and measuring success in coordination with the broader homelessness response ecosystem.
Prep School Model Development: The creation of the Prep School as a gateway to Village residency reflects learning about what chronically homeless individuals need before transitioning to permanent community living -- a stabilization phase that addresses immediate barriers (sobriety, accountability, life skills) before the longer-term community integration begins.
Phased Build-Out: The decision to start with 60 cottages (Phase 1) before scaling to 500-600 allows the organization to test and refine the community model at smaller scale before committing to full build-out. This phased approach creates natural learning cycles.
Infrastructure Expansion: The construction of an on-site health clinic (mental health and dentistry) and grocery store represents responsive adaptation to identified resident needs -- recognizing that housing stability alone is insufficient without accessible healthcare and nutritious food.
Social Enterprise Evolution: The development of multiple social enterprises (movers, donuts) reflects iterative learning about which businesses best serve the dual purpose of generating revenue and providing meaningful vocational training for residents.
Democratic Governance Model: Allowing residents to self-govern through neighborhood council and regular meetings creates a built-in feedback mechanism where resident voices directly shape community operations and policies.
Partnership-Based Construction: Building homes through partnerships with local schools, community volunteers, and prison inmates represents creative problem-solving that reduces costs while deepening community investment and creating additional rehabilitation opportunities.
Report prepared using Todd Manwaring's Social Impact Evaluation Framework for Fierce Philanthropy. Sources: theothersidevillage.com, fiercephilanthropy.org/blog/the-other-side-village, NPR, Utah Stories, BYU Magazine, HomeAid Utah.
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