Frequently Asked Questions

The Other Side Village will be designed for safety. But design elements like biometric-controlled access to neighborhoods and camera surveillance are secondary methods. The primary method for maintaining safety in any community is for every citizen to be vigilant in addressing even the smallest of risks. From their first experience in the Welcome Neighborhood (the intensive and supportive orientation program that will help new neighbors learn the succeed in Village life), new neighbors will learn their responsibility to identify and take action to address things that compromise the safety of the community. We believe that if people feel comfortable routinely addressing little things (like litter, neglect of community property or any antisocial behavior), bigger things (crime, drug dealing, theft or violence) are far less likely to occur. 

It is this very neighborly culture that accounts for the fact that The Other Side Academy is one of the safest places in Salt Lake City. In spite of the fact that the campus houses those with long criminal histories coming from rival gangs, there has never been an act of violence on campus. This is also why adult probation and parole has never reported a dirty drug test administered to our students – all of whom have long histories of addiction. We are proud to say we are safer and soberer than a BYU dorm! And the reason is that we are all responsible for and to one another. 

We commit to making The Other Side Village the safest place in our new neighborhood as well.

Individuals living in The Other Side Village are required to follow three primary community covenants. Residents must:

1. Pay rent on time.
2. Abide by civil law.
3. Follow the rules of the community itself (similar to HOA or Homeowners Association for a neighborhood).

The Other Side Village offers permanent supportive housing for those who experience chronic homelessness, including those with one or more serious disabilities. The only requirement is that new neighbors eventually be capable of living independently. We define chronic homelessness as any person with a disability who has been living in a place not meant for human habitation for the last 12 months continuously or on multiple occasions that cumulatively total at least 12 months.