Mendenhall reveals public safety plan to combat crime and homelessness
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Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall released a series of recommendations Thursday to help curb homelessness and crime in Utah's capital city.
Why it matters: The roughly 50-page public safety plan was spurred by a December letter from state GOP leaders, Gov. Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz, who lambasted the Salt Lake City Police Department's "ineffectiveness."
Driving the news: Republicans gave Mendenhall a Jan. 17 deadline to develop a strategic plan or face state intervention.
Yes, but: The mayor stressed during a news conference outside City Hall Thursday that "Salt Lake City cannot act alone for this plan to be effective," urging collaboration between state, county and municipal leaders.
- "Each level of government, each function must hold one another accountable or the system will remain fragmented and inefficient," she said.
The big picture: There's been long-standing tension between city and state leaders over how to handle Utah's homelessness crisis.
- In 2023, Salt Lake County saw a nearly 10% increase in people experiencing homelessness compared to the year prior, per a point-in-time count. Historically, homeless services have been concentrated in the county.
- In a letter to state leaders included in the plan, Mendenhall called homelessness "the single greatest challenge that my team and I have worked to address."
State of play: Mendenhall's recommendations include:
- Intensifying police presence downtown and in high-crime areas. A team will be deployed to get drugs and firearms off the street with a focus along the Jordan River, Ballpark neighborhood and downtown.
- Using city-owned property as a temporary location for a year-round homeless services campus.
- Increasing consequences for people who frequently interact with the criminal justice system.
- Expanding mental and behavioral health services and substance abuse treatment options.
- Investing in deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing.
- Commitment to the plan with the help of state and local leaders.
What's next: In a joint statement, Cox, Adams and Schultz said they looked forward to "collaborating with Mayor Mendenhall, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and all stakeholders to take meaningful action, implement the plan and restore public safety and confidence in our capital city."