Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has issued yet another call to the Utah Legislature to more seriously consider funding requests to bolster the state’s homeless system.
The mayor held a news conference on Wednesday hours after the Utah Office of Homeless Services released its annual report — which showed an 18% increase in the number of Utahns experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, according to the 2025 Point-in-Time Count.
That number “should be heard as a battle cry,” Mendenhall said outside City Hall, “to bring more energy, focus and leadership to this issue by our state Legislature.”
“I want to be clear that I’m standing here before you today because I’m deeply concerned about the trajectory of homelessness in the state of Utah and in our capital city,” she said. “And once more, I’m extremely concerned by the lack of forward momentum from legislative leaders to address this growing statewide crisis.”
On Wednesday, Mendenhall pointed to the state’s newly released homelessness data as evidence that the state’s homeless system is facing growing needs. That report also showed the number of Utah children experiencing homelessness increased by 22% and the number of unhoused Utahns over the age of 64 rose 42%.
“To our state leaders, your partners are here. We are ready and willing to work with you. And the changes that are needed are clear,” Mendenahall said, noting that city leaders have made a proposal to increase homeless shelter capacity, but it lacks state funding.
“As your partners, we have a plan for 1,300 more shelter beds. We have made land available, yet as of today, we have only one-third of the capital funding needed to build the first phase, and not a penny of operational capital.”
‘Our citizens expect results, not finger-pointing,’ governor and legislative leaders say
In response to Mendenhall’s call, however, Utah’s top Republican leaders — Gov. Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper — issued a joint statement saying the state has invested hundreds of millions in homeless services in recent years. And they urged Mendenhall to “turn down the politics.”
“Over the past five years, the state has made the largest investment in homeless services in our state’s history, spending more than $266 million on addressing homelessness. That includes setting aside $25 million to build a transformative campus,” Cox, Adams and Schultz said.
They added that across the nation, “addressing homelessness is primarily a city and county responsibility, but in Utah, the state has stepped up as a committed partner, working alongside local governments and the private sector to find real solutions.”
“The state remains committed to enhancing public safety and maintaining order, but lasting solutions require collaboration and partnership from the city, county and private sector leaders,” they added.
While Cox, Adams and Schultz said they’ve been “encouraged” by newly-appointed Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd’s efforts to improve safety in Salt Lake City, “it’s frustrating to continuously take one step forward and two steps back with Salt Lake City.”
“The city needs to stay focused on its core responsibility of protecting its citizens, keeping streets safe and clean and making our capital a place Utahns can be proud of and visitors want to experience,” they said. “We urge Mayor Mendenhall to turn down the politics and keep working with us to find practical and lasting solutions to this complex issue. Our citizens expect results, not finger-pointing.”
‘Salt Lake City is making good on our part’
This marks the second time in less than a month that the mayor of Utah’s capital city has called on the Republican-controlled Legislature to take city requests more seriously for more funding to more holistically address crime, substance abuse, affordable housing and homeless services.
Last month, Mendenhall said she was “disappointed” in the lack of progress from the Legislature to adhere to a list of recommendations she included the public safety plan she presented in response to demands from state leaders, who had grown frustrated with crime, drugs and illegal camping in Salt Lake City ahead of the 2025 Legislature.
The mayor on Wednesday again pointed to her public safety plan and the actions the Salt Lake City Police Department took to increase enforcement and address homelessness.
“Salt Lake City is making good on our part,” she said. “But the reality is, this is a humanitarian crisis. This is not something we can police our way out of. … Salt Lake City is taking enforcement as far as we can, and to little avail.”
The mayor said Salt Lake City police are on pace to set records for total arrests this year, “thanks in part to increased proactive policing by our officers.” She also noted that overall citywide crime remains at or below a 16-year low.
“We are enforcing our laws,” she said, “but the sad reality is that without more mental health treatment, more shelter beds, more permanent supportive housing and more capacity in our jails, too many people remain on our streets.”
Mendenhall said it should come as no surprise that the state’s homeless population is increasing “due to financial and economic pressures” along with a longstanding housing shortage and home and rental prices that have skyrocketed over the past five years.
“There are simply not enough options for housing, shelter beds, treatment centers or social services to meet the demand in this state,” she said.
The 2026 Utah Legislature’s general session is scheduled to convene on Jan. 20. Acknowledging that’s months away, Mendenhall said the need is “startling,” so she’s issuing the call now.
“I’m telling you now, in the middle of our warmest months, that the situation is dire,” she said.
This story was originally published by Utah News Dispatch, read the full article here.
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About the Author
Katie McKellar covers Utah government as a senior reporter for Utah News Dispatch. She specializes in political reporting, covering the governor and the Utah Legislature, with expertise in beats including growth, housing and homelessness.
