Governor responds to Salt Lake City’s request for more funding to fix homeless crisis
Jul 17, 2025, 3:00 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Governor Spencer Cox is now responding to the Salt Lake City mayor calling out the state to do more to help the city’s homeless crisis.
On Wednesday, the mayor called on state leaders to do more to solve the problem, and on Thursday, the governor spoke about it publicly.
Cox commended Mayor Erin Mendenhall for the work Salt Lake City has done in the last six months to address the issue. He said they are seeing a difference and are committed to helping that continue.
He made the comments Thursday morning during his monthly press conference. The plan to address Salt Lake City’s homeless problem came at the request of the governor and state legislature late last year.
The mayor rolled out a plan several weeks later, then on Wednesday, gave everyone a six-month update; she said Salt Lake City can’t do it alone, and fixing it requires more state funding.
When KSL asked the governor for his response, he said he agrees with the mayor in part.
“They are not doing it alone, the state is spending more now than in the history of the state, than the first 100 years combined… yet she’s also right that we need to do more. There’s no question about that… it does take all of us working together. I’m more optimistic now than I’ve been in a long time,” Cox said.
He thinks the state will have more of a willingness to prioritize funds as they see actions making a difference, and he said he is seeing that in places like parks and on the Jordan River trail.
As that continues, he hopes the legislature will be more willing to invest in more jail beds, as well as treatment and shelter options. Cox expects the city and the state will get there over the next few years.
Related: Salt Lake exhibit works to humanize homelessness
