SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox proposes a simple solution to fight crime, drugs and homelessness in Utah: more swimming pools.
Cox participated in a conversational forum on Wednesday with Sam Quinones, journalist and New York Times best-selling author, on “Breaking the nexus of homelessness, crime and drugs” at the Solutions Utah Conference. The pair discussed the connection between drugs and homelessness, the role of law enforcement in rehabilitation, and how community involvement can improve well-being.
As Utah legislators have created new strategies to help the homeless population in the last several years, the state still saw a 27% increase in chronic homelessness from 2022 to 2023, according to Solutions Utah. During the forum, Cox emphasized the impact homelessness and drug-related crime have had on communities, especially in Salt Lake City…