Voters in Salt Lake County were asked to approve a $507 million bond for public safety and homelessness

Salt Lake City, Utah – Mayor Jenny Wilson of Salt Lake County and council members will ask citizens to support a $507 million bond to aid with public safety, mental health, substance addiction, and homelessness.

With the help of the bond, Salt Lake County’s two jails will be combined into one, and a new “Justice and Accountability Center” with more beds, updated mental health services, and a transitional unit for soon-to-be-released inmates will be constructed. It’s a component of a plan the mayor has been pushing in recent months to address these problems.

The plan also includes human services including links to housing options, treatment for substance addiction and mental health issues, and job training. A presentation given to council members stated that in order to give those getting out of jail a more stable environment, the Justice and Accountability Center would collaborate with law enforcement and the courts. It would consist of resources aimed at lowering the number of repeat offenders, supervision, and a drug-free atmosphere.

According to the presentation, a day’s stay at the center would cost roughly $75, which is $60 less than the daily average for a jail stay. The presentation stated that the county could handle operational issues and the needs of population growth by merging Oxbow and Salt Lake County jails. According to the presentation, Oxbow is close to the end of its existence at fifty years old, and a $90 million investment would only buy it another ten or fifteen years.

The Justice and Accountability Center and the jail would be constructed with the $507 million bond over a 21-year period. It would also pay for the jails’ ongoing maintenance.

Voters would choose to approve it or not on the November ballot, provided the Salt Lake County Council votes in favor of it.