A Conversation on the City's Response to Homelessness

Thousands of people experience homelessness throughout Spartanburg County over the course of a year, many of them within our city. However, most are never seen on a downtown bench or sidewalk. Many are living in cars, in motels, or couch surfing with a friend or family member. Some are single adults, but many are parents or children. The distance between what many people picture and what is actually happening is where this conversation begins. In this episode of the City Podcast, we sit down with Deputy City Manager Mitch Kennedy, A Place to Call Home Director Hannah Jarrett, and City Police Department's Maj. Art Littlejohn to walk through the City's response to homelessness. The City's approach goes back nearly a decade, moving through the initial Homeless Taskforce that kickstarted the effort Spartanburg has today, a partnership that has created efforts like the Homeless Court, the HEART team's dedicated street outreach, Workforce Heroes, and ultimately lead to the creation of A Place to Call Home. The conversation also takes on the questions residents ask most often. Why does someone remain on the streets when help is available? What can a city require of an adult, and what can it only offer? When does a situation become a matter that requires police assistance or enforcement? Our conversation is candid about the limits, discussing gaps beyond the City's control and what it means to work collaboratively to address a systemic issue far larger than any one organization's capacity. The centerline connecting it all is the balance the City must work to hold between the dignity and rights of people living unsheltered, the rights of property owners in our community, and ensuring that our public spaces remain accessible and work for everyone.