A partnership to propel collective action to address homelessness in Greenville County
Homelessness, in Greenville, South Carolina as in many places, is an ongoing and complex issue. Housing insecurity and homelessness can result from economic issues like unemployment, lack of affordable housing, or insufficient income from low-wage jobs, among other things; in many cases, mental health problems or substance abuse play a role, especially with the chronically homeless.
In January 2017, there were around 1,314 people experiencing homelessness in upstate South Carolina, of those 626 were in Greenville County. This annual HUD Point-in-Time (PIT) Count only includes people who are in emergency shelters or transitional housing or are unsheltered. It is widely accepted that the actual number of people who are homeless is higher, especially given that the count took place during warmer weather this year. A broader definition of homelessness includes people living in motels, with family or friends, in jail or a treatment facility, and other tenuous or temporary settings. Greenville County Schools had 1089 students experiencing homelessness at the end of the 2017- 2018 school year under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
The Greenville Homeless Alliance (GHA) is a collaboration of individuals and organizations seeking and creating solutions for those lacking a fixed, regular or adequate nighttime residence. Partners engaged in the GHA aim to maximize community assets and pool resources. We invite our entire community to make a fierce commitment and join us in the creation of systemic and empathetic solutions that will make homelessness brief and rare.
Vision: Safe, affordable homes for everyone
Mission: To strengthen partnerships and broaden support in an effort to increase options for individuals or families who are experiencing homelessness and who are seeking stability and a safe, affordable home.
Goals: Make homelessness brief and rare
1. Reduce the duration of homelessness for individuals and families by increasing affordable housing options
2. Prevent homelessness by expanding effective support services available to families at risk of experiencing homelessness
The GHA is governed by a steering committee, which sets the strategic priorities, coordinates action and ensures the financial and human resources to support the collective agenda are available. Action is largely advanced through committees. The legal and fiscal host for the GHA is United Ministries. The GHA has identified the Collective Impact framework as a basis for partnership. There are five key elements of Collective Impact: having a common agenda, common progress measures, coordination of mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication and support of the partnership through a host organization.
Greenville Homeless Alliance Structure
Committees
Steering – serves as the governing body of the GHA, providing strategic leadership, fiscal oversight and coordinating support to the partnership.
Data – works to improve the data gathering, management and dissemination capacities of individual agencies and collectively as a system of providers in the Greenville area to increase the effectiveness of programs, services, policies and resources aimed at making homelessness brief and rare.
Permanent Supportive Housing – works to expand permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in Greenville County. The committee is collecting economic data from a local evidence-based model, Reedy Place, and will develop a business plan for expansion.
Medical Respite – works to establish a medical respite program for individuals experiencing homelessness who are being discharged from the hospital, but who need additional medical care and healing support before being released. The program will reduce health care costs from medical complications that occur when homeless individuals are discharged back to the streets.
Second Chance Housing – works to develop and pilot the 2nd Chance Program for Homeless Families with School Aged Children. The committee is developing a training and certification program for parents with multiple evictions, partnering with landlords willing to give families a second chance and strengthening wrap around services that support stabilization of housing. Referrals will come from school counselors who identify eligible parents of children who are experiencing homelessness.
Education & Advocacy – works to increase community awareness of the complexities of homelessness and advocate for local solutions, namely the supply of affordable housing, adequate support services and the policies and resources needed to implement these solutions. This committee is increasingly being called upon as the collective voice of the GHA to present to business, community groups and elected leaders.
Motel Closure and Response Plan – works to develop a coordinated approach to mitigating and responding to motel closures in Greenville County and, more specifically, address the immediate needs of individuals and families residing in motels for extended periods of time.
Mediation within the “Homeless Triangle” – coordinating ongoing education and awareness in this area and serving as communications point for concerns and generating local solutions. The Upstate Mediation Center is a partner in this work.
Questions? Contact: Susan McLarty, GHA Coordinator at [email protected] or 568-5791
