COLUMBIA, S.C. — Hundreds of members from various religious congregations across the Midlands came together Monday evening for the annual MORE Justice meeting.
The group asked the city and county leaders to support their proposals to help the affordable housing crisis and building safer communities.
The idea is to establish an affordable housing trust fund to assist those making 50% or less of the average median income. According to MORE Justice leaders, they want Richland County Council to dedicate $10 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to get the project going.
Deacon Dianne Deadrick saying the housing fund will help those struggling to pay rent.
“One in five families are in jeopardy of being evicted from their homes," she said.
Going on to say, “For those folks whose income fall at that place where they just can’t afford $2000 to pay for rent."
MORE Justice asking Richland County Council members Paul Livingston and Allison Terracio for their support on the proposal. Both agreeing to support the proposal.
It’s wasn't just affordable housing, discussed at Monday night's meeting. Reverend Jackie Utley saying the organization wants to implement an evidence-based strategy to help build safer communities. Including using $50, 000 dollars to determine what’s causing a rise in violent crime.
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"You can’t fix the problem, if you don’t know what the problem is," said Utley.
She went on to say, “A problem analysis will definitely target, what the problem is in our city that is causing the gun violence.”
Utley saying this program will help law enforcement, social services and the community understand where to focus their resources.
Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann wouldn’t commit the city to that project yet, because he says the city is looking at proposals by other groups to conduct a similar type of research, saying, “We committed to take our program and update it Using a third party nationally recognized and then using that to build a program to reducing gun violence in Columbia.”
Going on to say, ”The group they were mentioning is more law enforcement based when we are really looking for more community based.”
The Mayor and MORE Justice leaders came to an agreement that a group to conduct research will be picked and the analysis will begin before June 1st.