COLUMBIA, S.C. — The City of Columbia requested $10 million from the overall state budget as part of its efforts to reduce homelessness.
According to Gov. Henry McMaster’s budget explanation, the money will be used to pilot a comprehensive resource center.
In his executive budget on Friday McMaster said the money would be for a partnership between the city of Columbia, Richland County, and the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.
Columbia city council member at large, Aditi Bussells said the partnership would produce a resource center known as the Hope Center.
“It’s a one-stop-shop of basic needs and core services in order for you to hopefully lay that foundation to come out of this situation of disadvantage,” the councilwoman said.
It would be a physical location that would act as a hub for homelessness resources. Bussells said it’s the next step after its rapid shelter temporary assistance.
“its modeled off of Charleston’s model as well as Houston’s, two cities that have been successful in addressing challenges with people that are homeless,” she said.
According to the governor’s budget explanation, the program in Houston saw a 64 percent decrease in homelessness over 12 years.
But there is concern about blind spots that the city has already seen with rapid shelter.
“Homeless families for children are absolutely left out of any facility any operations that would serve the homeless population,” Lila Anna Sauls the president of Homeless No More, an advocate for the unhoused community in Columbia, said.
Sauls said for a one-stop-shop like the Hope Center to work there’s a need for collaboration between many agencies.
“You have to look at some of the big picture things that we have to address as a community such as transportation such as healthcare such as affordable housing stock,” Sauls said.
The City of Columbia will have to wait for the South Carolina legislature to finalize its fiscal budget before the project can move forward.
As of right now, the city has not finalized a location for the center.