Urgency and Compassion: Treating Homelessness Like the Crisis It Is
At A Place to Call Home, we envision a Spartanburg County where homelessness is recognized as a solvable problem, and where everyone has a safe, secure place to call home.
When I share this vision, I’m often asked: “Do you really believe homelessness can be solved?”
My answer is an emphatic yes. That confidence comes from two key truths.
First, homelessness is a problem we created—and so it’s a problem we can solve.
Homelessness is not an accident—it’s the direct result of policy decisions, economic inequality, and social systems that have fallen short over decades, especially through the steady decline in affordable housing investment. Restrictive zoning laws, soaring housing costs, and gaps in essential social services create barriers that push too many families and individuals into instability. These are challenges we have created—and that means we have the power to solve them. The solutions won’t be simple, but they are possible—if we act with urgency, strategy, and compassion.
We’ve established five guiding philosophies to ensure our approach is thoughtful, comprehensive, and truly capable of solving homelessness:
Homelessness is complex.
People experience homelessness for a variety of reasons—including mental health challenges, domestic violence, job loss, unaffordable rent, and substance use, among others. There is no single fix; we need many solutions working together.
Housing is a basic human right.
Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and a safe home. Stable housing supports health, education, employment, and community connection. Without it, everything else becomes harder.
We must build a full continuum of support.
Ending homelessness means more than providing shelter. We need systems that prevent homelessness before it starts, assist people in crisis, and support long-term housing stability. This includes eviction prevention, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, and wraparound services.
Balance immediate relief with long-term change.
While emergency aid meets urgent needs, it’s not the full answer. We must invest in affordable housing, mental health care, livable wages, and better-coordinated services to address root causes.
Collaboration is essential.
No one group can solve this alone. Progress requires nonprofits, public agencies, healthcare, law enforcement, business leaders, faith communities, and those with lived experience to come together and act as one.
Second, we’ve done this before—we just need to treat homelessness like the urgent crisis it is.
When a natural disaster like Hurricane Helene hit Spartanburg County, our community acted swiftly—cutting through red tape, aligning resources, and helping neighbors without hesitancy. We must bring this same urgency to homelessness.
The data is clear:
Over 3,000 people in Spartanburg County experience housing instability.
In 2023, 1,118 children were identified as homeless in our schools—a 13% increase in one year.
Adults aged 55 to 64 are the fastest-growing group experiencing homelessness in South Carolina, many facing housing insecurity after decades of work.
Nearly 1 in 4 local households live below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold—struggling to meet basic needs despite working full-time.
Eviction rates remain among the highest in the state in parts of Spartanburg County, fueling cycles of trauma and displacement.
These numbers are warnings of a housing system under strain—and a call to action we must answer.
Our Approach: Prevent. Serve. House.
At A Place to Call Home, we focus on three clear goals to solve homelessness: prevent it before it starts, support people in crisis, and provide safe, stable housing.
Preventing Homelessness
The most effective way to reduce homelessness is stopping it early—by fixing system gaps and removing barriers.
We’re exploring Housing Court models that make eviction processes clearer, faster, and fairer for landlords and tenants—helping everyone understand their rights and options and reducing unnecessary displacement.
Working with Strategic Spartanburg and through national partnerships, we’re improving tenant screening and landlord-tenant policies to create a more consistent, equitable housing system. This long-term effort tackles the policies and inequities at the root of housing instability.
Since steady jobs and income are key to keeping a home, our Litter Heroes Workforce Reentry program offers transitional jobs and skills training for people experiencing homelessness. We also partner with the City of Spartanburg to address barriers like transportation, childcare, and training that often stand in the way of housing stability.
Supporting People in Crisis
When people face homelessness or immediate risk, quick, coordinated help can change lives. We aim to make homelessness brief, rare, and nonrecurring.
The Situation Table connects agencies to respond rapidly to individuals and families in immediate danger—ensuring timely, appropriate support.
Homeless Court helps people resolve minor legal issues while supporting their progress toward housing, employment, and recovery. It acknowledges homelessness as a result of systemic failures—not personal faults—and works to avoid criminalizing those affected.
The Homeless Engagement and Response Team (HEART) meets people on the streets to build trust and link them with shelter, healthcare, and housing services—providing urgent care that complements longer-term solutions.
Through the Wellbeing Care Community, partner agencies will be able to share data and coordinate services, creating smoother, more effective support for those with complex needs.
Providing Safe, Stable Housing
A stable home is the foundation for health, opportunity, and dignity. We offer a range of housing solutions designed to help people move from crisis to lasting stability:
A Way Home provides emergency shelter and intensive support to families, in partnership with the Faith Initiative to End Child Poverty, giving children and their caregivers a critical fresh start.
Bridgeway Village, currently in development, will offer transitional housing for women and families, supported by partners including First Baptist Spartanburg and Homes of Hope.
Our Opening Doors program provides rapid re-housing assistance, helping individuals quickly move from homelessness into permanent housing with the support they need to stay housed.
Every program we offer is part of our belief that homelessness is solvable when we act together with urgency and compassion. By preventing homelessness, responding swiftly to crises, and ensuring access to safe housing, we’re building a community where everyone has more than just shelter—they have a true place to call home.
Know Someone Struggling with Homelessness or Housing Instability? Connect with HEART
HEART (Homeless Engagement and Response Team) is a collaborative initiative led by A Place to Call Home, focused on connecting people experiencing homelessness with the resources, services, and support they need. Whether someone is in crisis or simply navigating housing challenges, HEART is here to help.
The HEART team includes two full-time Community Resource Coordinators—April Nations and Steven Greer—who conduct outreach, build trusted relationships, and connect individuals to vital services. They work closely with service providers, law enforcement, and other community partners to coordinate care and ensure that no one falls through the cracks. Over the past twelve months, April and Steven have engaged with 543 individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability in our community. Through their efforts, people have been connected to housing, healthcare, ID recovery, substance use treatment, employment support, and more.
How to Connect:
If you or someone you know needs support, contact HEART at heart@cityofspartanburg.org or call 864-591-4417. Please leave a voicemail if calling—our team is on-call Monday through Friday and will respond within one business day. Referrals are welcome from individuals, organizations, businesses, and community members.
