New Salvation Army facility in Columbia?

[krazeeboi]

While perusing through letters to the editor in The State newspaper, I came across this one:

New facility belongs in North Columbia

Since its current facility on Main and Elmwood has stifled any redevelopment in an eight-block area, the people in charge of the Salvation Army should look to uplift the area that it has helped to blight.

A more appropriate place to locate the proposed arts/family facility would be on the Hampton Pontiac site or along North Main to compensate for the inconvenience of having its shelter as a neighbor.

I daily step over or walk around leftover food, beer and wine bottles, personal belongings and occasionally even a person to enter my office on Park Street, not to mention cars that are broken into in our parking lot or the fact that the Salvation Army clientele seem to find it acceptable to urinate in plain view in our parking lot.

How ironic that McDonald

[Doug L]

The Salvation Army should never have been allowed to put their shelter in midtown Columbia! Look at Finlay Park, sandwiched between the Oliver Gospel Mission and the Salvation Army Shelter. Most any time of the day you can find homeless people sleeping on the swings or just hanging around. It is not a pretty sight for a city that is up and coming and attempting to carve out a niche for itself as a tourist destination. it is even less helpful to the poor homeless people themselves.

Somehow, there must be forced a campus environment, outside of the business district and neighborhoods that are being developed in midtown Columbia. A place on the perimeter of the city where the various churches and missions will have a better opportunity to minister to these most unfortunate people. A place with trees, walkways, and lots of landscaping for the homeless to work on. Give them food and shelter? Yes! But also give the ones that are capable of work, work! Don't just turn them loose on the streets to panhandle and be idle.

[Doug L]

PS......

"A more appropriate place to locate the proposed arts/family facility would be on the Hampton Pontiac site or along North Main to compensate for the inconvenience of having its shelter as a neighbor."

I agree! Maybe this facility would help overcome the blight the other has caused.

[GSP Tiger]

It is those sketchy people that makes that area so bad. It causes more than enough disorderly conduct and public indecency. Why build something nice in there if it will quickly become a magnet for hoodlums. Those people need to be taken off the streets and locked away some where.

[sonofaque86]

I have seen two or three dudes pee in the parking lots within the last couple of years.

[waccamatt]

There was an article in the paper recently that one of the Roy Kroc Centers was going to be pursued by the Salvation Army and the University for Columbia. I understand the problems caused by some of the people the SA serves, but if it is moved outside of town there will still be homeless people downtown, because that's where large groups of people are. Homeless people can't panhandle at shopping centers because it's private property. Regardless of where the Oliver Mission or the Salvation Army are, homlessness and panhandling will be a problem downtown. It isn't unique to Columbia, it's a nationwide problem. The only way I know of to stop panhandling is to make it unprofitable. If noone gives money to panhandlers it will become pointless to panhandle.

[emerging.me]

There was an article in the paper recently that one of the Roy Kroc Centers was going to be pursued by the Salvation Army and the University for Columbia. I understand the problems caused by some of the people the SA serves, but if it is moved outside of town there will still be homeless people downtown, because that's where large groups of people are. Homeless people can't panhandle at shopping centers because it's private property. Regardless of where the Oliver Mission or the Salvation Army are, homlessness and panhandling will be a problem downtown. It isn't unique to Columbia, it's a nationwide problem. The only way I know of to stop panhandling is to make it unprofitable. If noone gives money to panhandlers it will become pointless to panhandle.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just an FYI: The Ray Croc grant -- it is a massive grant -- that they're going after is actually not for any kind of homeless or lower-income service facility. It would actually be for a community/learning center built as part of the Three Rivers Greenway and run by the Salvation Army -- unlike the kinds of things they've typically done in Columbia. Something for everyone. It could be a pretty cool thing if we get it.

[krazeeboi]

I'm guessing it must be similar to the Kroc Center proposed in Greenville.

[emerging.me]

I'm guessing it must be similar to the Kroc Center proposed in Greenville.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very close, yeah! They're both in the running for the same type of grant. There are a number of grants for the Southeast region, so it's possible that both cities could get one...but I bet they'd spread it out a little more.

[vicupstate]

I understand the problems caused by some of the people the SA serves, but if it is moved outside of town there will still be homeless people downtown, because that's where large groups of people are. Homeless people can't panhandle at shopping centers because it's private property. Regardless of where the Oliver Mission or the Salvation Army are, homlessness and panhandling will be a problem downtown. It isn't unique to Columbia, it's a nationwide problem. The only way I know of to stop panhandling is to make it unprofitable. If noone gives money to panhandlers it will become pointless to panhandle.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I disagree that moving the homeless shelters to the outer fringes of the CBD would not improve things in DT Columbia. Dealing with the homeless is a national problem, but Columbia has a larger problem in that area than comparable cities IMO.

The Salvation Army and other homeless shelters in Greenville are a good mile or more from Main Street. The level of panhandling and other evidence of homelessness is much smaller. That was one of the first things I noticed about Greenville after moving here from Columbia.

Also, getting more "non-homeless" people downtown will help reduce the visibility of the level of homeless people on Columbia's Main Street.

There was an effort to consolidate these shelters and place them in the Bluff Road corridor, but ole go-along-to-get-along Mayor Bob refused to pick up the mantle and run with it. Such inaction is why decade after decade, Main Street continues to flounder. Why address the real issues, when you can just spend a few million on yet another Main Street "makeover".

[emerging.me]

Well... here's our chance to make a real difference with some creative ideas...

The United Way is working with local government and service organizations to formulate a plan that will reduce the homeless population in Columbia over the next decade.

There's more info on their website. They're asking for people to submit ideas about what can be done to [email protected].

[krazeeboi]

Good. At least someone is being pro-active with the situation.

[sonofaque86]

A majority of the homeless have mental problems. They need more doctors to help them or something.

[Doug L]

A majority of the homeless have mental problems. They need more doctors to help them or something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With a do nothing, Libertarian, governor and a super conservative legislature like we are saddled with here in SC getting more help for the unfortunate is somewhere between forget it and ain't gonna happen. Those idiots are trying to cut help to the poorest among us now.

The place that needs the most housekeeping in Columbia is the state capitol!

[waccamatt]

With a do nothing, Libertarian, governor and a super conservative legislature like we are saddled with here in SC getting more help for the unfortunate is somewhere between forget it and ain't gonna happen.  Those idiots are trying to cut help to the poorest among us now.

The place that needs the most housekeeping in Columbia is the state capitol!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ain't that the truth

[krazeeboi]

The place that needs the most housekeeping in Columbia is the state capitol!

Forget Bull Street, THAT'S where the real looney bin is located.