By Carl Sobocinski and Sean Dogan
By any measure, Greenville is a success story. We’re a city known for turning bold ideas into reality, like the revitalization of our downtown. And while we’ve grown and prospered, we now face a pivotal moment: Will we become a city that ignores those experiencing homelessness, or will we come together to support our neighbors and work toward real, lasting solutions?
Many of our neighbors are unhoused not because they’ve failed, but because our systems have. Homelessness can happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Too many people in our community are one personal hardship away from experiencing homelessness. This risk is worsened by housing shortages, policy gaps and under-resourced support systems.
Despite common misconceptions, many people experiencing homelessness in Greenville are working. At the men’s shelter on Washington Street, nearly half of the nightly residents go to work every day. They are doing their part and now this community must step up to do ours.
The postponement on June 9 of the city of Greenville’s proposed camping ordinance gives us a chance to do just that. We commend city leadership for pausing to engage with others, because now is not the time to rush to enforcement. It’s time to invest in coordination, compassion and community-informed solutions.
This is exactly what Greenville Together: A Home for All is designed to do and is already working toward. This citywide initiative brings together nonprofits, the city of Greenville, business leaders and people with lived experience to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. Our long-term goal is functional zero: a system where homelessness is quickly
identified and resolved, and no one is left behind.
Importantly, the city has already shown commitment, investing $500,000 in the upcoming budget toward our total goal of $4.8 million. By the end of 2025, we aim to rehouse 80 households currently living unsheltered: 50 through immediate placement and 30 with wraparound stability support. Our housing surge is a citywide push to increase permanent
housing options. We have plenty of temporary shelter beds, but not enough permanent supportive housing options for people to transition to from shelters.
The postponement of the city’s ordinance is critical because this work doesn’t start with enforcement – it starts with listening, building trust and meeting needs. It starts with housing that is safe, affordable and supported by services for mental health, employment and recovery.
Homelessness is a real and growing issue in Greenville, but this community has always risen to meet big challenges. Let’s use this time to engage deeply, think long-term, and stay focused on real solutions, because everyone deserves a safe place to call home.
Now is our chance to show what’s possible when we work for the benefit of every neighbor — together. Learn more or get involved at greenvilletogether.org.
Carl Sobocinski is founder and president of Table 301 Hospitality. Sean Dogan is senior pastor of Long Branch Baptist Church.
