City Talk: Is Savannah turning a corner on homelessness? A look at recent policy updates
This is the City Talk column by Bill Dawers, a longtime contributor to the Savannah Morning News.
In the most recent Savannah City Council workshop, City Manager Jay Melder noted the successes in addressing homelessness in his “previous jurisdiction.”
During his years in Washington, D.C., Melder was a key player in the Homeward DC initiative that has contributed to striking declines in homelessness in the district. The Washington Post recently reported that homelessness dropped by 47% since the program’s launch and is now at a 17-year low.
Melder is creating a “systems approach” to homelessness in Savannah. He said that the new structures and improved communication will address prevention, crisis services, housing and support.
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As detailed in the workshop by Chief Community Services Officer Taffanye Young, the current Savannah-Chatham County Continuum of Care (CoC) Board will be expanded. The CoC board is currently composed of 13-15 members representing various organizations and constituencies, but the board does not have representatives from relevant government agencies.
The 10 new members on the CoC board will presumably include representatives from the City of Savannah and Chatham County. Other agencies that might have a seat include the Department of Family & Children Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Service, Housing Authority of Savannah and Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.
Young emphasized that the people at the top of relevant organizations must be actively engaged. She said that the city will also provide critical staff support, in part through the creation of a new position focused on homelessness.
Young said that Savannah will soon be issuing two requests for proposals to address needs for more daytime shelter and services and for street outreach and transportation.
While it’s fair to be concerned about the added layers of bureaucracy and about the city’s track record in dealing with difficult problems, the new initiatives should dramatically improve communication, collaboration and delivery of services.
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And, importantly, Melder has now made the city accountable.
The Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless has done laudable work in many areas over the years, but the nonprofit has been limited by its inability to control government policy and resources.
At the workshop, Martin Fretty, the city’s director of Housing & Neighborhood Services, updated the council and the public on several ongoing projects that will add about 80 units intended for people struggling with homelessness.
Six homes for families are now under construction at Savannah Gardens on the east side. The city is overseeing the creation of 38 units called Dundee Cottages, which will be adjacent to the community of tiny homes off Wheaton Street.
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Fretty also provided an overview of plans for an apartment building with 35 studios at 916 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., a city-owned parcel that was once home to Savannah’s first Black-owned pharmacy. The new units could be geared for people who have been homeless or are at risk of homelessness.
It will likely take a few years before data is available to track the success of the city’s new approach, but the positive impacts on individuals should be seen much sooner.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: City of Savannah working to help citizens overcome homelessness
