Task Force Calls for 140-Bed Comprehensive Homeless Shelter
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
A coalition of nonprofits, churches, local government representatives and others have been working on a plan to provide long-term solutions for helping those who are unhoused in Anderson County find ways to overcome issues and barriers which led to their being homeless.
On Friday, the group presented the white paper: "A Collective Approach to Reduce Homelessness and Protect Economic Health and Safety in Anderson County," outlining the current needs and outlining ideas which could lead to concrete action to address the issues. The document summarizes recommendations from the Task Force Seeking Solutions to Local Homelessness, formed in 2024 by community leaders
The task force identified the need for more shelter beds in Anderson County. Currently, Anderson has the highest percentage of unsheltered homeless people. This represents 78 percent of the homeless population in the area. Meanwhile, Spartanburg County has three times the number of shelter beds as Anderson and even Oconee County has more shelter beds.
The findings also suggested moving all services away from the downtown Anderson business district.
The white paper calls for a new A 140-bed facility for men, women, and families, located away from downtown which would include case management, mental health services, options for night employment, and allow residents to stay during the day if actively pursuing goals, with an expectation of sobriety. This would include a dedicated "Silver Shelter" beds for seniors and beds for single parents with children.
“Anderson desperately needs at least 140 or more beds for homeless shelters,” said Reid Lehman, former CEO of Miracle Hill in Greenville. “And by shelter, I don't mean just a place to flop, but I mean a place where you can stay, receive case management, receive mental health counseling, receive medical care, get a job, and then stay there until you can earn enough money to move out on your own.”
Lehman, who still works for Miracle Hill, was asked last summer to help evaluate needs in Anderson County by Newspring Church.
“I've been here since September, coming over two or three times a month, pulling together a steering committee of people to work on the issue and to do as much research as we can to try to get good comparatives between Anderson and other counties, with the goal of saying: 'Can we agree? Can we agree on the problem? And then can we agree on solutions?' said Lehman. “And so far we've gotten remarkable agreement both on the capacity and how we compare and what we think are pretty good solutions going forward."
The county faces a growing challenge with the increase in the number of homeless individuals in Anderson County with the number of chronic homeless individuals nearly tripling between 2024 and 2025, according to results from the 2025 Upstate CoC Point in Time Count (PIT). (It’s important to note that more people were surveyed in 2025 potentially accounting for some of the increase.) The number continues to grow, especially among the population over the age of 50.
"One of the biggest challenges is that you've waited too long to work on the problem,” Lehman said. “Perhaps there would be some city and county help. But even if not, I think the community, if they really had a vision for what would be possible, would come to fund it privately. And after it's operational, I think it would be primarily private funds.”
He said that all other options should be considered before asking Miracle Hill to locate a facility in Anderson.
"I think we would look at every other option first,” said Lehman. “If there's someone here, if there's a champion that will step up to the plate, we would love to have a homegrown solution. If no one stepped up, and Miracle Hill was asked, I think they would consider it. But that certainly was never their intent in sending me here.”
He also praised the work of those already on the ground working with those in need in Anderson.
“There are so many people doing good work,” said Lehman. “As I've been here, I've had a chance to interview the Major of the Salvation Army, Haven of Rest, Kristi Brock-King, Nate Knox, Dave Phillips and Zoe Hale, The Bridge Center. There are so many people doing really good things already. The challenge that we have is nobody currently can do this idea of this one-stop shop with case management and everything else. So, if this is established, I think there's still a place for all of them. This is not to put down anybody else who's currently serving. It's just to say, as our numbers keep growing and the chronic homeless issue gets more and more polarizing, something's got to be done."
Anderson County Councilman Chris Sullivan said the cooperative effort is important.
“You are never going to have zero homelessness,” said Sullivan. “But you can have zero increase. That is kind of the plan here.” Sullivan said helping people get off the streets and get the help they need are the first steps and then help them find housing.
“We want to do it the right way.”
Sullivan said the county has been working with Hope Missions of the Upstate on a village to help alleviate some of the problems with transitional housing on the old Riverside Mill site property, which the county donated to the ministry.
