Rock Hill, South Carolina is addressing homelessness in 2025 through a mix of innovative partnerships, supportive housing efforts, legal initiatives, and community programs aimed at stabilizing and reintegrating unhoused individuals.
Key Programs and Initiatives
Rock Hill Homeless Court
Established in 2023, this court helps expunge misdemeanor records of eligible homeless individuals to improve their housing and employment prospects. It meets monthly at the Pathways community center, facilitating access to justice and reducing barriers to reintegration. The court collaborates with social workers, service providers, and the legal system, serving as a model inspired by similar programs across South Carolina.
Supportive Housing Development
The city has invested in permanently affordable rental units specifically for individuals transitioning out of homelessness. Rock Hill purchased properties for this purpose, offering housing solutions for those at or below 120% of area median income. This housing is a critical step in addressing the high cost of living and providing opportunities for stable living.
Pathways Community Center
Acts as a one-stop resource hub connecting homeless individuals to health, human services, shelter, job readiness, and rent or utility assistance. It emphasizes comprehensive care and service coordination, providing thousands with shelters, meals, documentation help, and employment support annually.
Regulations on Hotel Stays
To limit long-term residency in hotels, which had strained community resources and increased social calls, Rock Hill proposed limiting hotel stays for homeless individuals to 30 nights per year, with exceptions for those enrolled in special programs who may stay up to 90 nights to facilitate housing transitions.
Annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count
Rock Hill participates in this national effort to count homeless individuals, helping better assess needs and allocate resources. Improved digital methods are streamlining data collection, enhancing local planning and response effectiveness.
These efforts combine legal reform, housing development, comprehensive support services, and community regulations to tackle homelessness in Rock Hill from multiple angles, aiming for sustainable, long-term solutions.
SOURCES
(https://www.masc.sc/uptown/08-2024/inspiration-partnerships-help-cities-support-homeless-population)(https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/rock-hill-plans-crack-down-homeless-people-living-hotels/YGPJUAEX65C6LO627V3LGWEFZE/)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrjAbWaJsTc)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy12HKS4hGs)
(https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/sc-news/2025-01-21/a-snapshot-how-the-pit-count-could-help-rock-hill-get-a-better-idea-of-how-to-combat-homelessness)
