Columbia staff outline task force progress, PIT-count concerns, budget and pilot plan for unsheltered residents

City of Columbia staff and the task force to prevent and end homelessness reported progress in shelter and outreach programs while flagging limits in federal PIT (point-in-time) counts and laying out a short-term blueprint and consultant search to guide expanded services.

The task force chair, Audity Bostles, told the ad hoc committee the city has stood up a Homeless Services department and a rapid-shelter program that moved nearly 100 people into permanent housing. Staff also said they are expanding coordinated outreach and after-5 response capacity and are seeking to strengthen partnerships with providers, law enforcement and neighboring jurisdictions.

Why it matters: committee members were asked to weigh near-term pilot investments and a procurement to hire a nationally recognized consultant to assess how Columbia and the surrounding 13-county continuum of care can better align services, funding and a corridor-based pilot that city staff expect to start in July and run through January for evaluation.

Key facts and context

- PIT count and undercount concerns: Staff reported HUD’s 2024 PIT summary for the 13-county service area listed 1,423 people experiencing homelessness, with 334 chronically unsheltered and 760 people with disabling conditions; 132 were listed as veterans and 198 as survivors of domestic violence. Staff said those HUD numbers are likely an undercount locally and estimated many people were missed in wooded or rural pockets outside downtown.

- Rapid shelter and services: The city created an internal Homeless Services department and described the rapid-shelter program as the most significant recent success. Staff reported that rapid shelter and related outreach have connected people with beds and helped move close to 100 people into permanent housing to date.

- Budget and funding sources: Staff described the city’s current homeless-services spending as roughly $3,000,000 and said the total is “getting closer to $4,000,000.” They reported more than $1,000,000 from the city general fund historically, nearly $2,000,000 from ARPA one-time dollars (now largely spent), and over $500,000 from opioid-recovery funds. Staff said the city has been pursuing additional grant opportunities and plans to set up a foundation to accept donations and in-kind support.

- Continuum of Care and federal funding: Staff noted the city did not historically sit at the Continuum of Care table but now participates and that the broader 13-county Continuum of Care receives multi‑million-dollar allocations (staff referenced approximately $4–5 million in 2023 for the full 13‑county area). The city’s direct share of Continuum of Care allocations was described as limited; staff are pursuing other federal and private sources so the city does not compete with long-standing community providers for the same Continuum funds.

- Coordinated feeding and corridor pilot: The city reported an ongoing partnership with Christ Central at Hope Plaza to centralize meal-sharing, provide restrooms and reduce litter and unmanaged feeding events. Staff propose a corridor pilot to provide structured intake, services and coordinated meal-sharing; they plan to present a draft to the ad hoc committee in June, begin the pilot in July, secure a consultant by August, and use findings to inform possible formalization and broader rollout in November.

- Consultant procurement: Committee members asked staff to solicit a nationally recognized consultant with experience assessing local service ecosystems and with knowledge of state and federal funding mechanisms. Staff said the consultant would both assess existing services and later review the pilot once launched.

Meeting actions recorded

- Approval of minutes: The committee moved to accept the January 7, 2025 committee meeting minutes. The motion passed in a roll call that included recorded “yes” votes from Councilmembers Bailey, Bockel and Brennan. (Mover/second not specified in the transcript.)

- Executive session motion: A motion to enter executive session “for receipt of legal advice relating to matters covered by attorney-client privilege pursuant to SC Code 30-4-78(2), homeless services” was made by Mr. Sherrill, seconded, and carried with recorded “yes” votes from Councilmembers Bailey, Dr. Bustles and Brennan.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision

- Discussion: Committee discussion centered on PIT-count methods and perceived undercounts, the need for more coordinated outreach after 5 p.m., the Elmwood corridor security measures and nuisance authority for businesses, and the limits of local authority over some issues (for example, sale of single alcohol units, which staff said is not controlled at the city level).

- Direction/assignments: Staff were asked to return in June with a detailed corridor-pilot structure and to proceed with a solicitation for a national consultant; staff committed to present the consultant selection and pilot details to the committee in subsequent meetings.

- Formal decisions: The recorded formal actions were approval of the minutes and a motion to enter executive session; no ordinance or contract awards were approved in the recorded portion of the transcript.

Clarifying details reported in the meeting

- HUD PIT (2024, 13-county area): 1,423 total people counted; chronically unsheltered 334; disabling condition 760; veterans 132; survivors of domestic violence 198 (staff said the local true number is likely higher and that roughly 50% might be uncounted in some areas).

- City budget inputs and history: Staff said roughly $3,000,000 currently cited for homeless services and “getting closer to $4,000,000” total; more than $1,000,000 historically from the general fund; nearly $2,000,000 used from ARPA; over $500,000 from opioid recovery funding; the city has historically partnered with nonprofits and allocated about $1,000,000 per year in earlier budget cycles (dating to about 2012).

- Timeline staff presented: Revamp corridor pilot and present to committee in June; launch pilot in July; secure consultant by August; consultant assessment presented in November; consultant recommendations used for implementation and possible formalization thereafter.

Community relevance and constraints

Staff repeatedly noted limits on what the city can do alone, the need to work within the 13-county Continuum of Care, and that some statewide or federal authorities set constraints (for example, limits on alcohol-sale regulation and grant allocation processes). The committee emphasized that a consultant should account for local service providers, county partners and financial constraints when making recommendations.

Ending

Committee members thanked staff and the task force for standing up the rapid-shelter operations and for convening providers and partners. Staff asked the committee to expect the corridor pilot outline in June and the consultant solicitation results in August, with a planned update in November on pilot outcomes and consultant recommendations.