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Downtown neighbors ask Augusta commissioners to push Salvation Army to relocate proposed shelter near May Park
Summary
Residents of Old Town and nearby neighborhoods voiced safety, park-use and sanitation concerns about a proposed Salvation Army Center of Hope emergency shelter and soup kitchen one block from May Park; Salvation Army officials defended the site as centrally located and said the shelter focuses on casework and daytime dispersal.
Residents of Augusta’s Old Town neighborhood urged the Augusta Richmond County Commission on June 3 to ask the Salvation Army to choose a different site for a planned Center of Hope emergency night shelter and soup kitchen, saying the proposed location—about one block from May Park—could harm children’s access to the park and neighborhood investment.
The plea came during the delegation portion of the commission meeting. April Coleman, an Old Town resident, told commissioners she delivered a letter signed by 53 homeowners and property owners expressing concerns about safety, public comfort and sanitation if a high-density shelter and soup kitchen opened so close to a child-focused facility. “While we support compassionate services for the unhoused, this specific location raises serious concerns for safety, access, and community impact,” Coleman said.
Coleman and other residents asked the commission to request that the Salvation Army consider alternate…
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