Pastors and advocates urge city support for tiny‑home and transitional housing efforts; council responds to neighborhood concerns

Pastors, advocates and nonprofit partners urged the Aiken City Council on Aug. 11 to support tiny‑home communities and transitional/bridge housing as tools to address homelessness and substance use disorders, and described local efforts to coordinate services and harm‑reduction resources.

Lex Barry, pastor of C4 Impact, said the effort is motivated by community care and training: “We are looking out for the entire community…It’s not just drugs and alcohol, which is just a symptom, by the way. It's not the cause of homelessness.” Barry said the organizations he represents require program participants to “put skin in the game,” including work, budgeting and active steps toward housing stability.

Kirk Johnson, a community organizer, thanked local pastors and organizations for a recent luncheon and described service coordination: churches now carry Narcan and there are plans for rides to appointments to reduce reliance on limited bus service. Johnson said, “We had over 256 overdoses last month,” and later clarified his remark referred to Aiken County; he said churches and local groups are distributing Narcan and coordinating food and resources through events such as a recent health‑for‑the‑homeless outreach in Giles Park.

Jacob Ellis, referencing a community meeting about a proposed tiny‑home community at Saint John's, said the event reflected “heartfelt pleas for help” and urged state leaders to support replication of successful shelters and rapid‑shelter models used in other South Carolina cities.

Council response and context: a council member representing District 2 (where staff have recommended that a first tiny‑home site include 11 units) acknowledged public concern that initial proposals are concentrated in one area and said the record shows other locations have been or will be considered. The council member said the planning and selection process includes sites that community members might not expect and reiterated that the coalition is seeking broader community support. No formal action or vote on tiny‑home or bridge‑housing locations occurred during the meeting; the discussion occurred during public comment and subsequent council remarks.

Speakers emphasized training (mental‑health first aid) for those delivering services, use of Narcan by churches, and coordination with existing shelters and outreach programs. Council members invited continued engagement and said they were monitoring proposals and neighborhood concerns.