BACKGROUND

Being mayor does not solely concern itself with managing the concerns of the middle and upper classes. Lower-income and less fortunate citizens are also an integral part of our community. Modestly- priced, safe housing is scarce. Slum lords, including out-of-state corporations, conduct business with impunity in northside Aiken neighborhoods, including Crosland Park and the downtown residential areas. Ordinances have yet to be written to address this issue and to proactively prevent deterioration and blight in properties that are not owner-occupied.

Homelessness is also a growing problem in Aiken. We see it on the northside, southside, on all sides of Aiken — human beings of all ages slipping in and out of the shadows like so many alley cats, with their backpacks, bedrolls, and sacks. In May of this year, George Clare with the Aiken County Homeless Coalition gave an extremely informative talk on the situation to City Council that included a very well-thought-out plan this organization has developed to begin to address this issue. The Homeless Coalition asked for no money — just for the City to amend the minimum square footage requirements to allow for the construction of tiny homes as part of a small, highly regulated, fenced, 2-acre village that would provide temporary shelter while these people receive the necessary services to get back on their feet. 

The City has the resources and authority to make a decision. All that’s needed is the political will to do the right thing. Cities across the country have seen enough success with these villages, when smartly done, that they went on to build more. Additional villages could be built in New Ellenton and Horse Creek Valley, but that doesn’t negate the need for such a resource for homeless people in the City. The ideal place is on the northside, within walking distance of a grocery store and the Clyburn Center for Primary Care. The land exists, and it is already in the City’s possession. What a tiny effort it would take on the part of the City and its partners in business to not only do the right thing and amend the square footage requirements but to take it one step further and provide this hard-working organization the two acres of land they need to build this village.

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Do you think the City of Aiken could or should enact a rental registry ordinance, as other South Carolina cities have done (e.g. Rock Hill’s “Registration of Residential Rental Units Ordinance”) to take a proactive approach to creating safe neighborhoods and preventing deterioration and blight in residential areas?

TEDDY MILNER: The City could consider such a program, but only with extensive input from citizens, property owners, and renters. As a first step in this process, the City should identify the locations, owners, and use (residential, short-term rental, commercial, professional, etc.) for all rental properties and assess the unrealized revenue that these properties represent.

KATHRYN WADE: I believe a Rental Registry would be another key to improving the lives of many of our citizens.  We have too many of our neighbors living in substandard housing because their landlords refuse to fix or update dilapidated properties.  A registry would incentivize rental owners to make necessary improvements.  

We have rental homes in our city that do not have running water.  Homes whose sinks or hot water heaters flood the homes on a daily basis.  Homes that have unsafe heating systems.  I could go on and on but we need to do better by our perhaps needier citizens.  No one deserves to live in substandard housing.

Cities that put a Rental Registry in place are seeing a decrease in crime and destruction of property.

I think we could couple this registry with the Aiken Housing Authorities program on how to care for your rental home.  We could make a true difference in how our neighbors live.  

Do you think it would be reasonable for the City to amend its zoning to accommodate the Aiken County Homeless Coalition building a tiny village?

Do you think it a reasonable request for the City’s development arm, Aiken Corporation, to donate 2 or more acres of land from the 25 acres on York Street that were recently donated to the City?

TEDDY MILNER: Yes. Individual tiny houses and tiny house communities are workable solutions for providing affordable housing and for serving the needs of homeless and underhoused citizens. I support the work of the Aiken County Homeless Coalition. 

Yes, this [the land donation] is a reasonable request. The donation of two acres is an appropriate way for the City to partner with the Aiken County Homeless Coalition.

KATHRYN WADE: Yes. Zoning changes should be looked at to allow for something like this.   I believe that a tiny house village could be one of many facets to solving the homelessness issue in our city.  This village needs to be carefully planned and executed to meet the needs of this population as well as protect area citizens.  Whatever site agreed upon would need to be within walking distance of resources. York Street property could be suitable for this type of development.  Northside citizens should have input on this type of development for their area before decisions are made.

What is your position on the City’s larger role in supporting the provision of resources for the Aiken homeless population, and supporting existing resources, including the Salvation Army emergency shelter and soup kitchen on Park Avenue?

TEDDY MILNER: I believe it is good public policy for the City to participate with housing advocacy organizations as well as shelters and food banks. Tiny housing is a cost-effective way for partnering agencies to provide stable accommodations for homeless and housing-insecure individuals. In addition, it provides a viable mechanism for individuals to establish a permanent address, apply for and receive aid from other programs, etc. Finally, it provides an opportunity for the residents to develop and demonstrate pride of ownership, and become a participating member again in our community.

For all these reasons, I will support a public/private partnership wherein the City provides essential services to a site and a private entity builds, operates, and manages a tiny house village.

KATHRYN WADE: The City, along with all the stakeholders who touch the homeless population must develop a homelessness policy.  Cities that do not, do so at their peril because of what it will ultimately cost the taxpayers.  I believe we need to hire a mental health trained resource officer (s) for Public Safety to triage the many difficult situations we are seeing around the city. There is a great  deal of mental illness and addiction in this population. 

There are also families who are homeless because of their inability to keep up with their rent due to illness or job loss.  Many homeless individuals are working but do not make enough to pay the exorbitant rents in our city so they live in our lower priced hotels.  

The homeless crisis that looms for Aiken and every other city is complex and will take intentionality to solve.  We cannot just continue to see it as a problem that we want to ignore, but instead embrace solutions and those who are trying to provide them. We have some great resources here, but the City needs to find ways to help their efforts rather than ignore them.  

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Mayoral Forum Intro
The candidates respond on the issues:
Public Participation in Government
Responsible Development
Infrastructure
Financial Responsibility
Housing and Homelessness