AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Salvation Army and local businesses in Aiken say they have seen an increase in the homeless population in downtown Aiken, with some incidents scaring shoppers, but they don’t want this to scare away business and are hoping for a change and for people to get the help they need.
“It’s a problem for everybody. But we’re seeing it downtown quite a bit more and it’s becoming more of a problem downtown,” said Bobby Ard, who owns Beyond Bijoux.
Small businesses love seeing people downtown, but worry that could change.
“Shopping online right now is too easy. And if I have gotten scared away, if I’ve been trying to shop local, I’m going to shop online instead of shopping downtown. And, you know, we don’t want to see that happen to Aiken,” Ard said.
Business owners report disruptive behavior
Ard says people experiencing homelessness are hanging out in stores and restaurants, banging on storefront windows and intentionally scaring people downtown.
“It keeps new business away quite a bit. And that’s scary for people who wanted to come shop or enjoy dinner downtown. And I know they’re working hard to try to figure out a solution, but it’s tough,” she said.
Ard says they call public safety and they respond quickly and help, but other organizations like the Salvation Army say they want to help too.
Salvation Army sees capacity strain
Mario Williams, Salvation Army Aiken shelter manager, said the shelter has seen recent increases.
“Over the last three or four days, we have seen an increase. Our shelter is almost at capacity. We have put out a couple of cots, especially last night. I would say the cold weather is bringing in more people,” Williams said.
The Salvation Army in Aiken says the increase is not just over the last several days but something they’ve noticed over the last few years.
“It’s not only just a place to come and lay your head, but we have a case manager here that offers different things for you, know, go over goals. You can try to get a job, she’ll assist you with that, give you tools and tips to get housing,” Williams said.
Community seeks solutions
All are looking for a solution that benefits the community and its people.
“Folks who can get help, I would love for them to get help. I would love for us to be able to help with that. If there’s anything that any of the stores, I’m sure, could do to help facilitate that, we would all do it. But in an ideal world, we like to keep Aiken small and quaint, and we don’t want to see that downtown,” Ard said.
We will next work with law enforcement about any plans they have to help and potential solutions.
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