In June 2025, Greenville City Councilmen John DeWorken and Dorothy Dowe proposed a public camping ban prohibiting the use of public spaces for “living accommodations” — specifically, sleeping on public property, exempting park spaces. In all versions of this ordinance, there’s a subtext: Greenville’s homeless population violates the aesthetics of a growing, prosperous city.
The June version of the ordinance was tabled for revision and brought up for a second hearing on Nov. 10. Following further amendment, it was read again on Nov. 24. It passed.
This new, amended legislation is not as hostile to the homeless population as the original ordinance. It promises crisis intervention training for law enforcement, around-the-clock restrooms, expanded day services, continued partnership with and expanded financial support for local nonprofits and to “seek compliance with the ordinance before enforcement.”
However, no matter how many promises the Greenville City Council makes in its amendments, the ordinance itself still stems from a place of hostility. To those in favor of incarceration, the local homeless population does not fit an increasingly exclusive aesthetic vision for Greenville’s future — one that dismisses poverty instead of solving it.
Between October 2021 and October 2025, the median cost of a home in Greenville County increased from $379,250 to approximately $500,000. In 2021, the median household income in Greenville County was $62,562. In 2026, it is projected to be $69,630. While the median cost of a home has increased by 31.8%, the median household income has increased by 11.3%. The cost of housing in Greenville is no longer sustainable and is increasingly unfriendly to lower-income residents, and the lack of available, affordable housing makes renting unsustainable for some.
It is undeniable that homelessness can happen to anyone at any time. According to the Bank of America Institute, almost a quarter of American households are living paycheck to paycheck. This statistic disproportionately impacts the “South Atlantic division,” including South Carolina.
The Greenville City Council’s public camping ordinance criminalizes vulnerable members of society. It segregates them from the rest of us — people who are financially, physically and mentally sound. The ordinance legally sanctifies class division.
While the ordinance outlines efforts to fund nonprofits, shelters cannot be a permanent solution to homelessness. There has to be more affordable, accessible housing. Groceries must be cheaper and more accessible. Jobs must be stable and provide sufficient wages. Greenville City Council’s ordinance supports efforts to create more affordable housing units but does little to prevent homelessness at its roots.
Despite the stereotype, not all Furman students are offered the cushion of wealthy parents. However, attending a private college in a largely impoverished state is a privilege in itself — we are privy to opportunities that many others our age are not. Furman students should remember this when interacting with the local community.
According to a 2017 study by the New York Times, 71% of Furman students come from families in the top 20%. Most of us have little in common with most of Greenville County, and Furman University is often criticized for existing within a bubble. Unlike Clemson or University of South Carolina, we are not linked to a college town. While we offer a day of service, our community service is often campus-based, and few of our Greek philanthropies involve direct volunteering.
Furman students have an obligation to reach outside of the “Furman bubble.” There are many ways to support affordable housing and reduce food insecurity beyond fundraising. The Harvest Hope Food Bank is only 25 minutes from campus and is always accepting food donations. The Greenville chapter of Habitat for Humanity, as well as Homes of Hope, offer volunteer opportunities in construction.
Many of us are not from Greenville, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore its problems. We provide business to many coffee shops, bars and stores downtown. The farmers’ market is often displayed on our Instagram stories. Any issue that impacts Greenville will impact us — and we should be concerned by simple, legalized discrimination against any class of people.
