By Megan Fitzgerald, Greenville Journal
Greenville County’s high eviction rates and pedestrian safety problems were discussed during Greenville Organized for Accountable Leadership’s March 13 rally.
More than 300 people attended the local interfaith justice group’s event at Valley Brook Outreach Baptist in Pelzer on Thursday night. GOAL consists of 29 local congregations and is an affiliate of the Direct Action and Research Training Center, a national network of faith-based community groups.
The coalition conducted research over the past several months to determine the best course of action to solve Greenville’s affordable housing and transportation issues. These solutions were announced during the rally in preparation for GOAL’s Nehemiah Action on April 10.
Identified solutions
Lilly Wood, pastoral resident at Pelham Road Baptist, explained that GOAL has focused on urging city and county officials to invest money into building affordable housing for the past two years. However, the coalition’s listening and research process identified another barrier for people trying to access affordable housing: evictions.
“Eviction is destroying lives right here in Greenville County. We realize that unless we address this growing eviction crisis head on, we will never solve the deeper housing crisis,” Wood said.
At the Nehemiah Action, GOAL will ask Greenville County council members to help establish a housing court by 2025-2026 to improve the legal process of evictions. Specifically, a housing court in Greenville County would provide tenants facing eviction access to legal representation. In addition, the coalition will ask state legislators to support a bill introduced in the state Senate that would allow for a judge to seal evictions from a tenant’s permanent record. Sen. Karl Allen (D-Greenville) is the sponsor of Senate Bill 56.
Issues with pedestrian safety, specifically on White Horse Road/U.S. Highway 25, were identified during the research process. The coalition believes safety enhancements are needed along the corridor, specifically in the Berea neighborhood, to improve the conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.
GOAL will ask Greenville County to adopt a Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate traffic and pedestrian fatalities. The coalition will urge for pedestrian safety improvements in Berea during the upcoming Nehemiah Action. The South Carolina Department of Transportation will also be asked to obtain federal funding to install additional street lighting along the White Horse Road corridor.
For more information on GOAL, visit goaljustice.com.
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