Consistent
In her long-ago professional past, Melisa Garvais was helping seniors in a nursing facility. More recently, she was a resident coordinator for a corporation operating deeply affordable housing in the heart of downtown Greenville for seniors, The Summit (3). But her heart was more “with the people,” so after some serious soul searching, she knew she was called to be part of the Triune Mercy Center staff who she fondly refers to as family. Triune Mercy Center is a non-denominational church with a strong mission to Greenville’s homeless and low income residents.
Melisa is the social worker for one of the clients connected to the Greenville Homeless Alliance (GHA) Housing Navigator, DJ Hillman, and the GVL iGNITE Fund. Both launched in 2023 in partnership with the Piedmont Health Foundation. The fund is part of a pilot to help explore the benefit of utilizing flexible funding to maintain housing for an extended period for individuals moving out of chronic homelessness.
Her client Gordon (1) was consistent. When he would get his Social Security check of $1410/month, he’d figure out how many motel nights he could afford, but that money went very quickly. He would sleep on the streets the rest of the time. As his social worker, Melisa says that he would faithfully show up every day, and that “consistency goes a long way in establishing a relationship.” She notes, “He has actually been reluctant to leave the streets. He has a sense of loyalty to his friends who are outside. The seasons are changing, though. Gordon told me months ago he doesn’t know if he will survive another winter on the streets.”
There is a deficit of safe housing that is affordable to Gordon. Rent that is 30% of his annual income from his Social Security check would be $423 per month. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Greenville County is over $1000 per month. Without permanent housing options, Gordon must choose between the street, emergency shelters, and motel rooms. Greenville’s temporary housing options such as emergency shelters and transitional housing remain 95% full as people wait for permanent housing options. Motel rooms in Greenville County can range from $884 to $2072 per month (data gathered from the GHA response to the Economy Inn when it was condemned for life safety conditions in 2021).
Gordon has chronic health problems like congestive heart failure and diverticulitis. Most recently, he has been struggling with a broken hip and has been relying on a walker to get around. Melisa says, “He’s in Post Acute Rehab recovering from hip surgery and we don’t know what follow-up is going to look like. We do know for 100% certain that his recovery chances are better in housing than they would be on the street”.
Melisa is a member of Coffee Club, a collaboration of two dozen Greenville County professionals helping identify vulnerable individuals for specific services. They also work together to move individuals off the streets of Greenville. Gordon is over 60 with health vulnerabilities but has a consistent income and good support. Coffee Club referred him to DJ Hillman, GHA’s Housing Navigator, knowing he would be a good match for support from the GVL iGNITE Fund. DJ’s work involves being a bridge between housing providers such as property owners, property managers, and landlords and direct service providers like those represented in Coffee Club. She was able to take Gordon’s information and make a successful connection to an apartment complex that was willing to offer him housing since he would also be receiving ongoing support from Triune (2) and financial assistance from the GVL iGNITE Fund.
Long term housing will stabilize Gordon’s access to regular medications and doctor visits, which will keep him from using the hospital for primary care. That benefits Gordon and eases society’s burden.
Melisa wants to make sure that prayer is acknowledged as the underpinning of the Triune team. “The staff prays together - for each other, our parishioners, the work, the community. Prayer is the magic sauce.”
When Gordon was given a key to his new home, it was an answer to prayers for Melisa and the staff of Triune Mercy Center and a tribute to the collaborative effort of all the organizations who participate weekly in Coffee Club.
(1)Gordon’s identity is protected at his request. As of November 2024, over 64 individuals have been connected with GHA’s Housing Navigator and 13 have moved out of chronic homelessness. Learn about the missing piece called the GVL iGNITE Fund.
(2)As the Greenville Homeless Alliance launched the Housing Navigator position and the GVL iGNITE Fund, the 2023 Unsheltered Homelessness Brief noted that according to a study from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, taxpayers save an average of $35,578 per year when individuals experiencing chronic homelessness are connected to supportive housing. The cost for taxpayers is also reduced by nearly 50 percent. Supportive housing is defined as a stable, safe place to live with support services going forward. Triune Mercy Center continues to offer Gordon ongoing support and community.
(3)The City of Greenville City Council established the Bailey Bill in 2018 as a tool to assist in preserving affordable housing. This created a policy for the developer, JE Properties, to renovate what was originally built as the Imperial Hotel over 90 years ago in downtown Greenville one block off Main Street. Learn more in this short video about the history of The Summit and the preservation of quality affordable senior housing.
Vernell Austin is one of eight stories of hope featured in GHA’s mural titled, SEEN | HEARD | VALUED. She lives at The Summit after finding stability and belonging at the Salvation Army of Greenville. Watch a short documentary on the creation of the mural. Building and maintaining safe, affordable housing takes collaboration and commitment. Learn about nearly 200 new affordable homes coming to Greenville and the delay in funding for The Summit to add 50 additional apartments plus renovate the historic building.