Athens-Clarke County Commissioners recently approved a plan to shut down the county’s sanctioned homeless encampment. The site, which was approved in 2021, at one time housed as many as 57 families. Fred Smith is acting board chair for the encampment and executive director of the East Athens Development Corporation.
He disagreed with the decision to close the location, and says the encampment provided a better standard of living for those able to stay there compared to their previous circumstances.
As of late August, the encampment had served 330 people. Smith is currently working with the ACC government and other agencies to help those who will be affected. You can hear more on this week’s edition of Athens News Matters.
