Columbia, SC — While I have compassion for those in need, I am frustrated by the alarming increase in the number of homeless people in downtown Columbia, most of whom are not even from here. The word on our streets is that Columbia is a great place to be homeless.

I find it impossible to utilize or to enjoy the public services that my taxes support. The library teems with homeless people, both inside and out. Finlay Park hosts dozens of people who are sleeping on the ground and benches, littering cigarette butts and Styrofoam food containers, and urinating in the unkempt shrubs.

The law of supply and demand drives resource utilization. A large supply of homeless people diminishes the appeal of any community. Making it easy to be homeless in Columbia, makes it hard to live downtown. Is that how we want our capital city to be?

Grace DeBold

Columbia