Problems with unhoused individuals are not unique to downtown Macon, but business owners came together Tuesday morning to learn how to better respond.
Not only do they encounter people with mental health or substance abuse issues, but trespassers have damaged multiple vacant buildings, including jumping from a nearby parking deck to enter Second Street’s old Crazy Bull from the roof.
The members of the Downtown Macon Community Association want to know whom to call for help and the answer can be complicated depending on the circumstances.
If criminal or violent behavior is involved, 911 gets the call for the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
When the matter involves a mental health crisis, a caller can ask for a River Edge co-responder to be dispatched with a deputy.
While other resources are available during regular business, only the sheriff’s office is staffed around the clock and they can’t always respond immediately.
If someone has littered a doorway or defecated in the alley, Block by Block ambassadors funded through the Downtown Business Improvement District make daily sweeps picking up trash and cleaning up.
The BID’s board also agreed to fund a new outreach specialist who recently went through Block by Block training on how to build relationships with street people and has begun meeting members of the downtown community.
NewTown Macon’s Erin Keller, who helped organize the roundtable, said better coordination of response will take time.
“That is not what anybody wants to hear, and that’s not what I want to say, but it’s been on our radar,” Keller said. “This is a nationally systemic issue that we are trying to solve locally, and that is really hard, because that takes money, that takes a lot of people being on board, and it takes the right people to also be on board. And so, sometimes the worker bees are trying to make the solution while there are other external factors that are coming against us.”
Emergency Management Director Spencer Hawkins, who oversees homeless outreach and operations for the county said building trust is a key piece of the solution.
“So that they will go to the services and the areas that will help them and that will get them the services and help they need,” Hawkins said. “All that being said, they should not be vandalizing your businesses. They should not be harassing your customers. They should not be doing any of that. We’re not going to criminalize being unhoused, but unhoused folks should not be criminalizing you.”
Code Enforcement Lt. Melvin Turner said in addition to enforcing local ordinances his department’s most recent role has been in dismantling urban camps.
He cautions against private citizens venturing into those areas.
“About 50% of everyone we come in contact with in those homeless encampments have a warrant,” Turner said. “There are some unfortunate souls that are out there that are needing help, but there’s also those out there that’s just hiding from law enforcement. And we’ve had anywhere from bench warrants, which is a warrant set by the court, to murder.”
After a woman reported she and her workers recently were confronted by a stranger entering their personal space and speaking inappropriately, BSO Capt. Chris Garrison cautioned against interacting with unknown people who are acting aggressively.
“You don’t know a lot of the times who you’re dealing with, Garrison said. “If that particular person says something out of the way to you, don’t engage, disengage. And sometimes, when you re-engage with them, they’re gonna give you exactly what you’re looking for. Okay? So you have to be very, very careful. Don’t, don’t try to be a hero,” Garrison said.
Keller said the Knight Foundation will send a delegation to Miami and Detroit to learn how those cities are using innovative and human-facing solutions for their unhoused populations.
She realizes the new Block by Block outreach specialist will not be a “silver bullet” that ends all the problems downtown, but that NewTown desires to have a more coordinated response among the parties involved.
Funding for United Way’s countywide “United to End Homelessness” ran out, but that effort begun under Rev. Jake Hall continues.
In October, the Macon-Bibb Commission hired Hall’s new Root Analytics firm to coordinate outreach efforts and lead the annual point-in-time count. That $75,000 contract runs through the end of March.
Two years ago when under United Way’s campaign, Hall initiated the “Show the Way” app as a tool anyone could use to connect resources with those in need.
This app-based approach to what’s called “coordinated entry” apparently was never fully adopted as no one on the expert panel mentioned it at Tuesday’s meeting.
Keller said it remains difficult to find people a safe place to stay.
“So I’m trying to think not just immediately, but also as a continuum, where we get people some help, and also where can we offer them a place, a bed?” Keller said.
Welcoming visitors, Bearfoot Tavern
Downtown business owners are getting ready to host visitors from all over the world at the International Cherry Blossom Festival scheduled March 20-29 and FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta, which will draw fans in June and July.
Visit Macon’s Trish Whitley encouraged businesses to enlist help coordinating outreach to tourists due to FIFA’s promotional rules.
A workshop is scheduled March 12 at 10 a.m. at Visit Macon, but guests must pre-register.
The new general manager of Hotel 45 announced a special “pink tie” five-course dinner and wine pairing that is being offered March 25 during the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Macon Arts Alliance needs building owners and sponsors to volunteer for the next Mural Festival scheduled Sept. 11-13. The alliance also holds new gallery hours until 7 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at 486 First St.
This First Friday, Bearfoot Tavern opens its new upstairs bar and games at 468 Second St.
In July of 2024, the roof collapsed in a storm which closed the downstairs pub for repairs.
The restaurant reopened in December while the upper floor was still being renovated.
Booths for golf and other sports flank one of the walls near an electronic dart board that posts scores on an overhead monitor.
Bearfoot’s second floor is the latest addition from downtown business owners Doctors Kris and Janine Ellis. Last summer, they opened the Social Duck duckpin bowling alley and entertainment venue next door.
Near Cotton Avenue Plaza, J. Reid’s Tavern, which serves up dishes such as pot roast, lasagne, pot pies and Cubano sandwiches, also begins taking reservations for First Friday through the weekend.
Beginning March 10, Chelsea Hughes’ new restaurant will open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and lunch on Sunday at 317 Cotton Ave.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
