A Georgia state representative derided Athens’ burgeoning homeless population and its sanctuary city policy, saying “these issues are not addressed, this city will continue its downfall.”
“It’s disappointing what’s happening in Athens,” state Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens, said in a June 1 Facebook post. “Just this week, I saw numerous homeless individuals sleeping in the morning on benches, sidewalks, and outside businesses downtown, at the library, and on the west side — to just name a few locations.
“Unfortunately, the homeless problem continues to plague Athens, resulting in inhumane conditions for these individuals and safety issues for the entire community,” the state lawmaker added.
The Republican Gaines often ruffles the feathers of more liberal-leaning Athenians. However, he served as the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee during the last session, and in a Republican-led state legislature, he can make himself a thorn in the side of local leaders.
“We passed strict illegal immigration legislation last year at the state level that includes criminal penalties for elected officials who fail to comply with federal immigration authorities,” Gaines said. “And next year, I will continue my push for legislation that takes away funding from local governments that fail to enforce local ordinances and state laws regarding camping, loitering, panhandling, and similar issues.
“Chatham County — a majority Democrat Commission — voted nearly unanimously this past week to ban sleeping on sidewalks, beneath bridges, or other public property. Athens needs to do the same,” the lawmaker added. “These are not partisan issues, they are commonsense.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security lists both Athens and Athens-Clarke County as sanctuary jurisdictions. The list included four counties and two cities; Athens is not a city, as it relinquished its charter following its August 1990 vote to form a unified government with Clarke County.
Locals, however, bristle at the notion that Athens is a sanctuary city. The issue bubbled to the surface in the wake of a February 2024 murder of a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University on the University of Georgia campus; a 26-year-old Venezuelan national who had entered the country illegally was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Representatives of Visit Athens, the local tourism board, didn’t respond directly to Gaines’ comments. Instead, they pointed Sightseers’ Delight to the latest data showing local tourism’s growth and record-breaking economic contributions to Athens-Clarke County.
“Like with providing sufficient housing stock generally, homelessness is a challenge that we must tackle for the long-term, as its roots are varied and require a multitude of solutions to meaningfully address,” Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz said in his April State of the Community Address, according to a transcript.
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