SafeD Athens

Remember Classic City Crime’s first podcast - “What the Flock”?

SafeD Athens sponsored and arranged for Flock’s own Jamie Hudson, Director of Product Consulting and Training to sit with Cameron Jay, Classic City Crime Podcast and explain exactly how Flock license plate readers operate, how data is collected and used, their new latest audit function added for agencies to be alerted to any potential abuse of their data, and more.

So glad to see another podcast in the works, sitting down with Athens-Clarke County Police Department to explain our local operations. Thank you Cameron, cannot wait to listen!

It was great to be at the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) at the Athens-Clarke County Police Department today for an in-depth interview on the future of public safety technology for my podcast, Classic City Crime!

Stay tuned for more on this important conversation in the coming weeks!

Why does Athens-Clarke County, GA Unified Government continue to ignore the undeniable?

📍Athens City Hall
🗓️ Tuesday, August 4
🕕 6:00 PM

Your voice matters. Join us.

🚨🚨🚨EMAIL AND ASK OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT : (email addresses are in comments)

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“WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE UNDENIABLE DATA? Help half of unsheltered homeless on our streets return home⁉️”

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➡️➡️➡️GOAL

💪To reduce chronic unsheltered homeless on our streets by 50%. This was Tim Denson’s pledge as a mayoral candidate. It is achievable if we first start helping the half of unsheltered nonresidents return home and then focus resources on the half of chronically unsheltered people on our streets who are verifiable Athens residents.

⚠️Our local government must commit to working long term with other counties in Georgia to help people return home. Our current mayor will not even send a letter to another county regarding SB62.

⚠️Verifiable unsheltered homeless Athens residents should take priority over the continuous stream of those who migrate to Athens each year. (See police data in our slides)

⚠️ ACCPD, Advantage Outreach, and the Homeless Coalition all need to participate in helping people return home. We have people on the streets who don’t know where they are and have never been to Athens before. If our local government wants to reduce the cost of public services as listed in the homeless resolution, such as indigent medical care, then we need a concerted invested effort towards relocation.

🚨HERE ARE 15 ACTION ITEMS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY AND HELP NONRESIDENT CHRONIC UNSHELTERED HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS RETURN HOME

There is no prioritization; it all needed to be done yesterday. There needs to be as much effort relocating nonresidents as there is in providing services to verifiable Athens residents. This includes needed monetary assistance for relocation.

🎯 1. Have the HDSC the ‘official’ address for unsheltered homeless in Athens, if not already designated as such.

🎯 2. Change point-of-origin question in the Coordinated Entry intake survey back to match the one asked in the Point-in-time survey. Consider changing the Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Disability questions in CE to match those in PIT asking specifically “have you ever been diagnosed” for more accurate and consistent data.

🎯 3. Last known city of residential address will be included with all CE entries, if not already. Identify those who have migrated from other regions. Homeless Coalition to report aggregate data on their dashboard.

🎯 4. All providers such as Bigger Vision, Sparrow’s Nest, and Salvation Army will continually update the Advantage spreadsheet of known individuals dropped off to their facilities. This spreadsheet will be reviewed by the Homeless Coalition and cross referenced to the Coordinated Entry database for identification purposes. Data will be reported on HC dashboard.

🎯 5. Homeless Coalition will cross reference the police database with the Coordinated Entry database and identify those with mental illness calls and HDSC address. Direct the HDSC and Advantage outreach to relocate these individuals back to their original point of origin if at all possible. Success rate reported on HC dashboard.

🎯 6. In this process, identify those with multiple incident reports, to include felonies such as aggravated assault and identify those with outstanding warrants elsewhere. ACCPD will target aggressive individuals, those with warrants for relocation. Georgia law says for serious unsheltered offenders with a pending ACC court case, it is possible to banish the suspect from the county as part of a criminal sentence. We still have unsheltered homeless on our streets with multiple aggravated assault charges since 2018. Banned countywide individuals reported on the HC dashboard.

🎯 7. Create a usable definition for an “Athens resident”. Length of time unsheltered in Athens is irrelevant. Some minimal documentation to show past residency is needed - an old residential bill of some form, attending school, or an address of family, etc.

🎯 8. Advantage to verify Athens residency for admission to the mental health treatment housing program currently under construction. Target applicants from the above cross referencing.

🎯 9. Create local ordinance to codify GA SB62. The ordinance should contain language for a relocation process followed by monetary remedy by GA counties to ACC for unsheltered homeless services rendered on their behalf. Any collected funds may be used for relocation purposes.

🎯 10. All new state/federal grants submitted by Advantage for emergency shelter infrastructure will be for their other 9 counties they serve that do not have emergency shelters, transitional housing, outreach, warming stations, etc.

🎯 11. All unsheltered homeless providers who receive Athens-Clarke County funding (via state/federal or otherwise) need to provide quarterly audit reports with review of performance outcomes, to include point-of-origin data with follow-up to ACCGov M/C and the Homeless Coalition.

🎯 12. Create a local loitering ordinance benchmarked to more successful GA county ordinances compliant with GA Code Section 16-11-36 (2024) “Offense Against Public Order and Safety.” This ordinance could apply to late night hours downtown.

🎯 13. Create a Panhandling Ordinance benchmarked to more successful GA counties focusing on conduct, safety, and location. Supreme Court ruling Reed v. Gilbert resulted in broad bans on panhandling as unconstitutional. However, aggressive behavior can be regulated.

🎯 14. An alternative approach would be to create a county wide panhandling licensing ordinance.

🎯 15. Create a new detox center at the jail for those arrested, managed by Advantage Behavioral Health. Create a blueprint for a standardized pathway to MHTH at Advantage through the Treatment Accountability Court (TAC) for verifiable Athens residents only.

🚨 BEFORE THE AUGUST 4 VOTE: REVIEW THE DATA and READ OUR EMAIL TO THE MAYOR & COMMISSION REGARDING THE PROPOSED HOMELESS SERVICES RESOLUTION

We understand this resolution is expected to come before the Mayor & Commission for a vote on August 4. In our email, we ask them to remove one specific provision directing the County Manager to identify public and private properties for future homeless housing and services.

❓ WHY?

Because this is not simply a statement reaffirming Athens’ commitment to helping people experiencing homelessness.

It is a specific policy directive that deserves a transparent public discussion before moving forward.

“Unified Government staff will be directed to identify publicly and privately owned properties suitable for future emergency shelter, stabilization housing, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, affordable housing, mixed-income housing and other innovative housing developments.”

⚠️ After watching last night’s agenda-setting meeting, we are even more concerned.

🎥 We encourage everyone to watch the final portion of the meeting for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/live/Ixrdsh4iSoM?is=RI0hActa-BXn5CL3

📋 WHY ARE WE SHARING THE BARBER STREET SCHEMATIC?

This is not simply a historical example.

Earlier this year, a proposal was developed to pursue funding through Governor Kemp’s $50 million homeless initiative prior to the FIFA World Cup. The proposal centered on the Barber Street property and envisioned a comprehensive homeless services campus that included low-barrier emergency shelter, tiny homes, permanent supportive housing, and wraparound services.

Although the funding application was never submitted, the concept itself was recently developed.

Based on information available to us, including discussions surrounding previous planning efforts, we are concerned that a similar concept may now be pursued at another location if this resolution is adopted.

That is why we are sharing the original schematic and project description—to help the public understand what was recently proposed and ask informed questions before a vote is taken.

📊 WHY DID SAFED ATHENS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT PROPOSAL?

Not because we oppose helping people experiencing homelessness.

SafeD Athens opposed the Barber Street proposal because we believed it expanded low-barrier shelter capacity before addressing the underlying data driving chronic homelessness in Athens-Clarke County.

📍 KEY FINDING

Our analysis indicates that approximately half of the unsheltered population has migrated to Athens from other regions.

Expanding services without first addressing those point-of-origin trends risks exacerbating the problem rather than reducing it.

📈 OUR APPROACH

The data should determine the solution—not the other way around.

That is why we are concerned this resolution directs staff to identify additional properties before publicly demonstrating that additional shelter capacity is the appropriate solution.

❓ ATHENS RESIDENTS DESERVE ANSWERS.

• Why is staff being directed to identify properties before a transparent review of the available data?

• Who developed this directive?

• Was the GICH Committee or any official advisory committee asked to recommend this action?

• How many properties could ultimately be identified?

• Which of these housing types are actually being considered?

• Why is this action being taken before addressing the point-of-origin data and other documented drivers of chronic homelessness?

These are reasonable questions, and they deserve public answers before this resolution is adopted.

🤝 WHY THIS MATTERS

Our concern is not whether Athens should help people experiencing homelessness.

Our concern is that major policy decisions should be guided by complete data, transparency, accountability, and public input—not by predetermined assumptions about what the solution should be.

📣 IF YOU SHARE THESE CONCERNS, PLEASE MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD BEFORE AUGUST 4.

📧 Review the data: https://www.safedathens.org/news/homelessdata2026

📧 Read our email to the Mayor & Commission (posted in comments)

📧 Contact the Mayor, Commissioners, and County Manager. (Email addresses in comments)

🗣️ Attend the August 4 Mayor & Commission meeting and speak during public comment.

🏛️ The decisions made today could shape Athens for years to come. We believe the community deserves transparency before those decisions are made.

🚨Five years ago this month, the Athens Mayor and Commission voted to allow a homeless encampment on Barber Street.

Many of you remember what followed. The camp became unsafe for both those living there and the surrounding community. It was costly, difficult to manage, and ultimately unsuccessful. Many UGA parents and students experienced its impacts firsthand. Most importantly, many of the vulnerable individuals the camp was intended to help were left in unsafe circumstances.

That experience is one of the reasons this parent group was formed.

Now, as the current administration prepares to leave office, a new resolution is before the Mayor and Commission that includes directing staff to identify public and private properties for future homeless infrastructure, including emergency shelter.

We believe this resolution deserves much more discussion and should not move forward before the new Mayor and Commission have the opportunity to review the available data and determine the best path forward.

Over the past several months, we’ve analyzed local data from multiple sources. Our findings raise important questions about the assumptions behind this proposal and offer recommendations for a more effective, evidence-based approach.

If you care about the future of Athens and the safety of the community your students call home, we encourage you to read our letter and accompanying presentation.
👉 https://www.safedathens.org/news/homelessdata2026

📬We also encourage you to respectfully share your thoughts with your elected officials before a vote is taken.

Athens deserves policies grounded in facts, accountability, and lessons learned—not a repeat of past mistakes.

Athens is at a crossroads.

This report is not about choosing between compassion and public safety. It is about recognizing that Athens cannot solve a statewide behavioral health crisis alone, and that effective treatment and regional responsibility are essential for both.

For years, SafeD Athens has been studying chronic homelessness, serious mental illness, and public safety—not to criticize, but to identify solutions that actually work.

Our newest report examines the data and asks some important questions:

• Why has Athens become a destination for so many individuals needing intensive behavioral health services?
• Can one community realistically serve as the region’s behavioral health hub?
• How do we protect residents, students, businesses, visitors, and those experiencing homelessness at the same time?
• What actions should the new Mayor & Commission take to improve both public safety and long-term outcomes?

The report also highlights Georgia’s first Mental Health Treatment Housing program, currently under construction in Athens—a major opportunity to move beyond crisis response and toward lasting recovery.

Our recommendations include:
• Prioritize local treatment resources for Athens-Clarke County residents.
• Work with neighboring counties and the State to expand behavioral health services across Georgia.
• Strengthen public safety through effective local policies.
• Invest in treatment models that address the root causes of chronic homelessness.
• Use data—not ideology—to guide future policy.

We believe compassion and accountability go hand in hand. By focusing on effective treatment, regional partnerships, and evidence-based solutions, Athens can better serve those in crisis while creating a safer community for everyone.

📖 Read the full report here:

Athens-Clarke County Homeless Data 2026 — SafeD Athens Review of Homeless Data for Athens, GA including Coordinated Entry data and Point-in-Time Counts

🏛️Congratulations to Dexter Fisher for Mayor on his election as the next Mayor of Athens-Clarke County!

We wish Mayor-elect Fisher success as he takes on this important responsibility and look forward to working together to support a safer, stronger, and thriving community for all residents.

🗳️ Thank you to everyone who participated in the election process and made their voices heard.

Dexter Fisher wins Athens mayoral race Athens-Clarke County District 5 Commissioner, Dexter Fisher, has defeated school board member, Tim Denson, in the 2026 Athens mayoral race. With all 24 out of 24 precincts reporting, Fisher was

🗳️ TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY — Clarke County!

Polls are open 7 AM – 7 PM.

Tomorrow’s runoff decides our next Mayor AND two County Commission seats — the local races that directly shape public safety, police resources, and how our community responds to crime.

In a runoff, every single vote carries extra weight. Don’t sit this one out.

Find your polling location at mvp.sos.ga.gov or call 706-613-3150.

📋 Sample ballots attached so you know exactly what to expect when you walk in!

📣 Save the Date: ACC Mayoral Runoff Town Hall

Athens voters will have an opportunity to hear directly from the two candidates seeking to become Athens-Clarke County’s next mayor.

🗓 Wednesday, June 3
🤝 Meet & Greet: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
🎤 Town Hall: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Appleton Auditorium, Athens-Clarke County Library

Take a few minutes to learn about the candidates, hear their positions on issues impacting our community, and make an informed choice before voting.

Be sure to follow both runoff candidates and make your voice heard at the ballot box.

⤵️We’ll share a few clips from each candidate in the comments to help everyone learn more.