By Michelle Pinto, Kennedy Richardson, and Jazlyn Leszczynska

 

As new legislation regulating homelessness takes effect in Mississippi, the AIDS Services Coalition (ASC) in Hattiesburg continues providing housing and support for some of the state's most vulnerable residents.

 

Mississippi has approximately 3.3 people experiencing homelessness per 10,000 residents, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The ASC, a nonprofit based in Hattiesburg, serves people in 73 of the state’s 82 counties. The organization focuses on immediate housing, recovery support, and access to medical care—particularly for people living with HIV/AIDS.

 

ASC operates 121 Haven House, a permanent supportive housing facility for homeless men with HIV/AIDS. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the facility offers counseling, life skills training, and substance recovery services. Residents also receive ongoing case management after transitioning into independent housing.

​

Roots of homelessness deep, tangled

Kathy Garner, ASC’s executive director, said the root causes of homelessness in Mississippi are complex.

​

“Addictions, mental health, financial struggles, and HIV/AIDS are some of the primary causes,” Garner said.

 

She said she is concerned over new state laws that may make it more difficult for unhoused people to survive and get help.

 

“In Mississippi, there's a quote I love by William Faulkner,” Garner said. “He says to understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi. Everything we do here is a little different and a little more complicated. With homelessness, you need a full continuum of care—emergency, transitional, and permanent housing.”

 

But in Hattiesburg, one of those elements is missing.

 

“For example, we're missing an emergency shelter,” Garner said. “Sometimes people just need 2 or 3 days to get where they need to go, and we don't have that here.”

 

Despite limited resources, Garner said strong partnerships help ASC keep its programs running.

 

“We have the first grassroots homeless coalition in the state,” she said. “And Hattiesburg is the first city in Mississippi to have a homeless coordinator, who helps lead street outreach.”

 

These collaborations are essential, especially for specific populations.

 

“We have one of the few women’s programs in the state that allows children,” Garner said. “When those cases come up, they get referred to us. We walk that woman and her kids through getting permanent housing. Coordination is critical.”

 

Longtime passion for AIDS work

Garner has worked on issues of HIV and homelessness since her teenage years. The ASC itself was launched by a deacon in the Episcopal Church, and Garner stepped in to help shape it into what it is today.

 

“It was an opportunity for me to grow something—making sure gaps are filled in a way that is ethical and compassionate,” she said.

 

Protecting the dignity and privacy of ASC’s residents is also central to its mission.

 

“We don’t have a lot of volunteers,” she said. “We don’t want to become ‘the AIDS house’ or ‘the homeless house’—that can put a target on our residents. I remember a man once said to me, ‘You ignored me at Walgreens.’ And I told him, ‘Unless you speak to me first, I won’t approach you because I’m known as the AIDS lady or the homeless lady.’”

 

New laws that went into effect on July 1—under House Bill 1197—ban camping in undesignated public areas and require permits for panhandling, placing restrictions on where and when it can occur.

 

“We’re getting tons of complaints, especially from mayors and constituents across the state,” said Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, during a recent interview with SuperTalk FM. “We’ve done away with a lot of the penalty side of issues dealing with homelessness, vagrancy, and panhandling.”

 

As city and state leaders weigh how to respond, ASC continues working to address the needs of the homeless.