Mansfield UMADAOP Executive Director Dennis Baker said the Genesis Project began as a way to address homelessness among UMADAOP clients.

One of Richland County’s largest churches, Crossroads opened its City Center campus in 2017 at 29 N. Main Street.

Within the past year, the issue of homelessness has become an increased concern for residents of Mansfield and Richland County.

In many ways, some of my personal life experiences have shaped my views on the issues of homelessness in our community.

I’ve been plenty open about stories on how I became homeless and almost froze to death. How I was an extreme alcoholic and found out I would have seizures if I stopped drinking cold turkey.

“Why should we help them?" 

“A lot of your identification comes from them going to school," said Phil Mitchell, coordinator for the Mansfield City Schools S.A.F.E. Program. "Since they’ve been in and out of school so frequently, I’m surprised our numbers are as high as there are.”

Kelly Blankenship and her staff at Harmony House conducted the required "point-in-time" homeless count on Tuesday evening.

MANSFIELD — What does it mean to be unhoused in Richland County? 

 A pilot program to help homeless residents in downtown Mansfield will launch in early April, featuring teams of behavioral health professionals and law enforcement officers.