{"id":3831,"date":"2026-04-04T19:45:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T19:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=3831"},"modified":"2026-04-04T19:45:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T19:45:01","slug":"one-of-americas-prettiest-cities-scrambles-to-reclaim-storybook-streets-from-homeless-camps-drug-dens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=3831","title":{"rendered":"One of America&#8217;s prettiest cities scrambles to reclaim storybook streets from homeless camps, drug dens"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft wp-block-nypost-editor-partner-article-links\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Business leaders and city officials in Savannah, Georgia \u2014 often described as one of America\u2019s most picturesque destinations, known for its Spanish moss-draped oaks, waterfront views and ornate ironwork \u2014 say they are working to reclaim parts of the historic city from\u00a0growing homelessness, encampments and public safety concerns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have seen the recent articles detailing a visitor\u2019s experience in our city and the visible challenges posed by homelessness, vagrancy, and related public safety concerns in our historic public squares and public spaces,\u201d a joint statement provided to Fox News Digital by the City of Savannah, the Savannah Chamber and the Savannah Tourism Leadership Council said.<\/p>\n<p>While the groups pushed back on some coverage as \u201cdesigned to generate clicks by sensationalizing issues,\u201d they acknowledged the problems are real and increasingly visible to residents, business owners and tourists.<\/p>\n<p>Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bert Brantley said the impact is felt daily across the\u00a0business community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur businesses, workers, and downtown residents expect our public safety system to identify those committing crimes and deliver consequences for those illegal activities,\u201d\u00a0Brantley said in November 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Homelessness remains a top concern for chamber members. Ahead of Savannah-Chatham Day in February 2026, Brantley called it \u201csuch an important issue,\u201d while Mayor Van Johnson said city leaders are pursuing state-backed solutions to address ongoing challenges,\u00a0according to WJCL.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Business leaders and city officials say they are working to reclaim parts of the historic city from\u00a0growing homelessness. <span class=\"credit\">Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bert Brantley said the impact is felt daily across the\u00a0business community. <span class=\"credit\">Richard Burkhart\/Savannah Morning News \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>City officials have increasingly turned to enforcement measures. <\/p>\n<p>In June 2025,\u00a0WJCL reported\u00a0on the city\u2019s proposed urban camping ordinance, which city officials said would make it unlawful to camp, store personal property or get in the way of traffic.<\/p>\n<p>Savannah passed an urban camping ordinance prohibiting camping, storing personal property in public spaces and obstructing sidewalks or traffic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a single person on\u00a0this council\u00a0that believes we should criminalize homelessness,\u201d Alderman Kurtis Purtee told WJCL at the time. \u201cBut we have to figure out a way to start working together as a community, while holding people accountable for their actions.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Savannah passed an urban camping ordinance prohibiting camping, storing personal property in public spaces and obstructing sidewalks or traffic. <span class=\"credit\">Richard Burkhart\/Savannah Morning News \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Johnson described the ordinance as \u201canother tool in the toolbox,\u201d adding that some individuals \u201cregularly engaged in criminal activity\u201d require a different response.<\/p>\n<p>Since the law took effect, the city says\u00a0enforcement has led to 179 citations\u00a0and 15 arrests. <\/p>\n<p>Officials also report that 135 individuals have engaged with service providers, with roughly 30% entering shelters after contact with authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Encampments in the historic district have been reduced by about half since 2023, according to figures provided by the city and partner organizations. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Officials also report that 135 individuals have engaged with service providers, with roughly 30% entering shelters after contact with authorities. <span class=\"credit\">Richard Burkhart\/Savannah Morning News \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Those figures were not independently verified by Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond homelessness, authorities say the region is also contending with evolving\u00a0drug threats.<\/p>\n<p>A February 2026\u00a0News4Jax report\u00a0on a DEA-led initiative, \u201cOperation Fentanyl Free America,\u201d highlighted shifting trafficking patterns in Southeast Georgia, including methamphetamine being transported in liquid form before conversion.<\/p>\n<p>DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Drew Mayer said crystal meth remains \u201cthe most prevalent drug\u201d in the region by volume.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Beyond homelessness, authorities say the region is also contending with evolving\u00a0drug threats. <span class=\"credit\">Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cDrug smugglers are tough. They\u2019re not going without a fight. We\u2019ve seen an increase in methods to hide and disguise the loads of drugs with cover loads, transporting some of the drugs in a liquid form and other creative manners to avoid detention,\u201d Mayer told News4Jax.<\/p>\n<p>While fentanyl-related mass overdoses have declined, the drug remains a concern, with officials noting the emergence of \u201cpurple fentanyl\u201d in Savannah, Brunswick and along the\u00a0Georgia-Florida corridor.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities say trafficking continues through the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, with drugs moving through Atlanta and down the I-95 corridor into Southeast Georgia and Florida.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; 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data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/04\/us-news\/one-of-americas-prettiest-cities-scrambles-to-reclaim-storybook-streets-from-homeless-camps-drug-dens\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Business leaders and city officials in Savannah, Georgia \u2014 often described as one of America\u2019s&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3832,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[349],"tags":[1065,4485,2396,4486,1658,1407,4481,4483,4482,4484,1137],"class_list":["post-3831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-americas","tag-camps","tag-cities","tag-dens","tag-drug","tag-homeless","tag-prettiest","tag-reclaim","tag-scrambles","tag-storybook","tag-streets"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051.jpg",1200,799,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-768x511.jpg",640,426,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-1024x682.jpg",640,426,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051.jpg",1200,799,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051.jpg",1200,799,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-1115x715.jpg",1115,715,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-1024x682.jpg",1024,682,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/savannah-georgia-downtown-calhoun-square-125011051-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a 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