After 10 years on the streets, Columbia man has a place to call home

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — After living on the streets for 10 years, Levern Green now has the keys to his own place.

“I just can’t express it. It just feels so good. And I’m so grateful,” he says.

As he slept near a church one night, Green says God spoke to him.

“It’s just like the light came on, and I made up my mind that it’s not normal for a human being to be sleeping on the street. So I got up off my behind and started doing something about it,” he says.

Shortly after, Green was introduced to Rapid Shelter Columbia — a development on Calhoun Street that provides transitional pod housing for people experiencing homelessness.

“They treated me with respect. They didn’t look at me, talking about the way I look, or the way I smell. They looked at me with concern,” he says.

Working with a case manager to reach his goal of having a place of his own, Green was able to move into a permanent residence just around three weeks ago — complete with a view of the pool.

“When I got in there, I was so glad to take that key, and open up that pod, and go right in there. It felt safe, it was like home. And from that point on, my next move was to have my key to this place. Because Jesus said, ‘In my father’s house, there are many mansions.’ He wouldn’t have told me that if it weren’t true,” Green says.

He now hopes to help others find a place to call home, saying, “I’m looking to continue doing God’s will. Speaking to the homeless, giving them hope, and letting them know… what I say to them is ‘Seek the Lord with all your heart and soul, and watch God change things.”

Mackin Wall is the Director of Services for Rapid Shelter Columbia.

“He was just so patient. He was so kind throughout the process, kept doing what he needed to do, kept working toward his goals and maintaining that perseverance and here he is now!” Wall says.

Forty-five people have now found permanent housing through the program since the development opened in November 2022.

“I just thank God for the Rapid Shelter. Thank God for Rapid Shelter,” says Green.