It's a year when the word "unprecedented" became commonplace. Beginning with a February tornado that cut a swath through the heart of our city and followed shortly by the COVID-19 global pandemic that still rages as the year comes to a close, 2020 is a year most of us would likely rather forget, though none of us ever will. Through it all, signs of our community's continued strength were abundant, whether in our leadership's and residents' equity-focused response to this summer's protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd or in the continued resiliency and dynamism of our local economy.   Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager Chris Story to get his thoughts on 2020 in Spartanburg and how the lessons of this year will serve us going forward.

Spartanburg City News Podcast

Taking a look back at 2020 in Spartanburg

Today on the podcast, we've got details on our "Snowman Scramble" scavenger hunt and downtown business spotlight giveaway, both of which will be kicking off soon!

Win prizes from downtown businesses this holiday season with 'Snowman Scramble' scavenger hunt, social media giveaways

  It's not the easiest route to satisfy a state requirement, but here at the City of Spartanburg, we don't shy away from big challenges and we're never afraid to be innovators. That's why when discussions around racial equity in our community were given new urgency on the heels of  showing large racial disparities in practically every area of our residents' lives, our City Council and City Staff understood that in order to do our part to correct those imbalances, our City's most important guiding development document should reflect our commitment to ending those disparities and increasing racial equity for our residents.   It was with that in mind that the nation's first citywide comprehensive planning process focused around racial equity was born. Created with the help of those who call Spartanburg home,  will ultimately guide the city's growth for the next decade to come, and will have an impact long after that, informing strategies on areas as wide-ranging housing, economics, health and wellness, parks and recreation, public facilities, infrastructure, traffic, and the overall livability of Spartanburg for its residents. Listen below for more, and be sure to visit the to sign up and attend our virtual Planapalooza events coming up Oct. 22-26, and let us know your ideas for Spartanburg's future!

'Plan Spartanburg' to become nation's first citywide comprehensive plan with racial equity as guiding principle

At their , City Council approved the creation of the Spartanburg Housing Fund, a special fund to be used exclusively to fill gaps in development projects that build, preserve, or improve affordable housing units in the city. Initially capitalized with $750,000 as , the fund will be used to provide loans to for gap financing to developers to help make affordable housing developments more financially feasible and may also be used to provide grants or even a limited number of equity investments.    Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager Chris Story to get details on how the new fund will provide another tool to help our community address its supply of affordable housing.

Explaining how Spartanburg Housing Fund will support affordable housing development

Today on the podcast, we're sitting down with City Manager Chris Story to get an update on the impressive list of major projects in the works for Downtown Spartanburg and our city's Northside.

Major Downtown and Northside development projects continue to move forward

Late last year, the City was awarded a $1 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to create a new City initiative, "Lead-safe Spartanburg." Funding will be used to remove lead-based paint hazards and reduce other health hazards in the home for families with children under the age of 6 and safely improve the housing stock of pre-1978 homes in our community. Both owner-occupied and rental units in the city are elegible, and all applicants must meet the following requirements: Home must be located within the City of Spartanburg A Child under the age of 6 must reside or regularly spend time in the home (over 60 hours per year), or a pregnant woman must reside in the home Household income must be less than 80% of Area Median Income Home must be built prior to 1978 All property tax payments and homeowner’s insurance must be current   Today on the podcast, we're giving you details on the program and how the process works.

'Lead-safe Spartanburg' program to assist residents in removing dangerous lead paint from older homes

As COVID-19 continues to imact our community and we're all doing our part to flatten the curve by staying home when possible, when in public, and , we wanted to offer a way to both share our own tips on how you can get through these challenging times and to offer our residents the chance to share their tips with us as well. So today we're kicking off our #SafeInSpartanburg campaign!

Show us how you're staying #SafeInSpartanburg!

Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager Chris Story about the Governor's "Work or Home" order, requiring all people in South Carolinians to stay at home unless reporting to work, traveling for essentials, visiting relatives, or engaging in individual recreation. We also have an update on current City operations and a look forward at the weeks ahead.

Discussing South Carolina's 'Work or Home' order

One of the most critical ways for our community to ensure that it gets the critical Federal resources it needs depends on all of us, and in 2020, it's never been easier to do your part. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Kathryn Harvey of Neue South Collective and Andy Flynt, Director of Information Services with Spartanburg County Public Libraries about the Census, which you can .

Now is the perfect time to fill out the 2020 Census!

Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager, Chris Story about the latest on COVID-19 in Spartanburg and about the City's response to this global pandemic.

An update on COVID-19 in Spartanburg

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting communities throughout the world and Spartanburg is no different. Today on the podcast, we're offering tips on how you can stay informed and help stop the spread of this virus.   What's the short takeaway? Check the for the most comprehensive overview of the virus, its spread, and how to protect yourself. Check for information that's focused on communites in our state. If you're feeling ill, to help determine if you may have been infected. Check City social media regularly for important local updates as they become available.   And lastly, don't panic. We're all in this together.

Info and tips to combat COVID-19 in Spartanburg

It's one of the most popular outdoor amenities in our city, and like so many other parts of Spartanburg, the Cottonwood Trail was hit hard during the recent tornado that swept across our community. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Clay McDonough and Alix Refshauge of SPACE (Spartanburg Area Conservancy) about recovery on the trail, its place in the Spartanburg community, and about the organization's broader land conservation mission.

Discussing Cottonwood Trail cleanup efforts, future plans with SPACE

It cut right through the heart of our city, and no one can ever remember seeing any weather event in Spartanburg quite like last Thursday's tornado. Carving a path through Spartanburg, from beyond the western edges of the city to our most eastern neighborhoods, the twister sowed chaos in our community and left behind debris and damage that will impact our residents' lives for weeks to come. Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager, Chris Story about the City's response to the tornado, what teams were called into action, what each phase of the recovery process means for our residents, and what we're doing to help return our community to normal. Check out the podcast below for more.

Discussing the tornado recovery effort in Spartanburg

For the next installment in our #Spartanburg2020 podcast series, we're taking a slightly different approach, talking with a trio of guests about what it's like to live, work, create, and play in Downtown Spartanburg. Why choose to live here? Why is Downtown Spartanburg the right place to express your creative vision? What amenities are we still lacking? What challenges are we facing, and how are those challenges different from the challenges Spartanburg has faced in previous generations? Our guests share their perspectives and their reasons for making Spartanburg home. 

A #Spartanburg2020 look at downtown living and culture

With Spartanburg's explosive growth across every sector over the past decade, it's probably not surprising to anyone paying attention that the number and variety of ways for residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and get active has also grown exponentially.   Whether it's the City's $2.5 million neighborhood parks improvement plan that touched all corners of our City, or the addition of new parks at the Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport and Denny's Plaza, or the new Butterfly Branch Greenway on the Northside, or the public-private partnership led by Partners for Active Living that has seen more than $1.7 million invested in the new Rail Yard Park along the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail, or any of the other dozens of improvements and additions our community has seen, there has never been a better time to get outside and enjoy yourself in Spartanburg.   Today on the podcast, we're talking with PAL Executive Director, Laura Ringo about this tremendous growth and change in our latest #Spartanburg2020 conversation. 

Looking back on 10 years of public, private recreation investment in Spartanburg

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Spartanburg City News Podcast

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