One of America's prettiest cities scrambles to reclaim storybook streets from homeless camps, drug dens

Business leaders and metropolis officials successful Savannah, Georgia — often described arsenic 1 of America’s astir picturesque destinations, known for its Spanish moss-draped oaks, waterfront views and ornate ironwork — accidental they are moving to reclaim parts of the historical metropolis from increasing homelessness, encampments and nationalist information concerns.

"We person seen the caller articles detailing a visitor’s acquisition successful our metropolis and the disposable challenges posed by homelessness, vagrancy, and related nationalist information concerns successful our historical nationalist squares and nationalist spaces," a associated connection provided to Fox News Digital by the City of Savannah, the Savannah Chamber and the Savannah Tourism Leadership Council said.

While the groups pushed backmost connected immoderate sum arsenic "designed to make clicks by sensationalizing issues," they acknowledged the problems are existent and progressively disposable to residents, concern owners and tourists.

An unhoused idiosyncratic rests connected a seat successful Reynolds Square connected Tuesday, October 21, 2025. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bert Brantley said the interaction is felt regular crossed the concern community.

THE SOCIALIST CRIME BLUEPRINT BEGINS. NYC LEADERS PULL BACK THE CURTAIN ON MAMDANI’S VISION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

"Our businesses, workers, and downtown residents expect our nationalist information strategy to place those committing crimes and present consequences for those amerciable activities," Brantley said successful November 2024.

Homelessness remains a apical interest for enclosure members. Ahead of Savannah-Chatham Day successful February 2026, Brantley called it "such an important issue," portion Mayor Van Johnson said metropolis leaders are pursuing state-backed solutions to code ongoing challenges, according to WJCL.

City officials person progressively turned to enforcement measures. In June 2025, WJCL reported connected the city’s projected municipality camping ordinance, which metropolis officials said would marque it unlawful to camp, store idiosyncratic spot oregon get successful the mode of traffic.

Savannah, Georgia's celebrated fountain successful Forsyth Park successful the downtown historical territory park. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Savannah passed an municipality camping ordinance prohibiting camping, storing idiosyncratic spot successful nationalist spaces and obstructing sidewalks oregon traffic.

GOT A TIP?

"I don't deliberation there's a azygous idiosyncratic connected this assembly that believes we should criminalize homelessness," Alderman Kurtis Purtee told WJCL astatine the time. "But we person to fig retired a mode to commencement moving unneurotic arsenic a community, portion holding radical accountable for their actions."

Johnson described the ordinance arsenic "another instrumentality successful the toolbox," adding that immoderate individuals "regularly engaged successful transgression activity" necessitate a antithetic response.

FOLLOW US ON X

Homeless individuals beryllium successful Reynolds Square arsenic the greeting prima shines done connected Tuesday, October 21, 2025. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Since the instrumentality took effect, the metropolis says enforcement has led to 179 citations and 15 arrests. Officials besides study that 135 individuals person engaged with work providers, with astir 30% entering shelters aft interaction with authorities.

Encampments successful the historical territory person been reduced by astir fractional since 2023, according to figures provided by the metropolis and spouse organizations. Those figures were not independently verified by Fox News Digital.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

Located wrong show of City Hall is the aureate dome that is simply a fashionable spot for locals and tourists alike. (Richard Burkhart via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

Beyond homelessness, authorities accidental the portion is besides contending with evolving cause threats.

A February 2026 News4Jax study connected a DEA-led initiative, "Operation Fentanyl Free America," highlighted shifting trafficking patterns successful Southeast Georgia, including methamphetamine being transported successful liquid signifier earlier conversion.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS

DEA Assistant Special Agent successful Charge Drew Mayer said crystal meth remains "the astir prevalent drug" successful the portion by volume.

"Drug smugglers are tough. They’re not going without a fight. We’ve seen an summation successful methods to fell and disguise the loads of drugs with screen loads, transporting immoderate of the drugs successful a liquid signifier and different originative manners to debar detention," Mayer told News4Jax.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Savannah, Georgia's downtown Calhoun Square with trees and homes astatine sunset. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

While fentanyl-related wide overdoses person declined, the cause remains a concern, with officials noting the emergence of "purple fentanyl" successful Savannah, Brunswick and on the Georgia-Florida corridor.

MIAMI BEACH MAYOR SAYS CRACKDOWN ON SPRING BREAK CHAOS HAS TOURISM BOOMING ONCE AGAIN

Authorities accidental trafficking continues done the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, with drugs moving done Atlanta and down the I-95 corridor into Southeast Georgia and Florida.