FREQUENTLY ASKED
COMMON QUESTIONS
IN COLUMBIA.
The questions that actually come up about reentry support in Columbia.
Background on this market
Columbia is the largest city in the Midlands and the seat of state government in Richland County, anchored by the State House, the University of South Carolina, Prisma Health and Fort Jackson.
Columbia runs on payrolls that do not move much: state government, a flagship university, a large hospital system and an Army installation. The private economy grows around those four rather than replacing them. Growth is redevelopment rather than expansion. Old industrial and institutional land inside the city is being converted to housing and offices, which pulls activity back toward the center.
Columbia's older cores were platted long before modern setbacks, so lot lines and easements deserve a careful read before you plan an addition.
Everything on this site is an extension of Ben Lovro's main site.
More for Columbia
The rest of the Columbia material
The full market read for this area is on the Columbia, SC site. The deeper treatment of reentry support is on the topic site.
Frequently asked
Questions people actually ask
Do you work in Columbia?
Yes. Columbia and the rest of Richland County are inside the regular footprint, along with much of South Carolina.
Is this a government program?
No. Second Chance Kings is part of Ben Lovro's Kingdom Alliance service work. It is not affiliated with the South Carolina Department of Corrections — which runs its own separately-named Second Chance Program — or with any other state agency.
Do I have to be religious to get help?
No. Ben's faith is his own and it is why he does this. Nobody has to share it, agree with it, or attend anything to be treated decently.
What is hardest about coming home to Columbia?
Columbia is the easiest landing in the region for practical reasons: the bus runs, probation and parole offices, the workforce center and most social services sit within a few blocks of each other downtown, and hiring in food service, hospitality, warehousing, janitorial and healthcare support is continuous. Federal and state jobs are largely closed, so aim at the private service economy first and build from there.
Can my record be expunged in Richland County?
It depends on the charge and how it resolved. Dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, diversion dismissals, certain first-offense misdemeanors and some drug possession convictions may be eligible, with waiting periods running from about one year to twenty. Traffic and fish-and-wildlife convictions generally cannot be expunged. This is not legal advice — ask the Solicitor's office or South Carolina Legal Services.
Where do I apply for expungement?
For a non-conviction in Magistrate or Municipal Court, through that court. For everything else, through the Solicitor's office in the county where the charge or conviction occurred — for this area, Richland County.
How do I talk about my record in an interview?
Briefly, early, and facing forward. One or two sentences: what happened, that it is behind you, what you have done since. Then move to the work.
Make your next move
A year from now, what will you be glad you started today?
You don't need another promise that everything will be easy. You need something useful to learn — and a next step you're willing to take.