People without homes are vulnerable. Here’s a look at the numbers in Charlotte and where to find help.
An Observer story reported on a plan for a transitional housing facility in northwest Charlotte called Vermelle’s Place that left residents in bad conditions and without services they thought they’d receive. They are among hundreds of people who need help.
Some of those residents have connected with Apryl Lewis, an advocate and founder of Kinetic Works LLC, which advocates for equitable housing in Charlotte and helps people facing eviction. She took an interest in May in the hotel that was the subject of the Observer story after hearing about the concerns.
Lewis previously worked at the organizing group ActionNC.
What happened at Vermelle’s Place in the Lamplighter Inn off I-85 in northwest Charlotte is not the exception but the rule in Charlotte, Lewis said in an interview.
“The hotel owners know that they got people that are in dire situations, that have nowhere else to go, and they treat them as such,” she said.
Since the pandemic, she said, she’s been to five or six “extended stay” hotels where she’s worked with people experiencing similar situations to those at the Lamplighter Inn. She helps them submit complaints to Code Enforcement or write letters to city and county officials.
The problem is not putting people into hotels, she said, but the lack of oversight and accountability.
“I’m finding that more people are starting or wanting to start supportive or transitional housing because they know they have access to funding,” she said. But “nobody is following up.”
Where to find help in Charlotte
Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have seen a rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness in the last couple of years, a county report said.
The 2023 State of Housing Instability and Homelessness Report, released by Mecklenburg County Community Support Services, said the number increased by 11%, from about 2,400 people in June 2022 to 2,700 people in June 2023.
And as of June 30 of this year, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing and Homelessness Dashboard, there are approximately 2,784 experiencing homelessness in the region.
Karen Pelletier, a division director with the county’s Community Support Services, said that 269 of those people were living in transitional housing. As of January 2024, Pelletier said, there were 593 transitional housing beds in the county.
Here are some resources for those looking for assistance:
Mecklenburg County provides assistance to those experiencing homelessness, or those who are on the cusp through something called Coordinated Entry for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Continuum of Care.
It can refer people to resources and programs, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing and Homelessness Dashboard says. Coordinated Entry does not, the dashboard says, provide financial assistance, motel vouchers, or immediate shelter.
However, the Mecklenburg County website also contains other resources:
Crisis Assistance Ministry provides emergency funds in the county.
The HOMES Grant application is also available until Nov. 22, 2024. The grant helps people who qualify reduce the total amount of taxes due for their property.
The county also offers resources on eviction prevention assistance and rental subsidy programs, including:
Keeping Families Together in Mecklenburg County, which helps families with “frequent interactions” with the child welfare and homeless systems
Housing for Good, which provides housing services for victims of domestic violence
Criminal Justice Services Re-entry Program, which provides transitional housing for homeless adults after being incarcerated
The city of Charlotte’s website also contains information about emergency assistance, affordable housing, and homebuyer assistance.
There are also nonprofit organizations in the city and county that offer support and services to people experiencing homelessness.
Roof Above provides short-term and long-term housing. Some were linked on the Mecklenburg County website, including MeckHome and Link Housing.
Carolinas Care Partnership, a health and housing nonprofit that focuses on supporting the LGBTQ community, distributes housing vouchers for people living with HIV. This is done, its website said, through the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program.
Veterans experiencing homelessness can seek assistance through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by contacting the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans.
This story was originally published July 25, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
