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Second Stories

Everyone has experienced a time when transformation was needed, when a second story was necessary. We are privileged to witness these new chapters for the neighbors, guests, and tenants in our programs.  

While we work toward change in the lives of people facing homelessness every day, we are going through our own changes as an organization. We are six months into the merger and have hit several milestones, including having merged financials, new organizational measures, combined donor and client databases, and a merged newsletter! Our next big milestone: finalizing our merged agency name, which we plan to announce in early 2020. 

But first, we want you to meet Harrison. He is one of the 91 people you helped move home in the first quarter (July-September) of our fiscal year!

Harrison

Meet Gary

Gary recently shared his story and his skilled piano playing with our True Blessings luncheon attendees - you can also find him in our video montage of people who have written a second story for themselves with YOUR help!

Gary experienced homelessness and addiction for years, until he found the help he needed to make a change. He credits the caring staff and volunteers at the Day Services Center with believing in him, the Tryon Shelter with providing the support he needed to detox, and the SABER program with saving his life. Gary reports 'exisiting' while he experienced homelessness and addiction, but in his second story, he feels 'found' and 'alive!'

Your support made Gary's second story possible. Please consider one last gift in 2019 to help others write their second story! Donate Today.    

Replacement of Statesville Shelter Announced Today

We are excited to announce plans to replace our aging 180-bed overnight shelter located at 3410 Statesville Avenue. The current building, an old warehouse converted for an emergency winter shelter in 2005, was designed to meet the most basic needs – a place for men to stay warm, dry and clean. All 180 beds are filled every night along with additional mats on the floor during extreme weather (like the cold this week), which can number more than 30.

The 196-bed replacement shelter is designed to help men emerge from homelessness by adding space for on-site case management and employment services. The new facility will feature a cooking kitchen, guest laundry services, and more privacy in the dorms. A group room will enable classes to be held on-site and a mobile computer lab will assist with employment-related activities. 

Honeywell was recognized today as a major funder for the transformational project, contributing a gift of $500,000 to support the $4.4 million project. With nearly $2.7 million already committed to the project, we are actively soliciting the remaining funds needed and hope to break ground this spring. Construction is estimated to take about nine months, with the expectation of guests being able to move in before the end of next winter. Fortunately, guests will not have to be relocated during construction, as the new building will be constructed behind the current building on the same property. 

Dear Roof Above Family,
 
Thank you for your continued support through these demanding days.  We cannot do this work without you.  And, thank you for your enthusiasm around our rebranding.  It is exciting to write to the "Roof Above Family" for the first time!
 
As we have shared throughout the last months, Roof Above has had to be nimble in our operations during the COVID pandemic.  With community cases rising, and congregate settings being particularly risky for the spread of the virus, we are preparing for our next major pivot.

On July 2^nd, we will temporarily close the doors of our Statesville Avenue Emergency Shelter and open a 130-bed shelter inside a motel.   Our goal is to provide a non-congregate setting for any shelter guest with a COVID-related risk condition.  Even partnering with local agencies to support three existing motels for people experiencing homelessness, there are still more than 120 guests inside our shelters with at least one of the CDC's identified risk conditions.  While we await a breakthrough in a vaccine or treatment, we feel this is the best next step to protect the health of those we serve. Our hope is to be able to operate the motel through the worst of the pandemic.

Even with these sheltering options, there remain more than 100 tents near our Day Services Center.  While this encampment is not a Roof Above sponsored encampment, but rather grew organically, our staff continue to work with people in the encampment for safer shelter and housing options.  The realities of street homeless have never been more visible in our community. 
 
We are reminded that homelessness is rooted in the history and current reality of structural racism. 80% of those we serve identify as Black - in a community that identifies as 32% Black. We can trace the line of homelessness through an American history that began with slavery, included the caste system of Jim Crow, and intentional discriminatory housing practices. 

Going forward, we will continue to bring attention to these inequities and work towards a more just community. 
 
The path ahead is not easy, but it is made easier through your companionship.  Again, our thanks for all you have done to support our work during this time.  From masks to bagged lunches to financial support, you have shown up for those we serve time and time again.
 
We love when people give from their unique talents!  See here for a short video of how Ashley HomeStore of the Carolinas used their design skills to create beautiful common space in our newly converted dormitory shelter project that opened last month. 


Looking for ways to support our work?

• With the opening of the motel, we are looking for volunteers to provide bagged lunches for motel guests.  You can sign up here. 
• We always welcome financial support.
• To help keep those we serve safe, donate disposable face masks.

With gratitude and determination,
Liz

Dear Roof Above Family,
 
Thank you for your ongoing support of Roof Above as we continue our work to end homelessness amidst a pandemic. As colder weather rolls in, we prepare to pivot again to provide shelter safely through wintertime.
 
For nearly 25 years, this community has provided phenomenal love and support each winter through the thousands of people who have volunteered with our Room in the Inn shelter program. But, like so much in 2020, COVID has forced us to reimagine our plans this winter. 

Due to safety concerns, we will not offer Room in the Inn or overflow mats in our shelter this winter.  However, we remain 100% committed to providing those we serve a safe place to sleep and a warm meal throughout the winter. Through the efforts outlined below, we will increase the number of shelter beds to meet increased demand in colder weather, while also following appropriate measures to keep our neighbors, volunteers, and staff safe.

Emergency Winter Shelter for Men:  On December 1^st, we will re-open the Lucille Giles Center, our existing emergency shelter on Statesville Ave.  Due to the congregate nature of the building, we closed the building in July and moved our operations into a motel to serve guests with COVID risk factors.  As we prepare to re-open the shelter, we will have beds socially distanced and will add sleeping barriers for additional COVID safety.  We will continue our operations at the motel, so the re-opening of the Giles Center will add 130 beds to our shelter system. In addition, we can safely add 28 beds to our Tryon shelter and will extend the lease of our dorm shelter for working men through June. Last winter, including Room in the Inn and overflow mats, we served an average of 533 men per night. Through these measures this winter, we will provide shelter for 621 men per night.     

Emergency Winter Shelter for Women and Families:  During the winter, Room in the Inn has been an important emergency shelter for families and women experiencing homelessness.  This winter, Roof Above is actively working with Salvation Army Center of Hope to expand the capacity to serve women and families at a non-congregate location (location TBD).  Through this partnership, we anticipate providing additional shelter for at least 100 women and family members.  Given Salvation Army's expertise, we anticipate that they will serve as the primary operator of the shelter, and Roof Above will provide a supportive role. 

In addition to these overnight shelter changes, at our Day Services Center we will add outdoor warming locations throughout the campus to limit indoor crowds and ensure our neighbors can keep warm while waiting for services. 

While we are saddened to pause our Room in the Inn program, we hope that we can still count on your help. Though the opportunities to volunteer will look slightly different than a typical winter, we will be reaching out next month to share specific ways for you to provide food, items, and your time to help us. And, your financial support is always needed and appreciated.   

Dear UMC|MSC Family,
 
First and foremost, thank you for all the ways you have expressed your support.
 
When I last wrote to you, we asked for your help in collecting masks.  You responded.  From people pulling out their sewing machines to people hosting on-line fundraisers to purchase masks, you have shared hundreds of masks with us!  All staff have at least one re-usable masks and almost half of those we serve have a reusable mask. We have begun to "strongly encourage" the wearing of masks while inside our facilities.  We couldn't have taken this important step with you.  In addition, we have been able to roll-out a hazard pay program for all of our staff who continue their work on the front-lines.  Your generous financial support allows us to take this step forward.  Thank you.
 
Advocacy & Action
While we are still without our first positive COVID-19 test results, we have joined with several voices in the faith, service provider, and activist community to ask for additional precautions for our neighbors who are unsheltered.  We have asked for additional port-a-johns and handwashing stations throughout our community, as well as additional motel space for those who have at least one of the CDCs high risk factors.  Research indicates those experiencing homelessness who contract COVID-19 are two to four times more likely to end up in ICU, so we believe we are advocating for the overall community's well-being with these asks.
 
We are also stepping up our planning efforts to serve our community's needs over the next year.  When we consider our response during the financially tumultuous times in 2008 and 2009, we responded by opening up the floor space in our shelters and serving more people.  We know that crowding won't be an option for the coming months, so we are thinking strategically about how to add space to our portfolio and how can we move people through our system quicker, thereby opening up space.  We remain grateful to Mecklenburg County for funding two new housing programs that we have started to roll out in the midst of this pandemic. During the month of March, across all programs, our teams moved 41 people home!
 
Thank you for continuing to seek ways to support our work. We are keeping our COVID-19 Greatest Needs list updated; here are a few ideas from that page:

1. Make a Financial Donation - unrestricted funds help us respond quickly and efficiently
2. Reusable Masks - we would like everyone to have access to two
3. Sandwiches, Lunches, Non-perishable Food - we have 500 tenants staying at home and serve over 600 each day in our shelters and soup kitchen
4. Amazon Wishlist - it's updated daily with greatest needs

In closing, I wanted to share this video. Our Chief Engagement Officer Randall Hitt was recently featured by the Observer/News & Observer.  It is a great chance to see social distancing in action at our Day Service Center, as well as hear from one of our key leaders, who has been re-purposed from organizational leadership to front-lines leader.

Our staff have demonstrated their clear heart for this work, and I am incredibly proud of the dedicated effort and sacrifice they've put forward these last few weeks. In fact, we feel privileged to be a vessel for you to support our community's most vulnerable and we could not be more grateful for your response.

In gratitude,
Liz

Dear UMC|MSC Family,

We continue to re-imagine our work in light of COVID-19.  For us, a big part of that reimagining has centered on how can we continue to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness, especially as we anticipate our numbers will grow in light of economic turmoil.  In the past, we have opened our doors wider, putting cots down in dining rooms and mattresses in lobbies to serve more people.  We know those options are no longer available to us in our new socially-distanced world, so we have pondered how we can grow our capacity without crowding.

I am excited to share that next week, we will open an additional temporary shelter site, which we anticipate operating through the end of the year. We were fortunate to be given an opportunity to utilize an old dormitory, which will provide 64 rooms and space for 70 guests. While the dorm features shared hall kitchens and bathrooms, the individualized space provides a much safer environment in light of COVID-19. We will focus on men in our shelter whose path out of homelessness is employment, providing wrap-around employment and housing supports. This program, in turn, will open up more shelter space for those who are currently sleeping outside. 

This seed of an idea has only become a reality thanks to the incredibly generosity of so many.  We offer our gratitude to:

• A generous anonymous donor, Don Sherrill, and Randy Martin, whose support gave the idea life
• A collection of corporate partners that came together through the Charlotte Corporate Affairs Professionals (CCAP) group to provide the main furnishings for the dorm rooms. The initiative was championed by TIAA, and supported by these amazing partners: Ally Financial, Brighthouse Financial, Charlotte Hornets Foundation, Charlotte Knights, Publix Super Markets, and Truliant Credit Union.
• Lowe's, for generously donating the appliances for the kitchens and dorm rooms
• Myers Park Presbyterian Church, for providing funding to help upfit the building for our current needs
• Ashley HomeStore of the Carolinas, for providing the beautiful design and furnishings for our common lounges and dining room
• IKEA, for donating important finishing touches for our dorm rooms
• Christ Episcopal Church volunteers, for painting, collecting, and donating items for each room
• Shelco, who went above and beyond and completed the work on the dorms at cost
• Hood Hargett & Associates, for connecting us to Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation to sponsor two rooms

Many continue to ask how they can support our work, so we are sharing two new opportunities: 

1. We would like to offer each dorm guest a Welcome Basket. If you would like to help support a Welcome Basket for our dorm guests, you are welcome to purchase items from our Amazon Wish List: bit.ly/newdormwishlist
2. We would like to offer dorm guests a daily bag lunch. Great for individuals, families, or groups, you can sign-up to provide 70 bag lunches at: bit.ly/dormlunchsignup

In closing, I'd love to share a video snippet of our Director of Income Services Joe Hamby, who has shaped the vision for the dorm project. He is sharing about one of the tenets of the new dorm program, inspired by Socrates'' encouragement to live an examined life.   

As we reflect on this season, we are incredibly grateful for all the ways you continue to show your support and solidarity with those we serve.

Thank you,
Liz

Dear UMC|MSC Family,
 
As our first week of the governor's stay-at-home order comes to a close, I wanted to provide an update from our front lines. We continue our work of providing basic needs, shelter, and housing. 
 
In the last message, I shared about all the action we have taken.  You have heard about our various approaches - spacing our beds at our Statesville shelter, changing our meals to carry out, expanding into a hotel, increasing deep cleaning at our facilities. 
 
It feels as if our season of preparing has ended, and now we are anticipating the difficult journey ahead. We don't yet have a positive case identified, but we know it is likely to happen soon.
 
Together to help
 
Many of you have already helped us in so many ways; and STILL ask how you can do more. We are overwhelmed with the love and generosity of our community! Here are a few more concrete ways you can help (Stay up to date on our needs with this link: bit.ly/UMCwishlist):

• Masks - If you know how to sew, we would LOVE donations of masks to support our staff and those we serve. 
• Word Searches & Crosswords - We are collecting crosswords, word searches, sudoku books, etc., for those in housing programs and our shelters. Stay-at-home and widespread unemployment have created a much different rhythm of the day and activities to reduce boredom are appreciated.
• Prayer - Prayers for those we serve and our team members to be as safe as possible over these next few weeks.
• Financial Support - Our work continues, and we are grateful for your critical financial donations to provide the basic services needed more than ever by our neighbors. Donate here. We can't do it without you.

 
With this significant economic disruption, homelessness will grow
 
We have already seen the evidence.  If you drive by our Day Service Center, you will see that dozens of tents have popped up outside of our gates.  In this time of uncertainty, some have shared that they have placed their tents here because it is the closest place that feels like home.  They have placed them close together and this proximity has caused a lot of concern.
 
As part of our COVID-19 response, we have provided tents to people sleeping outside.  We recognize that there is no legal place to put tents, unless there is specific landowner permission.  Nevertheless, we also know there are hundreds of people sleeping outside right now, and tents provide an additional layer of protection. We do not place tents nor advise where people should place tents.
 
Responding with compassion
 
During this public health crisis, the CDC recommends not removing encampments.  The goal is for people to remain as stationary as possible.  As stay-at-home has taken effect in our community, less services and opportunities are available for those we serve. We are doing our best to respond compassionately, safely, and in a way that supports our mission of ending homelessness. 
 
As such, at this time, we will not remove the tents located on our property, but we are reminding people to do their best to stay six feet away from others and follow other safety protocol. We continue to educate people sleeping outside about the CDC recommendations for space in encampments and our Day Service Center is open 7 days-a-week, so people have access to showers, laundry, and lunch. Finally, we continue our housing work and search for better community solutions.  We remain steadfast that housing is the solution to homelessness. 
 
I know you join me in these beliefs. More is possible when we are doing it together.
 
In gratitude,
Liz

Dear Roof Above Family,
 
With affordable housing disappearing across the country, we are thrilled to announce our purchase of an entire apartment community that will preserve 341 apartments in east Charlotte for individuals and families earning a range of incomes.
 
In a $50 million deal made possible through a remarkable public-private partnership, Roof Above has acquired HillRock Estates on 23 acres near Kilborne Drive. Through deed restrictions, we will ensure the apartments remain affordable for at least 27 years for households earning below the city's median income.

A philanthropic gift of $5 million, the largest single private gift ever received by Roof Above, and a gift of $2 million, both donated anonymously from two Charlotte families, made the deal possible.

Atrium Health also was crucial in securing the property, providing a $5 million low-interest loan to Roof Above in exchange for the use of 50 apartments over time to house Atrium workers in need of assistance.

Financing also was provided by Bellweather Enterprise through a Fannie Mae loan, as well as the city of Charlotte's voter-approved Housing Trust Fund. An innovation grant of $600,000 from Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and additional philanthropic donation totaling $1 million rounded out the funding for the project.
 
We are so grateful for our corporate, philanthropic and government partners in this innovative solution that will provide housing for so many individuals and families. HillRock Estates embodies the kind of bold thinking we had in mind last year when we merged Urban Ministry Center and Men's Shelter of Charlotte to form a single, more impactful organization.

We know there is no surer way to move the needle on ending homelessness than housing. By preserving rental affordability, we are investing in the future of our Charlotte community. Thank you for supporting and championing our work.
 
With gratitude,
Liz

See the full press release here. 

Dear UMC|MSC Family,

We continue to adapt so that we can provide our essential services as safely as possible.

We are all in this together, so we want to keep you aware of what is happening on our front lines. A few updates from our organization follow. 

In order to offer safer emergency shelter and increase social-distancing, we have reduced capacity at our Statesville Ave. shelter from 180 beds to 132 beds through attrition and reassigning guests to a motel.  We are grateful to LS3P for donating their design work and Elevation Church for providing support for the move!  Starting today, we will leave the building open 24/7 (previously closed during the day) to reduce unnecessary travel of our guests.

We have partnered with Mecklenburg County, Salvation Army Center of Hope, and Safe Alliance to provide additional shelter capacity at a local motel.  We have targeted guests who are not symptomatic but are considered "high-risk" to move out of the shelter and into the motel.  In addition to this motel, you have probably seen in the news that Mecklenburg County is providing and staffing another motel for quarantine and isolation for those experiencing homelessness.  We are incredibly grateful for the County's leadership on this effort.

We have altered the hours of our Day Services Center (935 N. College St.).  We will now open from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm to offer showers, laundry, limited counseling services, and a take out lunch.  These hours match our greatest demand.  We had previously closed down showers and laundry between 11:00 am - 1:30 pm, and reopened at 1:30 pm.

In accordance with medical advice, we have altered our health screenings at the shelters'' front doors to instead focus on an array of symptoms for every guest and temperature checks when needed.

SABER, our substance use treatment program, continues to offer treatment, but group work has been decreased in size and has moved outdoors.   

Thanks to your generosity, we have provided nearly 180 tents and 200 sleeping bags over the last ten days for people who have been unable to access shelter. These items along with food and cleaning supplies for our 500+ tenants in housing have been an amazing gift of love shown to our neighbors. We continue to update needs here.

And our housing work continues! Last week our Scattered Site team moved four people into housing.

I read the headline "Alone Together" last week. I thought how appropriate that was for this time. Given the role that volunteerism has played in our organization, it is incredibly surreal not to have the hands and feet of our community actively serving on our campuses. And yet, how connected we still feel in this moment.  Your thoughts, prayers, words of encouragement and support are cherished.

In gratitude,
Liz

Friends,

With two cases of COVID-19 confirmed today in Mecklenburg County, we are looking out for the health of those we serve. People experiencing homelessness are particularly at risk due to the congregate nature of our facilities and common health vulnerabilities (hypertension, diabetes, asthma, COPD).

While we have no knowledge of any COVID-19 on our campuses, we have taken precautions and are beginning to roll out additional protections. We have begun a health screening for guests at our shelters, and have made the difficult but necessary decision to end our Room In The Inn program early, with the last check-in Friday evening, March 13. We are working towards transforming our meal service to reduce crowding, along with other precautions.    

This pandemic is adding extra stress to an already stretched homeless service system. We welcome your support, especially with a few specific needs that will provide immediate help to those we serve. Our Amazon Wishlist has been updated to include tents, sleeping bags, and shower wipes to support people who may be sleeping outside. In addition, as we move towards changing our meal service, we have several specific food needs.

We hold our entire community in our hearts as we prepare for the challenging days ahead.

Liz Clasen-Kelly 
CEO

Dear Roof Above Family,
 
As we continue our push for affordable housing solutions, we are thrilled to announce our purchase of a hotel! 

Located at the intersection of Clanton Road and Interstate 77, the renovations to transform the hotel into permanent supportive housing will begin this summer, with an estimated project cost of $12 million. 

When the transformation is complete, the facility will replicate Moore Place, a nationally-recognized housing community that provides affordable housing paired with on-site case management and medical care for people who have experienced chronic homelessness. 
 
Each unit in the new project will be renovated to include a kitchen. In addition, a support services wing will be added to provide space for robust services to help a vulnerable population be successful in housing. By converting existing space, the project will avoid some of the time delays and financial constraints of new construction.

We are excited that the 88-unit hotel will serve an immediate need this winter as emergency shelter for women and families, in partnership with Salvation Army Center of Hope. 

Roof Above raised money for the project through government and philanthropic support including:

• $2 million in CARES Act funding from the City of Charlotte
• $1 million from the Springsteen Foundation
• $500,000 from a previously announced gift from Duke Energy Foundation
• A significant financial contribution from John McKibbon and the McKibbon Family Foundation

As with all of our projects, we could not have embraced this remarkable and innovative opportunity without the generosity of our community of supporters. Your commitment to help our neighbors in need is both humbling and critical in moving the needle on homelessness.
 
With gratitude,
Liz

See the full press release here.

Dear Urban Ministry & Men's Shelter Family,

First and foremost, thank you for your words of encouragement, prayers, and support over the last week. I am reminded of a line in our organization's values, "We know we can't do it alone. We are stronger and smarter together." We are grateful we are "together" with you.

Many have asked about our current operations and services in light of this rapidly changing situation.

We remain open. Through two shelters and a day services center, we serve more than 600 people experiencing homelessness every day, and often in crowded situations. We have taken the following actions on these campuses:

• Altered service to reduce indoor crowding and reduce interactions in closed office spaces.
• Paused in-person volunteerism. We are operating through staff support only.
• Implemented health screenings at the front door of our shelter.
• Created separate rooms in our shelter for people who are symptomatic for COVID-19.

For our three housing programs, we have plans in place to ensure people have access to food and supports during the days to come.

We are working with County leadership and healthcare providers to finalize the right systematic responses to screen, test, and isolate, when appropriate.

While our efforts have identified a handful of people who are symptomatic, all have connected with healthcare resources and none have been diagnosed with COVID-19 at this time.

Many have inquired how they can support us during this time. For all those who gave through our Amazon Wishlist, THANK YOU! The response has been overwhelming.

We will continue to update this webpage with our most pressing needs. As you will read, at this time flexible operating funds to meet increased service requirements and costs represents our greatest need.

We always say, "Housing is healthcare." Never has that felt more true. We know that housing provides safety and stability, but in this time we are reminded that housing provides a space to practice social distancing, frequent hand-washing and a place to quarantine. These suggested practices are much less accessible to those without their own home. May this experience further deepen our collective commitment to end homelessness.

In gratitude,
Liz

Reimagining the Direction Home

This past year has been the year of reimagining for all of us. Reimagining how we work, how we communicate, and how we move forward in light of a global pandemic. For Roof Above, the pandemic invited us to reimagine how we deliver services, how we provide shelter, and how we we walk with our neighbors on their path home.

For some, the path home is shorter and easier to navigate. For others, the path home is long, winding, and complicated. But what always remains true, is that housing is the solution to homelessness.

To illustrate the power of finding home, we want you to meet Nate, one of 265 people moved home since the onset of the pandemic in early March.

Nate''s Story

Dear Roof Above Family,

Homelessness has existed for decades.  It is a horrible reality that each day Roof Above works to end.

In light of the pandemic, our community is grappling with this reality in a new way.

With the governor's "stay at home" order and the onset of the pandemic, we have seen tent communities move into more visible and concentrated locations.  This visual reminder that some of our neighbors do not have a safe place of their own has challenged our community's consciousness.

Many of you have reached out to ask about these encampments. Your concern for the people living in the tents and your interest in helping are a testament to this community's heart. We are truly grateful for you!

Below are a few of the questions we have been asked most frequently, including ways that you can help, as we all work together to end homelessness in Charlotte.

Why is there now a large tent community outside Roof Above's Day Services Center (945 N. College Street)?  As COVID-19 descended upon our community and a "stay at home" order was issued, tents organically sprung up outside the gates of Roof Above's Day Services Center.  For many who are unsheltered, our Day Services Center is a "home base," where people can have their basic needs met with a shower, laundry, or meal and get their mail. 
Keeping in line with the Center for Disease Control's directive to not remove encampments and avoid the threat of spreading COVID-19, the public and private property owners have allowed the tents to remain. 

Is the encampment outside your gates an official Roof Above encampment?  No.  The encampment was created organically.  While Roof Above is active in the encampment, the encampment is also served by several grassroots groups and individuals, who regularly visit to distribute food, drinks, and supplies.  Some groups assist with cleaning as well.  While Roof Above has contact with some of these groups, we are not coordinating community activities in the encampment. 
 
How is Roof Above helping people in tent communities?  Our Day Services Center remains open every day, offering access to basic needs and connections to other community and housing resources.  We have staff members called "Housing Navigators" that go into encampments to build relationships with people, help them connect to resources, and work towards a housing plan.  We have successfully helped move more than 30 people from the tents outside our gates to either a shelter, reunification with family, or other housing opportunities. We are adding an additional Housing Navigator to focus on work in encampments, particularly the one located outside our gates.
 
Why haven't we ever seen tent cities as large as this before?  Encampments have existed for decades in this community. Generally, encampments are less than a dozen tents and are set up in the woods or along railroad tracks, outside of public view.  More visible encampments are more likely to be cleared, as people are trespassing unless they have been given permission to be on the property. The recent concentration and visibility of encampments is unprecedented in our community. It seems to be related to the pandemic, in that people are locating in more centralized areas and the community is supporting CDC's recommendation not to remove encampments.

I heard Roof Above started giving out tents during the pandemic.  Why was that?  Through our Housing Navigators that provide outreach to people in encampments, Roof Above has always given out tents, and done so year-round.  We increased our tent donations during COVID-19 because tents provide a sleeping barrier, which is protective against the virus. 
 
I heard the shelters had to reduce beds.  Is that why we are seeing more people outside?  While Roof Above did downsize our shelter beds for social distancing reasons, this did not reduce the number of "shelter" beds. That's because with the addition of motel rooms and converted dorms, we are offering dozens more shelter beds.  A big part of why we are seeing more people outside is that people are sleeping in more visible places.    
 
What does the Center for Disease Control (CDC) say we should be doing about encampments right now?  The CDC has published guidance on homelessness and COVID-19. The CDC recommends trying to connect people in encampments with housing or safe sheltering options.  If those options aren't available, the CDC recommends trying to space out tents, providing restroom and hygiene facilities and not clearing the encampments.
 
I heard everyone might have to leave the encampment by your Day Services Center.  Is this true? At the time of sending you this message, there is not an order in place to have people removed from the encampment outside our Day Services Center. However, at any time, property owners can ask for people to be removed.  Approximately 70% of the encampment is on public land with the remaining on private land. There is a pending lawsuit from a nearby property owner against the private land owners regarding this encampment. 

There is another large tent community by 12^th St. and Graham St. (about 40 tents), which is on private property. The owner has asked people to leave by August 14^th at 5:00 p.m.
 
What happens when encampments are cleared?  It is a somewhat common experience that a property owner would ask police to have people in an encampment removed because of trespassing.  Often, property owners are willing to give the people in the encampment a certain time-frame to leave the property. If people refuse to leave, they may be arrested for trespassing.  Our Housing Navigators might be contacted by the police to see if we can connect people in the encampment with other resources, such as shelter or housing.  Most commonly, people in an encampment relocate to another piece of land or another encampment. 

In the case of the encampment at 12th & Graham that will be cleared at the end of the week, our Housing Navigators will be engaging with those in the encampment this week, to connect with other resources if possible. 

Are these encampments unique to Charlotte?  How have other cities responded?  Cities across America continue to struggle with homelessness in the midst of the pandemic and many have reported increased size and visibility of encampments.  Most cities' responses are similar to Charlotte's: making shelters safer by social distancing; expanding "shelter" capacity through motels; and developing a safe way for people experiencing homelessness to quarantine/isolate in the case of a positive COVID-19 case or exposure.  A handful of cities have created a legal encampment, where on designated land, tents can be erected, properly spaced and those individuals are provided access to hygiene and other services.

What is going to happen to everyone in the encampments when it gets cold?  We typically see a decrease in street homelessness in the winter and an increased demand for shelter.  Our traditional winter responses - Room in the Inn and overflow mats in our shelter - will need to be adapted in light of the pandemic.  Right now, we are working on solutions to increase capacity, including additional sites, as the weather turns cold.   
 
What is the government doing to help in encampments?  Significant funding was provided by the government to allow shelters to social distance and to add more beds to our shelter system through motels and other sites, thereby reducing the number of people outside.  Funding has also been provided for long-term housing solutions.  For those still outside, the government has provided funding for port-a-johns and handwashing sinks near encampment areas and has provided trash cans and assistance with trash pick-up.
 
What is the best way for me to help?

Learn: One way to help is to continue to learn about the challenges of those experiencing homelessness and the solutions around housing. One good resource on this is through Mecklenburg County's Homeless and Housing Dashboard. 

Advocate: The solution to homelessness is housing and there are several ways to advocate for more housing solutions.  Here are two ways to consider:

• Call your U.S. Senators and ask for support for additional housing vouchers and short-term rental support, in light of COVID-19. Learn more.
• Support the $50M Housing Trust Fund bond on Charlotte's ballot in November.  Encourage City Council to advocate for those earning less than 30% of our Area Median Income.

In gratitude, 
Liz

Dear UMC|MSC Family,

Today is the day I share with you what we hoped would not come: we learned this week we have had our first positive case of COVID-19. A gentleman in one of our housing programs was exposed through his workplace and tested positive. He is currently hospitalized, dealing with the cruel tentacles of this illness. No one in our housing program beyond his roommate reached the level of exposure to require quarantine. We know housing is healthcare. Had the positive case come from someone in our community experiencing homelessness, either outside or in our shelter, the exposure would have likely impacted many more people. 

We continue to modify operations with the safety of those we serve at the forefront. Thanks to your donations of masks, we have started requiring face coverings in our shelters and are expanding the requirement to other campuses. Yet, as we have learned from other cities, shelters, given their congregate nature, can become hotspots for COVID-19. In light of this, we are actively exploring options for alternate "non-congregate" shelter to provide more individualized space. We hope to have more to share with you on these efforts soon.

Last month, our organization joined many other voices in the community asking our public leaders to provide additional motel space for our neighbors who are still outside. We are pleased that next week Mecklenburg County will open 70 additional motel rooms to serve those experiencing unsheltered homelessness who have a high-risk condition (older, hypertension, severe asthma, etc.). Our agency will join with Supportive Housing Communities and Salvation Army to provide staff support for those in the motel. Our hope is to keep people alive through this pandemic, while also working with those in the motel to develop long-term housing solutions.  

We also celebrated a new beginning this week, despite all the challenges we are facing. We broke ground on our new Statesville Ave. shelter and announced a generous $1 million gift from Howard Levine, for whom the new shelter will be named. 


New Emergency Homeless Shelter Breaks Ground in North Charlotte (QCNerve)

The new shelter will provide the dignity and social-distanced safety of sleeping pods, along with the addition of a kitchen, laundry facilities, and offices to provide housing and employment supports on-site. We anticipate the new shelter being ready for move-in in early 2021.

Please know how deeply we feel your support and encouragement. 

Thank you,
Liz

Dear Roof Above Family,

On a recent cold morning, I found myself being pulled outside by my seven year-old.  "Look, mommy!," he exclaimed as he exhaled and his breath formed a white cloud in the crisp morning.  As he watched with glee and amazement, I found myself contemplating the power of breath in 2020.
 
I thought of the hundreds in our community whose lungs lost the ability to take in breath as they lost their fight against COVID-19.  I thought of George Floyd whose last pleas for breath shook the world.  I marveled at all the work, all the sacrifice, all the advocacy of 2020, to protect this vital, simple act of breathing.   
 
At our core, Roof Above exists to preserve breath.  Our oldest roots stretch to when three men froze to death one winter forty years ago.  Through this pandemic, we honored these roots, going to great lengths to keep people safe and alive.
 
But, when you get to know those we serve, simply preserving breath is not enough.  We must provide pathways for people to find stability and to live into potential and possibility.   We believe to our depths that homelessness is only a temporary state.  Everyone deserves the safety and promise of home, which is why we have continued to expand housing solutions amidst a very full year.
 
We cannot adequately express what it has meant to feel your support, love, and care as we have navigated through 2020.  Thank you.   
 
As we head into the hope and uncertainty of 2021, we will take from your tremendous support a mandate to dream bigger dreams for our work and for our community.  Homelessness is not an acceptable reality.  And we look forward to continuing to join with you to end homelessness in our community, one life at a time.

We invite you to view the brief video below, sharing how Roof Above rose to the challenges of 2020 and what we are carrying with us into 2021.

In gratitude, 
Liz