Council wrestles with homeless issue

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub 

ASHEBORO — The question of how to help homeless people returned to the Asheboro City Council’s agenda. At their regular meeting on Feb. 6, it came up during public comment and through reports from the library and Code Enforcement.

Angi Polito, Randolph County Public Library Community Navigator, said her team went out on Jan. 21, one of the coldest nights of the year, to do their annual homeless count. They reported nearly double the number they saw last year.

She counted 192 people:

- 120 on the streets or in encampments.

- 27 at Shelter of Hope.

- 45 at Lydia’s place.

Polito said this number does not include people at the Family Crisis Center or those currently in the Randolph County Detention Center, although she did check the jail roster and noted 35 people who are likely homeless. 

In 2023, she counted 102 people.

This data goes to the Point in Time program to try and bring in more federal housing funding. Volunteers from Brightview, Community Hope Alliance, and the North Carolina Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities office helped with this year’s count.

Polito said the Community Navigator program is the main point of contact for coordinating rapid housing services.

Discouraging through enforcement

Code Enforcement Officer Chuck Garner followed Polito’s presentation with his own statistics and experiences. 

He said that he had 32 dismantled encampments on his list since last year, only to add another camp removed that morning. He shared photos of garbage they cleared, including used needles.

Code Enforcement took down 15 dilapidated structures. One of those, he said, turned out to be related to a plea for help made before the city council last year. 

In August, Barry Betts said he was dealing with constant break-ins at his car wash on West Dixie Drive, and one man exposed himself to children. 

Garner said they tore down a house where they believe some of those individuals were staying.

Public comment

Even before they got into the agenda, residents brought up their concerns about long-term solutions. 

Roy Johnson and Ricky Lawson said they do ministry with the homeless. They said they have talked to people about ways to help. 

Johnson said if previous solutions are not working, then the city should bring together churches and other local groups to discuss alternatives.

Lawson said he knows some people choose not to accept help due to addiction or mental illness, but he believes the city needs a “new formula,” as making arrests, offering resources and shutting down encampments do not seem to prevent the issue.

After their comments, Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce President Adam Deathe said the Chamber was scheduling a meeting to talk about the issue.