Homeless update

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO — November has had a warm start, but temperatures will become consistently cold soon. With winter approaching and recent safety complaints at businesses and in the downtown area, Asheboro Police Captain Mike Jones and Code Enforcement Officer Chuck Garner gave an update on how they are responding to homelessness.

At the Nov. 7 City Council meeting, Garner said the big change is that there are fewer encampments but more movement. 

Around this time last year, officials knew of 18 camps. As of today, they have removed more than 30.

“That’s not to say we were missing the other camps when we started this,” Garner said. “It’s just that as people scatter, you have new camps.”

At one site, after they told approximately 10 people they would have to move, he said they cleaned up 12 tons of garbage.

“That’s not unusual. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to continue this,” Garner said.

Council member Charles Swiers said he has seen the response play out.

“I sent Chuck a text one evening, a weekend evening,” he said, “I drove by there the next morning at 9 o’clock. Chuck was out there talking to the people, and they were gone the next day.”

Garner said they are coordinating with citizens and city staff to be on the lookout for signs that someone is about to start a new camp. They are also making progress on demolishing empty buildings that attracted trespassers. Nevertheless, he said the work has not slowed, and he is still out talking to people every day, bringing a community navigator to try and encourage them to follow up on resources. Two people took up the offer recently.

Capt. Jones said they have been talking to business owners who suffered break-ins. So far, he said their investigations have not connected those crimes to any nearby camp.

He said police are working with a property owner to clearcut land near the YMCA. Mayor David Smith said he has heard complaints from YMCA members about people hanging around outside to use the showers. 

Jones said he’s talked to the YMCA leadership, saying that if they plan to allow people to come in and use the showers, they should consider a coordinated approach.

Garner said that people may feel they are seeing more homeless people, especially downtown, because the city is pushing hard to clear camp sites. 

“The numbers are fewer, but there are more on the street,” he said.

Council member Bill McCaskill said from what he’s observed downtown, he feels that there are more women appearing in the homeless population. 

Garner said it is a possibility. “There’s no solid place to land right now,” he said.