CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte car dealer is bracing for a new wave of people seeking to sleep in his parking lot as the COVID-19 pandemic moves into another month.
With federal benefits set to expire and eviction proceedings expected to resume in the coming weeks, Owner James Charles is worried.
An average of 15 cars a night have been parking at Kiplin automotive after hours since he made the offer in January. The people are homeless but many of them have jobs like Karen Davis and Davina Stephens.
Davis lost a $45,000 a year job after she was hit by a drunk driver. She continues to work but hasn’t been able to fully recover.
She said the dealership gave her peace of mind.
"You're praying that someone doesn't break in your car. You're praying that someone doesn't, while you're asleep, take your car and take you hostage or your life being in danger," Davis said.
Stephens got behind while she was between jobs but hasn’t had any luck finding housing she can afford.
"It's getting harder and harder every year, and it's kind of not fair. It's like, nobody listens, nobody wants to hear," she said.
Charles said 90% of his customer base can't afford Charlotte's average rent and the additional months typically needed in advance. Still, he is confident the city can turn the dire situation around.
"We need to make, as a city, an intentional decision," Charles said. "And if we do that, I'm a hundred percent sure we'll fix it."
So far, he's helped 10 people find a place to live, a prospect that is increasingly expensive and fraught with red tape.
You can also donate socks, underwear, book bags, tents, flashlights, and travel size first aid kits, toothpaste, soap and deodorant. He accepts drop-offs at the dealership at 3515 Brookshire Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28216.
Davis told WCNC the experience has been humiliating.
"It's awful," she said. "I mean, it's like I'm invisible. And it's the worst feeling ever. A lot of times you feel like you're nobody."
Stephens wants people to know, "It's not all about bad choices. People are really trying and people are really trying to focus and keep things paid. But it's hard when you don't feel like you have the city that you live in, that you pay taxes in, behind you."
This story was produced by the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, a partnership of six media companies working together in an effort started by the Solutions Journalism Network and funded by The Knight Foundation.