CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte has awarded millions of dollars to a few local nonprofits to help them create affordable housing. One of the grant recipients, Heal Charlotte, is using the money to expand its temporary housing program for homeless families in Sugar Creek.
The Sugar Creek community is facing two issues: crime at hotels and homelessness. Founder of Heal Charlotte Greg Jackson is seeking solutions to the problems with the Baymont Hotel on Equipment Drive.
“We want to be that safe haven for families,” Jackson told WCNC Charlotte.
His organization has turned part of the hotel into transitionary housing for families facing homelessness. Monday, the city of Charlotte granted the group $2.25 million to expand its mission.
“The people that will be housed here will feel like they’re appreciated, they will not be moved into a 2.5-rated budget inn hotel,” Jackson said. He added that the upgraded hotel has much nicer amenities compared to some of its neighbors thanks to being a franchise.
Heal Charlotte is leasing 30 rooms in the Baymont to struggling families. With the city grant, it’ll take over the entire hotel, which has 127 rooms.
“It will be completely acting as temporary housing, emergency housing for our transient, imminent homeless community," Jackson explained.
Heal Charlotte is leasing the building from Baymont with hopes of one day buying it.
To qualify for housing, tenants must have their children with them and a source of income. Their stay is free for up to four months, including wrap-around services to help them succeed.
“They get upgraded in their employment, and then they save enough money to move out to get into permanent housing," Jackson said. "We help them find those apartments, townhomes, houses...”
Jackson’s mission not only helps families but also helps reduce crime at hotels, which is the number one goal for Sugar Creek in the city's Corridors of Opportunity program.
Monica Carney Holmes leads the Corridors of Opportunity program. She told WCNC Charlotte that thanks to partners like Jackson, they’re achieving that goal.
“A lot of really awful things happening in those hotels," Holmes said. "So we've been able to, through both our investment and private investment that's occurring, reduce that by almost 40%.”
The Economy Inn across Interstate 85 from Baymont is being demolished and will be replaced with affordable for-sale townhomes.
For Baymont, Jackson doesn’t have an exact timeline of when he will expand to the entire building, but he hopes to do it before winter.
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