CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This week's below-freezing temperatures in Charlotte can be brutal for those experiencing homelessness.
Shelters across the Queen City are seeing their facilities fill up overnight with folks looking for a warm and safe place to sleep.
“It’s too cold for anybody to be out here,” Billy told WCNC Charlotte. Billy has been homeless for several years after falling into hard times.
Those on the streets are trying to find the best way to stay warm from the bitter cold.
“People either got blankets or are in cars,” another homeless person said.
At Roof Above's Howard Levine Men’s Shelter, a lottery system allows folks like Billy to have a bed assigned to them. The facility is also open for people during the day.
“It feels wonderful,” Billy said. “It feels good, I’m happy.”
At night, the shelter and another overnight shelter next door, make room for more people, adding mats or cots on the ground for people to sleep on. On peak nights, Roof Above shelters about 700 people across their facilities. Although they make extra space for more people at night, the facilities are not staffed enough to do the same during the day.
“We get kicked out at 7:30 in the morning, no matter what the weather is,” House, another homeless person, told WCNC Charlotte. “It could be raining, it could be snowing. It was 18 degrees this morning when they kicked us out.”
Randall Hitt, Vice President of Unsheltered Services for Roof Above, said he understands the frustrations but it's about maximizing the staffing and space it has.
“It’s a harsh reality…but that is our overnight shelter,” Hitt said. “There might be some extraordinary times where we can arrange to keep it open longer but it is an overnight shelter.”
During the day, folks are encouraged to go to the day service center. CATS even provides free rides.
However, some say it’s overcrowded. House said he'd rather wait for the overnight shelter to reopen.
“We freeze, the sun comes out and we can lean onto the wall and try to get some sun,” House said, adding that travel is tough for some folks. "Some folks are elderly and wheelchair-bound."
The day center opened its doors earlier than normal because of the weather. They also try to have as many hats, gloves, hand warmers, and scarves to help folks stay warm. On a busy day, Hitt said they can have around 300 people there.
“There is only so many places to sit, and it's an open campus," Hitt said. "But we have some heaters around the building that were added around the building during COVID when people couldn’t sit inside, so for us, it's about trying to maximize the space that we have."
Hitt said this all points to a larger issue at hand.
“What we’d love to say too, is the crisis is getting these people housing and making sure it is not just managing their lives around these shelters,” Hitt said.
The county said it is keeping an eye on the weather conditions and shelter capacity to make sure those who want and need overnight shelter have it.
Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte is also expanding outreach to make sure those who are on the streets know where there are overnight shelters available and how to access them. Those who decline the offer will be given blankets and other resources they may need.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.