Lunch & Learn Recap: Charlotte’s Tent City: Then, Now, and a Look Ahead

On any given night, over 3,000 people are experiencing homelessness within Charlotte-Mecklenburg. In an informative Lunch & Learn on November 9, two community leaders – one from the public sector and one a grassroots organizer – shed light on the homelessness landscape of our city and brought to life some individual stories of our neighbors navigating homelessness.

Karen Pelletier, Director of Housing Innovation and Stabilization Services for Mecklenburg County, and Jessica Lefkowitz, founder and executive director of Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition, began the discussion by illustrating the impact of the pandemic on homelessness in Charlotte, and how “Tent City” (also known as the North End Encampment) came to exist in 2020. Within a relatively short time, grassroots organizers and the Mecklenburg County government pulled together wrap-around services for those living in the encampment, from the provision of basic needs to domestic violence and substance abuse services, and even job training and Social Security assistance.

As the abatement order of the North End Encampment was issued in February 2021, grassroots organizations were essential to what became a 48-hour transition out of the encampment and into temporary housing. Due to the trust built between organizations like Jessica’s and the neighbors living at the encampment, the transition of over 200 people was carried out peacefully and effectively. Assistance in many forms continued from that point and persists today, with a coalition of the public sector, private sector, and non-profit organizations striving to meet the evolving needs of the former encampment residents as well as the larger local population experiencing housing challenges.

Karen and Jessica shared several resources with the group, as well as ways to take action. Consider getting involved in one of the following ways.

Employ

• Roof Above
• Salvation Army: 704-348-2560 ext. 207

Rent

• Housing Collaborative
• Mecklenburg County, Karen Pelletier

Volunteer

• Point In Time Count

Advocate

• Contact local officials and lend your voice to increase funding
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Continuum of Care

Donate

• Block Love Charlotte
• Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition needs the following and items can be mailed or dropped off at their office (8460 University City Blvd., Ste. A3-113, Charlotte, NC 28213) or taken to the December WIF Member Social for collection.

• Sleeping bags
• Hats and gloves
• Sweatshirts
• Underwear
• Hand warmers
• Bus passes