Shelter incites heated debate

Editor's note: What follows is the first in a series of articles related to homelessness in Orange County. The town of Chapel Hill is sponsoring a roundtable discussion Thursday on the issue.

The Inter-Faith Council has proven itself as the leading provider for the homeless population of Orange County.

But overcrowding has led the IFC to consider relocating its men's shelter away from downtown, and so far, the process has been easier said than done.

After renovations to its men's shelter in the Old Municipal Building at the corner of Rosemary and Columbia streets proved helpful but inadequate to serve all residents, the IFC announced its desire to move.

"Our job is to attend to as many of our residents' needs as possible," said IFC President Natalie Ammarell. "We think that with relocation, the possibility for the homeless to achieve their goals would go up."

Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy expressed similar concerns with the current location. "The shelter isn't a suitable facility," said Foy. "It was a former prison and doesn't meet the needs of the homeless."

A new shelter would increase the number of beds and services available to the area's homeless.

But while the idea of the new shelter itself has not been challenged, its location has been.

A parcel of land on Merritt Mill Road was appraised by the IFC as a potential site for relocation. That move came under fire from the nearby Pine Knolls Community, which believes a homeless shelter in its area would increase crime and be a poor influence on residents.

"We have been piled on enough by the city, and we should not have to shoulder the load of a homeless shelter as well," said Pine Knolls resident Ted Parrish, who along with other Pine Knolls community members has been petitioning local elected officials for support.

The push for relocation stems from the increasing visibility in the area of issues relating to homelessness. Families face greater difficulty in obtaining affordable housing, and the economic downturn has forced many onto the streets.

"There are more families now who fall into the category of homeless, and the range of issues that the homeless face has increased as well," Ammarell said.

The IFC, realizing that it can't take on the increase in homelessness by itself, has sought out help from the community as a whole.

"It is very difficult to rise above a problem without the help of the community," said IFC Executive Director Chris Moran. "It can't just be words, it has to be money."

The IFC plans to attend Thursday's public roundtable discussion on homelessness at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Airport Road.

"The roundtable discussion will bring together people who have different perspectives on the issue, and IFC will be representing the downtown interest," Foy said.

Any relocation might be difficult for the IFC, which has to face stereotypes applied to the homeless.

"People don't realize that the homeless are just normal people who were one paycheck, one death or one illness away from losing their homes, and they came upon unfortunate circumstances," said Moran.

Moran said that until the community can accept the homeless, they will be fighting an uphill battle.

The IFC has been encouraged by the UNC men's basketball team, which recently visited the downtown shelter and donated turkeys for Thanksgiving meals. He said that the football team has done similar things and that both are setting a good example for the community.

"They really didn't have to do that," said Moran. "But it means a lot to the folks who we take care of that they did."

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.