CHAPEL HILL, NC – There are over 175 people that are currently without shelter in Orange County. The largest homeless demographic is made up of Black males over the age of 25. And if you ask them, they have something to say about it. Local homeless man, Jim Henry Downing claims he has worked over 40 years and didn’t expect to be in this position.
Jim Henry Downing, a local homeless man says he finds himself now, in 2022, to be in a position where he can’t work. “ I can’t get my social security due to the fact that they said they’re backed up with the cause of COVID. So I’m a person on this street. A homeless person that cannot get in a homeless shelter,” says Downing.
In the heat of the moment, Downing even speaks of the systemic political issue of it. Given the midterm election right around the corning, he calls for action.
“What about the poor of the poor? That’s what I am. I need help. So somebody who wants somebody to vote for ‘em, y’all come stop by and speak to the poor of the poor. The poor who ain’t got nothin’”.
For those like Downing, it is very difficult to find basic human needs like a restroom, clothing, and shelter for the night. Many business owners and locals send irritating emails to the Chapel Hill Police Department, asking to remove the homeless from public areas. However, the Chief Officer of the Chapel Hill Police Department thinks differently.
“We want to work hard to combat the notion that this is a criminal law problem because it’s really not,” says Chief Blue.
“It doesn’t mean that when someone breaks the law there’s not an opportunity for us to come and intervene and perhaps take enforcement action when it’s appropriate. But here’s an example, oftentimes people will call and say somebody just urinated behind my business…and that’s against the law, right? Our officer arrives and you find out that the reason that person urinated there is that that’s the only place they have to go. Because they live in the alleyway there. It’s hard for me to criminalize that behavior”
Not only does Chief Blue turn away from criminalizing the homeless, he also mentions the many active resources taking an initiative to combat the displacement of these marginalized people. SOHRAD, the Street Outreach, Harm Reduction and Deflection program is partnered with the Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department.
“ Licensed clinicians who are skilled in helping those folks connect to the resources they know. And who also have the time to help them connect. It’s rare that the first connection to a resource helps that person immediately get on that path to recovery. Oftentimes it takes multiple bites of the apple. And so having resources like SOHRAD and our Crisis Unit available to be patient and take them to a-…connect them to a treatment program or take them to a facility or appointment and then take them again tomorrow when they missed it yesterday that kind of thing… that requires a long term community commitment.”
The Chapel Hill Police Department has its own social work department that works closely with SOHRAD and the police Crisis Unit. If you or anyone you know is struggling with housing resources, you can call 919-886-3351
Picture Credit: https://chapelhillhistory.org/news/historic-bus-shelters/