North Carolina advocacy groups react to bill proposing rules for homeless camps

(WGHP) — From Greensboro to Thomasville, homeless camps have been a concern with citizens for years.

The solutions vary as to how leaders believe the problem can be addressed.

Randolph County Representative Brian Biggs is proposing a unique solution, but not everyone agrees with it.

This new bill would move the homeless population to designated areas. However, the advocates say this could lead to bigger problems.

“There’s so many tents. There’s so many homeless there, and it’s unsanitary … This bill … Does it criminalize homelessness? No. It addresses the use of public property for camping and sleeping without prohibiting homelessness itself,” Biggs said.

Biggs is sponsoring House Bill 781.

That bill would allow local leaders to designate city-owned properties for those who are unhoused to live.

This would only take effect if the indoor shelters run out of space, and it’s meant to be a temporary fix, only allowing up to a year.

Ryan Ross is the director of Open Door Ministries, which is a non-profit organization in High Point that helps the homeless. He says the proposal can cause more issues.

“People are then just going to move around and instead of congregating in one area where you can control it a little, they are going to spread out even more,” he said.

Janise Hurley, director of Davidson Medical Ministries, a non-profit organization that serves as a gateway to community resources for those facing homelessness, says other states have gone down a similar path with no luck.

“It hasn’t benefited the people in general. It has only continued to increase the significant issue we’ve already been seeing, and it could be crime, trash. It could be personal hygiene issues,” she said.

FOX8 brought these concerns to Biggs.

“I strongly believe in the importance of listening to those directly impacted by our policies … Input from affected individuals and service providers should be part of that conversation at the local level,” he said.

The organizations say they are on the front lines working with the homeless population every single day, and they believe policies like this one often forget the real people.

“Know the population you are dealing with before you make these decisions,” Ross said.

“We have to look at each person as an individual, and we know we treat people with problems. We don’t treat people as problems,” Hurley said.

According to Biggs’ office, the bill passed out of a North Carolina House committee on Tuesday and could be up for a vote as early as Wednesday. If it becomes law, it will go into effect in October.

THIS POST ORIGINATED WITH FOX 8 NEWS WGHP - For the original story please click here: North Carolina advocacy groups react to bill proposing rules for homeless camps | FOX8 WGHP

Open Door Ministries Men's Shelter