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Open Door Ministries pulls plan for 5 Points site, officials and neighbors debate homelessness and neighborhood impacts
Summary
Open Door Ministries told the council it will not pursue its previously discussed site in the 5 Points neighborhood; speakers at the meeting debated the organization's role in the city and neighborhood residents urged that large shelters not be sited in the middle of their community.
Open Door Ministries announced to the High Point City Council that it will not move forward with a proposed facility at the 5 Points property, though the organization said it will continue work on a planned care center and look for an alternate location within city limits.
Ryan Ross, executive director of Open Door Ministries, told the council his organization will continue to expand services but will look for a different property after “we will not be moving forward with the proposal on that property.” Ross described the breadth of Open Door’s work, saying the organization delivered more than 330,000 meals in 2024 and that in 2024 it served over 21,000 individuals—about 17.8% of High Point’s population—through its food and assistance programs.
Neighbors from the 5 Points area voiced strong opposition to siting a large-scale homeless facility in their residential neighborhood, while several speakers urged more transparency and ongoing engagement with residents. Sandra Bethea, representing the 5 Points Association, said residents were not opposed to people experiencing homelessness but opposed placing “a large scale homeless compound in the middle of our underserved residential neighborhood.”
Business owners and other residents warned of perceived impacts on safety and property values if a large shelter is placed in 5 Points. Ron Spencer Jr., owner of 5 Point Styles, told the council that the neighborhood already faces economic challenges and said a large shelter could further harm local businesses and home values. Several speakers asked the city to consider smaller, distributed facilities with robust services rather than one large center concentrated in a single neighborhood.
Others at the meeting urged officials to consider the full range of Open Door’s services and the organization’s partnerships with congregations and other providers. Aurel Henry, who said he works with Open Door, described the organization’s daily meal services and food pantry efforts and asked the council to confront misinformation about the group.
Mayor Cyril Jefferson reminded the public that special use permit applications for shelters or other projects can trigger quasi-judicial procedures under North Carolina law and that council members must manage ex parte communications to remain impartial if a formal special-use hearing occurs.
Open Door and city staff said the organization intends to continue developing a care center concept—offering meals, possible medical and mental-health services, and other supports—but will seek another site within city limits. Council did not take a vote on a land-use application for Open Door at this meeting; the organization’s withdrawal of the specific 5 Points proposal means future proposals would be the subject of new staff review and any required public hearings.
