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Residents and commissioners press Wake County on shelter capacity, volunteer needs and new Continuum of Care hire
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged Wake County commissioners to expand shelter access and food distribution as cold weather continues. Commissioners announced a new Continuum of Care lead-agency director hire, volunteer needs for the annual point-in-time homeless count and local volunteer efforts to distribute heating resources.
Several speakers during the general public-comment period at the Wake County Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 21 urged the county to expand shelter and food access for people experiencing homelessness and highlighted volunteer efforts to meet immediate needs.
Vernon Burkhardt, who said he lives in Raleigh and receives federal Ryan White funding assistance, urged commissioners to support reallocation or continued funding of the Ryan White program, saying the services are essential for nutrition and dental care. "I'm in favor of everyone passing this grant," he said, and he asked commissioners to advocate to state representatives about sustained support.
Nicole/Nikki Williams (recorded as Nikki Williams in the transcript) said she has recently been off the streets after three years and described seeing people sleeping outside with one blanket during recent cold nights. "The drop-in shelter that was housing maybe up to 200 people overnight moved to a new location, and that number has decreased tremendously down to 90 people," she said, and added that White Flag shelters (emergency activation for cold-weather sheltering) open only when temperatures meet the threshold used by local providers. "So I'm seeing people out here chilling with one blanket," she said. Williams cited the Bible in urging compassion and greater action.
Laura Harris, who said she helps run Meals for the Masses, told commissioners the soup kitchens and existing drop-in shelters do not meet current need during the cold snap. "If you're out there for an hour or two, ... it's not pleasant at all, and people are dealing with that right now," she said, and recommended making municipal facilities available or working across city and county lines to create more space.
Commissioner updates and county announcements
Commissioner Starless (as recorded in the transcript) said the county released a news statement on Friday announcing the hiring of Eileen Rosa as the new Continuum of Care lead-agency director; Starless said Rosa's start date is around Feb. 10. Commissioner Thomas announced the county needs community volunteers for the annual point-in-time homelessness count scheduled for Jan. 23-25 and said the count helps the Continuum of Care and county funding. "Last year, there were 992 people counted," Thomas said.
Local volunteers and nonprofit efforts were also noted: volunteers at the Raleigh Yard Waste Center cut firewood for residents in need, and Warmful Wake partnered with local groups for distribution; commissioners thanked those volunteer efforts.
What was not decided
No formal board action to change shelter operations or budget allocations was recorded in the meeting transcript. Commenters requested that the county and municipalities consider using city-owned facilities and that the county step up coordination; the transcript records no directive on the public record to open additional shelter space during the meeting.
Ending
Speakers urged greater urgency in coordinating shelter and food resources during cold weather. Commissioners announced the new Continuum of Care hire and volunteer opportunities for the upcoming homeless point-in-time count; any operational changes would require staff follow-up or future agenda items.
