Residents urge stronger code enforcement and housing protections as council hears homelessness, police‑oversight concerns

Several speakers at the Greensboro City Council meeting on Jan. 6 urged the new council to take immediate steps on homelessness, housing conditions and police oversight.

Beth McKee Huger, speaking for the Interfaith Housing Initiative, urged the council to "show property owners that the city means business" by using tools such as civil penalties, liens and coordinated inspections with fire and water departments to motivate repairs and preserve housing stock. "The city must preserve housing with effective code enforcement," she said.

Multiple speakers linked housing and homelessness concerns to recent enforcement decisions. Billy Belcher of the Working Class and Homeless Organizing Alliance said a series of ordinance changes in 2022–2023 "criminalized forms of sleeping" and other behaviors, and urged the council to "get rid of the anti‑homeless policies and enact a homeless bill of rights." He also called for removing bench armrests and curbing surveillance that he described as "wildly invasive and dystopian."

George Hartzmann criticized the city's handling of an evacuation at the District on Market Street, alleging the city "systematically dismantled" the housing commission's enforcement authority and citing a backlog of active housing cases. He asked that his previously submitted objections and statutory concerns be added to the official record.

Jason Hicks highlighted problems with civilian oversight of policing, saying residents currently "have no meaningful way to hold the police accountable." He said complaint links and forms he tried to use were broken or inactive and asked the council what steps it will take to restore transparency, independence and accessible oversight.

Malik Hoff, calling in by Zoom, asked why people experiencing homelessness were being removed from downtown parking decks in cold weather and requested that councilmembers follow up with him directly about shelter and policy options. Several councilmembers and staff assured callers that someone would reach out.

City Manager Trey Davis offered a staff response on housing‑condition concerns. He said city inspections at 830 W. Market led to a warning letter directing the owner to engage a design professional and submit plans within 14 days, and that code enforcement would begin detailed residential inspections with findings that may be handled through the minimum housing commission. "These actions were taken to prioritize public safety while maintaining due process," Davis said.

The public comments at the meeting reflected overlapping concerns about enforcement capacity, the effect of recent ordinance changes on people living outdoors, and gaps in complaint or oversight mechanisms. Speakers sought both stronger enforcement against negligent owners and reforms to avoid criminalizing poverty. City staff pledged to provide additional briefings and follow up on specific cases.

Next steps: staff said they will provide the council with additional context and updates on recent housing actions and will follow up individually with public speakers who requested contact.