Durham proclaims Family Homelessness Awareness Week as Families Moving Forward warns of rising unsheltered families

Mayor Leonardo Williams read a proclamation declaring Oct. 7–11, 2024 Family Homelessness Awareness Week and asked the community to support local service providers. Tasha Melvin of Families Moving Forward accepted the proclamation and described the nonprofitprogramand thanked the city for its partnership.

Melvin told the council that the agencyis currently working with about 50 unsheltered families with children and that roughly 30 additional families are at imminent risk of losing housing. "We have consistently stayed at our capacity since the start of the year," Melvin said, describing sustained demand for emergency shelter and services.

City officials emphasized that family homelessness affects childrenand educational stability and highlighted local partners, including Open Table Ministry, Urban Ministries of Durham and Housing for New Hope. The proclamation notes Families Moving Forward serves roughly 65 to 75 families annually through shelter and transitional supports.

The proclamation and the councilremarks framed the issue as both a local service challenge and part of broader housing affordability and employment policy discussions, with council members urging voters to support local bond measures and continued intergovernmental collaboration. The mayor and several council members thanked Families Moving Forward for its work and encouraged continued community support.

The council did not take a formal policy vote tied to the proclamation; next steps discussed on the dais included continuing funding coordination and tracking shelter capacity and upstream prevention strategies.