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The effects of homelessness in our area

Submitted by WWAY on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 6:20pm.READ MORE: The effects of homelessness in our area
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A group has been living in a camp behind a Wilmington warehouse for about two months. Nigel Hanna said she ended up there after losing her job, and then her house. Similar camps are found throughout the area, leaving code enforcement and the police to take action. "They'll get set up, we'll find out about them, and they'll get reported to us,” said Steve Harrell of code enforcement. ”We do our compliance with them, the property owners take care of it and then we find another one gets set up someplace else." Wilmington Police Department’s Chief David Conklin said, "It is not illegal to be homeless, but it is the conduct that people get themselves involved with that we actually deal with." While some neighbors have called WWAY with concerns about the camps, others do not have a problem. "I've heard of them. They never bothered us, but I've heard of them," said neighbor Aaron Moore. Shelters are an alternative to living in the woods, but these homeless said they fill up quickly. Major Butch Mallard said the Salvation Army has seen a forty percent increase in the past year. "With the economy the way it is, it's only going to get worse with unemployment and the foreclosures of houses." Mallard said they are adding more beds to meet the growing demand. "We have even the working families that are coming, with husband and wife both working - they can't make ends meet." For those who have traded in a roof for a tarp over their heads, they said they just keep the hope that an opportunity will come their way. Company officials with the warehouse where the camp was set up have been issued notices by code enforcement to have the property cleaned up by August 30th, or face fines. The company tells us they called the police Friday and had the area cleared out.

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Homeless near Star News

Submitted by Vog46 on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 5:05pm.

THere's a new HUGE homeless camp located on property owned by the Star News near 17th and Dawson St. It is currently for sale. You can access it from the RR tracks on 17th or walk the track along side Longley supply on Oleander. THE people in Chateux Terrace apartments on columbu circle have gotten no help from the Wilmington Police or the Star News after complaining about these folks.
They are loud obnoxious people who wander the neighborhood after dark, and they wander through the Wilmington Country Club as well. There are men and women back there and they are cooking on outdoor fires.
This is a disgrace and a blight on Wilmington. Perhaps we can relocate them to Bill Saffo's property at Landfall???

Best Regards
Vog

I thought I was here a minute ago

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What a crock when someone

Submitted by Garage Pastor (not verified) on Sun, 09/11/2011 - 1:03pm.

What a crock when someone actually is so callous about the human condition that they say something stupid like this. What a burden it must be for someone to cross your precious 'country club'!
I pray that you are never found to be homeless, and if you are, I hope that you might encounter some of my crew instead of someone like yourself that could care less about their fellow human being.
True compassion is love in action, and without it, we'll never see a positive change in this world.

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Just a step away!

Submitted by Anne (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 11:54am.
For those of you who are critical of the homeless, just keep in mind - we are only a hurricane away from the same thing! Look at what Katrina did! Do you really think most of those people like being without a home? I doubt it. It is easy to criticize what you don't know, but until you walk in those shoes, keep your mouths shut! You could be next and then be treated like you treat them!
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Step away!!

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 7:49pm.

I totally agree, none of us can pass judgement on the homeless because we don't know what circumstances have occurred to get them there, but with the economy being in the state that it is in, there may be many, many more people following this terrible path to being homeless.

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Katrina?

Submitted by Das Weibstück on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 1:45pm.
Note: Wilmington area is not built in a bowl surrounded by canals. For one most of us are not ignorant enough to stay here if a cat 5 is coming... secondly if we lost our house we have insurance to rebuild and until it was rebuilt we have enough money to rent a trailer and park it on our acreage. My family can pitch a tent and join us. For that matter we could fit 100 on it. Man, what did people do before electricity? People that rent homes or apartments better have some money saved up and they wouldn't have to worry about where they will sleep. People live beyond their means with no thought to disaster or retirement. Paycheck to paycheck to pay for that cell phone, cable/internet, fancy car with spinners and stereos.
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You misunderstood

Submitted by anne (not verified) on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 9:34am.
You misunderstood me. I wasn't implying the homelessness was from a hurricane! I was just saying that all of us are a step away from being homeless if a major disaster came. Your argument about insurance doesn't make sense either. Hurricane Andrew struck Florida in 1999(?) and people are still waiting to get insurance and have houses rebuilt. Some of these people choice homelessness. They don't want to work and don't want to be responsible for anything. But NOT all of them are like that. Circumstances have caused it and we need to be compassionate and help. You can be arrogant now, but you could very well be in the same predicament depending on the circumstances, and then you would want the help.
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Homeless

Submitted by Tom in Wilmington (not verified) on Sun, 04/25/2010 - 2:59pm.

I believe that is the challenge. How do we help the folks whose circumstances beyond their control made them homeless without enabling the ones that simply want to live that way. I will not give them money, but I will feed.

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Homeless in Wilmington North Carolina

Submitted by Peg (not verified) on Sat, 07/18/2009 - 11:21pm.
Why can't the homeless set up camps in the public parks in Wilmington, after all before these people lost their jobs and became homeless their city taxes paid for the upkeep of these public parks. Come on Local Government at least act like you have some compassion.
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Homeless

Submitted by I was one (not verified) on Sat, 07/18/2009 - 4:04pm.
It CAN happen to anyone. I have never touched drugs and perhaps have a glass of wine 3x a year. Never even been unemployed more than 30 days in my life...but my husband got laid off of his job a year and a half ago and hasn't worked since (not for lack of trying) and after paying student loans and medical bills little to nothing was ever left over to save. I had to change jobs last summer and missing the paycheck that they put on "hold" hurt so badly we ended up having to live in our car for three months. The police chief says that being homeless isn't illegal, but they sure make you feel like it is! The two of us were scared and alone, neither of us had family or friends in NC at the time, and I was pregnant. We parked in front of Wal-Mart at night for safety and the cops would give us a hard time about it, never mind all the tourist rv's and vans parked there doing the same thing! So code enforcement is dismayed that they will set up someplace else...and where do they think that the homeless should go? "Anywhere but here" is an unhelpful answer. Public assistance is not so easy to obtain, either. Shelters offer help but you have to come in to fill out paperwork in the morning, impossible to do if you work. We went down to try and get at least food stamps and ironically were told that I made too much money to qualify. We met so many other people in the same situation. The "working homeless" are more numerous than anyone realizes. They live in motels, or if they live in cars they have figured out ways to mask it to friends and coworkers like I did. No one ever knew I was homeless, and would be shocked now if I told them. So I too will never say never, I've learned the hard way.
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You had a car

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 9:57am.
Why did you not drive to a location with better employment prospects? The jobs aren't going to come to you.
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homeless

Submitted by drita (not verified) on Sat, 07/18/2009 - 11:22am.
Other major cities have "tent cities", Is Wilmington any different. Where are these unfortunate people to go? I fear everyday that something could happen to my job, my savings, my home, and I will need a tent. Instead of these people having to hide and move constantly, could we find a way to help?
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My guess is that the

Submitted by Guest666 (not verified) on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 5:25pm.
My guess is that the homeless will soon have a great shelter. It is being built right now, under the name of "convention center". I really don't think that there is going to be many conventions in Wilmington, so an alternative use will be sought.
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