It is time for those in the city of Beckley to really work together to address the rising homeless population.
In recent years, the small city of around 16,500 permanent residents, has been experiencing what many are considering a humanitarian crisis as more and more homeless persons arrive in the city. In many instances, these newcomers must resort to sleeping in city parks, asking locals for money, hanging out at local businesses and utilizing overwhelmed support services.
Members of the Beckley Common Council have been hearing from concerned residents for some time about the need to do something, but finding a solution isn’t an easy task.
At their most recent meeting on Aug. 24, Council Member Robert Dunlap suggested that the city form a committee to address the homelessness issue. After a brief discussion, the committee, mostly consisting of council members, was formed. They have since held their first meeting and more are planned.
According to Dunlap, who spoke with The West Virginia Daily News on Sept. 2, committee members are dedicated to creating attainable and measurable goals to help find ways to address the issue. They are looking at what is working in other cities regarding housing and substance abuse and mental health programs.
He added that they want to find different and creative ways to address the problem, including working with local organizations that have had their “boots on the ground” for some time.
One creative way the committee is learning more about the problem is by talking to those they see experiencing homelessness in the uptown area. A committee member has decided to go to Word Park and other locations to talk to people, figure out what is going on and what could be done to help, Dunlap noted. Committee members also want to “get their arms around homelessness versus vagrancy.”
The city of Beckley has numerous programs that help people get much-needed services, Dunlap explained. In some cases, those persons receiving the services are not truly homeless in that they have apartments or other places to stay, but they do come and later “mill around in parks.”
“Everyone is aware that we have a loitering problem,” Dunlap said of those renting and doing business in uptown Beckley. “We all see this problem, but it is not litigious. You cannot criminally convict a person because they are hanging out in Shoemaker Square or blocking doorways and being obtrusive on properties.”
He said that he doesn’t want to shame anyone in this situation because no one should be “vilified.” Instead, he would like to see those working and doing business in uptown Beckley not be placed in uncomfortable situations because they find themselves on the receiving end of unwanted attention from people who are hanging out.
He noted that some business owners have installed surveillance systems because there have been instances where businesses have been vandalized or broken into, but by and large crimes committed are just nuisance crimes.
“It has been years since we have had people assaulted within city limits,” Dunlap stated.
He added that those who choose to locate their business in uptown Beckley have the support of city officials who want to find a solution and make the uptown area a better, welcoming environment for everyone.
Dunlap noted that the committee meetings are closed to the public, but he plans to update residents on meeting highlights to keep everyone informed.
While Dunlap’s goals are to work with committee members to find possible solutions to the homeless/vagrancy situation, from the law enforcement perspective, their goal is to make sure that everyone in Beckley is safe.
Beckley Police Chief Lonnie Christian said that his department is always looking for ways to help those experiencing homelessness, although they are limited in what they can do.
Officers are problem solvers, so it makes sense that when all else fails, people call the police, he explained. Of course, if a person is being harassed, or if a person experiencing homelessness is breaking the law, or getting ready to, law enforcement can step in to address the matter.
“We cannot arrest a person just because they are asleep on public property — like in parks or on public sidewalks,” Christian stated. “What we are dealing with is a larger societal issue.”
He said it is important to find ways to stop the influx of those experiencing homelessness into the city and then to coordinate how to get them much-needed services. It is important to work with communities outside of Beckley so that they know not to send their homeless population into the city.
“We have found that surrounding areas, because of the community services in Beckley, will bring people here and drop them off,” Christian stated. “They don’t coordinate with our local services to see if they can obtain help, or to let us know they are coming. They just get them a bus ticket or drop them off expecting them to get help. A lot of times that causes our resources to be stretched very thin.”
He added that he has seen a noticeable increase in the homeless population over the last five years and that there have been several instances where church and community groups have brought those experiencing homelessness into the city — believing it is the right thing to do. At times, people arrive in Beckley via the Greyhound bus terminal.
“They have come from Logan County and Charleston. They have come from a lot of surrounding communities. We have made contact with people who are homeless and have commonly found people from as far away as California and Florida,” Christian said. “A lot of people don’t talk about how they got here, but we have had them from all over.”
Christian noted that it is hard to determine how many people experiencing homelessness are in Beckley because people are continually coming into the city and leaving.
“Most often, when the weather changes, officers find people living in abandoned structures,” Christian said. “You don’t see a lot of homeless persons just sleeping out in the open.”
When an officer does make contact with a person who states they are homeless, he or she will try to get them help, Christian said. “An officer will talk to them and try to help find resources, like taking them to the homeless shelter or trying to get them to a place where they have family or friends.”
“Each situation is different,” Christian continued. “A lot of people have mental health issues or substance abuse issues and trying to get them connected to different resources can be very difficult.”
Christian encourages the public to contact the police if they need assistance, or if they see people living in abandoned structures, not only because of the fire risk but because some of the structures aren’t safe for anyone to be inside.
Additionally, he noted that some of those experiencing homelessness do set up small camps throughout the city, including in wooded areas, but those camps typically only contain up to five people.
“It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating for everyone. It’s frustrating for the business owners. It’s frustrating for people who want to visit and come uptown. It’s frustrating for the officers who have a limited ability to respond to a lot of situations,” Christian concluded. “That’s why we need to have other resources beyond law enforcement. If you have a toolbox, you need to have more tools than just a hammer to deal with situations. Let’s pull together resources on a county level.”
In addition to The Carpenter’s Corner hot meal program, the Salvation Army, Helping Hands Community Resource Center, One Voice and many others, the Raleigh County Community Action Association (RCCAA) is just one community resource program that offers help to those who need it most.
Leah Deitz, marketing and development specialist for RCCAA, said that the organization has been around since the late 1950s providing much-needed assistance to those in Raleigh, Fayette, Greenbrier, Summers, Kanawha, Monroe, Mercer, McDowell, Logan, Boone and Nicholas counties. Part of this assistance includes working with those at an emergency homeless shelter named Pine Haven.
Pine Haven, located at 103 S. Eisenhower Drive in Beckley, is a 150-bed facility that houses men, women, children and families. Most of those who use the facility are familiar faces, but there are new faces all the time, Deitz said.
Currently, beds are available in the shelter, but that is anticipated to change during the winter months.
The holidays are typically a peak time for the shelter, Deitz said. However, as the weather gets cooler, the shelter becomes one of the only places where people can go.
At the shelter, clients are served three hot meals per day, provided clothing, access to job placement services, health care and any other social services that may be needed.
For those who need emergency housing, they are welcome to simply show up at the facility. The RCCAA also has caseworkers who go out into the community to identify those experiencing homelessness.
“We are looking for and trying to identify people who may be in need of our services,” Deitz said. “There is a limit on how long people can stay at the shelter. For those who have nowhere else to go, they are referred to our housing program to try and locate affordable housing.”
“Typically, we assist about 150-200 people per year,” Deitz said of the housing program. “While those numbers may be a bit skewed last year and this year, due to everything that is going on, that would be typical for us. That does include families, not just individuals.”
The pandemic has created a different situation where individuals have either lost their jobs or have had their hours limited. In response to this, the RCCAA has a temporary program available that will help pay mortgage or rental payments and utility bills. This program is also available to anyone who lives within 200 percent of the federal poverty line, Deitz explained.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, RCCAA has served 102 people in Raleigh County with rental assistance and three people with mortgage assistance.
“We have spent $72,300 in rental and mortgage payments that help prevent people from being evicted or at risk of losing their homes,” Deitz stated.“The ultimate goal is to move people off the streets and into a sustainable housing situation. That is our mission.”
“The difference between homelessness and stable housing is sometimes only distinguished by one missed payment,” she noted.
RCCAA also partners with the local head start program to ensure that all children can get off to a good start, and New River Transit Authority to help provide people with transportation.
Organizations like the RCCAA and those who have made it their life’s work to help prevent homelessness will no doubt become a valuable asset as the new Beckley homeless committee embarks on their mission to find solutions.
“I think the most important thing to know when discussing homelessness is that this is a multi-faceted issue that stems from many sources,” Deitz stated. “There are mental health issues that involve everything from substance use disorders, to trauma, to catastrophic life events. All of these things play a role in creating homelessness. In addition to these struggles, there has been a worldwide pandemic and the massive closures and unemployment associated with it.”
“There is a growing awareness of homelessness and some of the many stigmas and facets that go along with it,” Deitz added. “Addressing some of those things can go a long way in helping with the issue. Being able to openly talk about homelessness, and the things that contribute to it, is the first step in addressing the issue. However, it’s something that a lot of people don’t like to talk about.”
“Obviously, this is beginning to happen, though, or that wouldn’t be what the city of Beckley is doing,” Deitz said, referencing the newly established committee. “It is something that people are becoming more aware of.”
For those who need assistance, the RCCAA can be reached by calling 304-252-6396.
