After Asheville homeless camp removal, officials suggest urban camping, low-barrier shelters

ASHEVILLE - After outcry over a homeless camp's destruction during sub-freezing temperatures, city officials have suggested easing camping bans on public property and creating a "low-barrier" shelter.

The comments came at a City Council meeting Feb. 9, eight days after the North Carolina Department of Transportation removed people from under an Interstate 240 bridge near North Lexington Avenue. Asheville Police were also present.

Facing heavy criticism, the city and DOT said there would be a halt to destroying camps on state roadways. Because of pandemic guidelines, Asheville had already stopped such removals on city property absent "an imminent safety concern," City Manager Debra Campbell told council members. 

She said city staff was working on "how we move forward again to hopefully prevent" similar events.

Councilwoman Kim Roney said the city should look at a lifting public property camping bans as Eugene, Oregon, did.

"We are going to have to, as a body, talk about where it is legal to exist and to sleep. in these situations," Roney said.

Roney said guidelines should be set up so removals don't happen even after the pandemic during "code purple" periods, when temperatures drop below freezing.

City and DOT officials are working on new guidelines, including what constitutes a danger that would require removal, said Emily Ball, Asheville homeless services system performance lead. 

More:Asheville affordable housing: More than 870 new units proposed in two years; location details

Ball said that there is actually room in shelters, but that some people might resist going because of entry rules such as having identification or a breathalyzer test.

A solution might be a low-barrier shelter without those requirements, she said.

"A lot of folks who do end up camping are people who might be more willing to come inside if we did have that intervention available," Ball said.

The city has taken extra measures to help those without housing during the pandemic, turning the Harrah's Cherokee Center into a 50-bed emergency shelter and coordinating a longer-term shelter in a Red Roof Inn. 

While police must help enforce private property trespassing rules, removal from city land is "rare" Campbell said.

Speaking during a council public comment session, the Rev. Amy Cantrell said her group, Beloved Asheville, had been trying to help the people camping under the bridge and that they were removed during 50 mph wind gusts.

"It took until Thursday to find them, and meanwhile we were scared for their lives," Cantrell said.

The city received complaints about the camp and passed them on to DOT, whose staff said they had also received complaints and that they decided to act because of danger presented by a campfire. DOT staff said they began removing some items before police arrived. Officers said they attempted to help people at the camp relocate and offered to take them to a shelter or get a meal.

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.