‘We must address it’: Charlottesville City Manager discusses gaps in homelessness services

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - On Monday night, Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders provided updates on the efforts to help those experiencing homelessness in Charlottesville, including the construction of a low-barrier shelter.

Sanders presented a timeline of what has been done to address homelessness over the past few years, as well as what is still left to accomplish.

“This is our problem,” Sanders said. “This is the entire City’s problem. We must address it.”

The presentation comes less than two weeks after Council decided to table an ordinance that would have banned homeless encampments on City property. The proposal, delivered by Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis to address an increase of quality-of-living complaints, was met with fierce backlash from community members and housing nonprofits, who said it would unjustly criminalize the unhoused.

“The conversation went how I imagined it would go, and I think ultimately what’s important for me to do in this moment is, let’s make sure the facts are on the table,” Sanders said about the timeline, which specifically details all efforts since 2023. “I just want the public to appreciate that this is not something that we are missing, we are not caring about, we are not understanding. We are continually looking at ways that we can work on this.”

In a unanimous decision to indefinitely delay voting on the ordinance, many Councilors argued that they could not ban encampments and relocate the unhoused without providing an alternative space for them to go.

“I think there was such a big public outcry about that ordinance because there really is no solution right now,” said Shayla Washington, the Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless, or BRACH. “Not having something in place that’s a viable solution at this moment would be inhumane and criminal, to criminalize homelessness and not have anywhere to send folks who really need that.”

That’s where the need for a low-barrier shelter comes in, Washington says. These types of shelters have fewer rules around IDs, drug and alcohol testing, and criminal records.

“There are folks who are experiencing homelessness who can’t keep track of basic things like IDs,” Washington said. “Some people are coping with the trauma of homelessness by drinking or using drugs and substances...We really need to lower that threshold of what we require folks to have just to have a decent roof over their heads to sleep at night.”

Right now, the only year-round, overnight shelter in Charlottesville is the Salvation Army’s shelter, which has tighter restrictions for entry and is at 97% capacity, according to Major Donald Wilson. The Salvation Army is planning to expand and open up more than 100 additional beds with its Center of Hope capital campaign, but that will also take time.

“It is absolutely crucial that the City of Charlottesville rallies around this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people experiencing homelessness,” reads Sanders’ timeline.

As the city manager made clear in his presentation, it’s been years of trying to work out what a low-barrier shelter would look like in Charlottesville. For the past several months, BRACH and other nonprofit homeless providers have been working with both the City and Albemarle County to make that shelter a reality.

“The Salvation Army is also participating with other agencies and community leaders to secure a location for a low barrier shelter,” Major Wilson said in a statement to 29News. “These invested partners of care are working as quickly as possible to provide more support and solutions for individuals and families who live in our community without a roof over their heads on a daily basis.”

The biggest obstacles are finding the funding and a suitable location. The Salvation Army Thrift Store on Cherry Avenue was initially presented as a top choice because the Salvation Army already owns the property, and it would be cheaper to transform. But some Fifeville neighbors have pushed back with concerns, pointing to the facility’s proximity to Tonsler Park and the fact that the Salvation Army’s existing shelter is just a couple blocks away.

“Right now, we are being mindful of the fact that we are plopping another shelter down in the Fifeville neighborhood and recognizing the issues that might arise from that,” Washington said. “So, we’re really taking seriously the concerns of the neighborhood and looking at other sites, too.”

29News reached out to the Fifeville Neighborhood Association, but they were not available for an interview Monday. President Carmelita Wood did state in an email that they are continuing to meet with the City and other stakeholders to share the neighborhoods’ concerns and look for additional options.

In addition, in May, Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed $1.5 million dollars that the City was hoping would go towards building that proposed low-barrier shelter, throwing yet another hurdle in the mix.

Washington says the working group has been mostly in agreement in its conversations about what a low-barrier shelter would look like, noting that they would be in favor of certain security measures.

“Not to necessarily lock people in, but to have some sense of security for everybody,” Washington said.

On Monday night, Sanders also specified the need for a family-focused shelter facility, a facility to serve the specific needs of seniors experiencing homelessness, a “Winter & Summer Point-In-Time (PIT) Count” to accurately measure the number, and a 24/7 detox location.

While BRACH is advocating for the same measures, Washington says the most effective and lasting solution is building more affordable housing, though that comes with its own set of complications.

“Overall, it’s still the same story,” Washington said. “People cannot afford the housing that is available here, and the affordable housing that is here is very limited in its stock.”

The city manager did not provide a specific timeline for when the low-barrier shelter project will be completed. Councilors agreed that both the low-barrier shelter and affordable housing are required to help fill the gaps, but many predicted a long road ahead.

“It will be a challenge for you to get all of the cats marching in the same direction at the same time,” said Councilor Lloyd Snook.

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