Some Charlotte families could be forced to leave transitional housing program

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A housing program to support families struggling to find an affordable place to live in Charlotte might soon be looking for a new home itself. The lease is up at the Heal Charlotte campus on Equipment Drive near Sugar Creek Road.

Heal Charlotte has been operating out of the Baymont at Wyndam Hotel since 2024. Families in need had the opportunity to rent a room for $750 dollars a month while completing a program designed to support a path to independent living within 90 days.

The transitional housing program may soon be forced to find a new campus because the lease at the current hotel is up.

“How can somebody find a place in five days, two days, three days? That’s not it,” a Heal Charlotte client who didn’t want to be identified said.

She said she’s been in the program for almost a year and has struggled to pay the $750 a month. She said she found a letter on her door dated April 2nd stating all families would have to vacate the premises by April 11th.

“Although we’ve been saving, we have to pay $750 but on a fixed income. How?,” the client asked.

The City of Charlotte awarded Heal Charlotte $2.25 million dollars in funding in 2023. In a statement a city spokesperson said in part, “Per the lease agreement, the one-year master lease consisted of $2million lease expense, $65,000 housekeeping, plus Heal Charlotte’s responsibility for all utilities and other related expenses.”

Greg Jackson, Founder of Heal Charlotte says the city’s funding also helped provide 17 free rooms on the campus, but says that money has run out forcing him to end the Free Rooms program.

In a statement he wrote, “I want to clarify that the campus is not closed. While our one-year master lease has ended, we are still fully operational and currently supporting 35 to 40 families who remain on-site.

At this time, we do not have any free rooms available, as our funding cycle with the City of Charlotte has ended, which officially brings our Free Room Program to a close. However, case management services will continue for the families still residing at the hotel, and we remain committed to walking alongside them as they transition into stable housing.

Additionally, our community partners still have families at the hotel, and Heal Charlotte has placed 8 families from the original 17 free rooms into nearby hotels, while we continue to seek out additional housing resources and solutions.

We are in a transition phase, but our mission remains strong. We are still showing up daily, supporting families, and doing the work with faith and purpose.

Thank you again for your compassion and ongoing support of this work.”

Jackson says he’s working to negotiate a new lease with the current hotel or find a new home for the program. In the meantime, some families are still in limbo as housing costs remain high.

“I need housing. I have four children now. I need housing. That’s not fair,” the client said.