Housing & Homelessness

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The lack of housing is connected to suffering in the eyes of many respondents:

I want there to be more jobs for the homeless and fewer people suffering on the streets.

Safe housing, decent paying jobs, quality education for residents.

Inclusivity. I would love for my entire community to have access to safe and affordable housing; quality healthcare; enough food to feed their entire household. Our basic human rights shouldn't be ignored. I want all zip codes to have investment opportunities not just the areas where the richest people dwell. I want better public transportation so that if you live in a food desert that 2 hours isn't taken out of your day to get to a grocery store.

Would like to see city funds going to areas that are suffering ESPECIALLY Housing in Greensboro but also in areas to help with victims of abuse, rehabs, children & schools, focus needs to be placed on low income neighborhoods and NOT via police. I live in a lower income neighborhood and no one but the police come out here and despite regular patrol cars, the neighborhood stays the same... that is because their presence isn't doing anything and it's not what our community needs. The money needs to be focused elsewhere.

A common theme was that residents are concerned with issues that run deeper in Grensboro's housing stock than those that are seen in people on the streets without access to shelter. They also brought to the fore issues of equity through noting geographical separation in access to housing.

I want each section of Greensboro to have basic needs met. I would like for everyone who wants housing to have safe affordable housing. I would love for shooting to be unusual in each neighborhood. Can we have equitable schools in each neighborhood?

As old neighborhoods get gentrified homeowners tend to loose their homes due to tax nonpayment because of the rise of the home values. I would love for Greensboro to break the trend and lock these homeowners at the value they are at so they can will their homes to their loved ones, not to the city of Greensboro nor Guilford County.

I would like to see more black and brown and indigenous owned businesses downtown but all throughout Greensboro. I would like to see it more bike and pedestrian friendly through ALL neighborhoods so that people can be outside, safely, and get to where they need/want to go. The Greenway is great and should be completed/extended, but we also need to pay attention to repair and new sidewalks in all neighborhoods. I would like to see more community solutions and fewer awful statistics about unfair housing evictions, police interactions with people of color, and hunger.

Homelessness was often mentioned in conjunction with other issues, such as poverty, safety, and the aesthetic appeal of the city:

A place where all are welcome, even the disadvantaged or homeless. More affordable housing options and healthcare regardless of income, no food deserts in our City. We need to address the social inequality that is currently feeding the protests. We need to not fear calling on law enforcement, trusting they will treat all people with dignity and respect.

I believe that seeing a place free of violence and litter amongst the streets would be truly incredible. It would be a dream to feel safe in our community as young adults and it would be so special to see the streets free of suffering homeless people lurking amongst us for survival, and instead be able to help these people and have the streets filled with friendly familiar faces.

A space for community i.e.: 1. safe bike paths that cover the entire city and not just a tiny part 2. plazas where people and not cars are the focus (more than 1) 3. trams that won't be as slow as city buses and add tourist attraction to the city 4. a realty company that creates diverse neighborhoods and not just the poor on the east side and the rich whites on the west 5. a police department that arrests white outsiders destroying property to blame on our citizens, a police department that enforces the law to protect all citizens and not just the rich on the west side. 6. a Mayor who does not arrest the homeless in the middle of demonstrations 7. bringing diverse people together in celebration (not just the NC Folk Life festival) through music, dance, discussions

As a lifelong resident of Greensboro, my hope is that the future is more inclusive for ALL residents, including and especially people of color and other marginalized communities. Strengthening our local public schools, with emphasis on support schools in less affluent parts of town, and greater access to safe & affordable housing are two areas in critical need of attention where efforts need to focus.

Healing from the police massacre, de-militarising our police, reopen Health Serve, develop compassionate conversations w/deep listening with homeless people and those in medical poverty

Equality, affordable housing, a stronger social safety net that cares for our homeless neighbors, more green space and bike lanes, the arrest of the GPD members who murdered Marcus Deon Smith, and an apology to Mary Smith and the rest of Marcus' family.

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