Residents Experience Expanded Services in NW Charlotte’s Catherine Simmons Neighborhood
In the three months since Mecklenburg County directed enhanced health, housing, and support services to a challenged northwest Charlotte community, residents have witnessed a difference in the resources available to them.
In November 2025, Mecklenburg County dedicated $562,000 to address the homelessness and other health and human service issues that have long affected the community surrounding Catherine Simmons Avenue, part of the Beatties Ford Road Corridor of Opportunity. In coordination with many community partners, service expansions have included dedicated street outreach staff, hygiene services, shelter services, and physical and behavioral health services.
The expansion of services was coordinated by Mecklenburg County’s Department of Community Support Services, Housing Innovation and Stabilization Services division. Updates since the November expansion include:
- Health services: Public Health has provided comprehensive sexually transmitted infection testing and education for 162 people since the start of program. Due to the demand for health services, Public Health will transition to established partners and supplement their resources.
- Street outreach: Forty-three unique individuals have received 142 services through Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition since the beginning of the enhancement strategy. That includes connections with mental health or substance use providers, housing, shelters, benefits, and other basic needs. Key successes in this partnership are, through intentional engagement: 21 people connected with street psychiatry or other behavioral health support; nine people have accessed emergency shelter; and one person has moved to permanent housing.
- Shelter capacity: Mecklenburg County funding has added 20 new beds and case management support for My Sister’s House, a shelter for women experiencing homelessness, and additional capacity at Roof Above’s Lucille Giles Center for men.
- Showers and hygiene: Since expansion of hours in January, Project Outpour has provided an additional 82 showers for individuals. They have provided 162 hygiene kits and made 12 referrals to alternative services. Project Outpour has been able to provide a shower for everyone who has wanted one each week of this project, which wasn’t possible prior to the service enhancement.
- Substance use support: Anuvia Prevention and Recovery Center is engaging with residents and providing education regarding recovery.
- Identification cards: Just Do It Movement has assisted 18 residents with obtaining N.C. identification and social security cards, which is pivotal in accessing housing or employment.
“Success in a neighborhood facing these sorts of pressures isn’t measured in statistics alone,” said County Manager Mike Bryant. “It’s found in the quiet moments when someone who once felt invisible is seen, heard, and welcomed back into the community. These challenges did not occur overnight, and they will not be resolved quickly. I’m very proud of the urgency and determination that our leadership, partners, and front-line providers demonstrated in taking action and building hope in this community.”
The collaborative strategy to address unsheltered residents in the Catherine Simmons Avenue neighborhood grew from the work of a task force convened to confront ongoing issues. The task force comprises members from Mecklenburg County, City of Charlotte, elected officials, community advocates, residents, the faith community, nonprofits, local businesses, law enforcement, and more. Its goal was to develop a strategy to rapidly deploy resources in high-need areas, focusing on street outreach and resources ranging from behavioral and mental health, immunization and testing, emergency shelter, and others.
To learn more about the state of housing in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and the ongoing work to address homelessness, visit the Housing and Homelessness Dashboard at MecklenburgHousingData.org.