Neighbors, on October 29th we spoke with Matt Kopac, our district’s City Council member, to understand what happened during the cleanup beneath Highway 147 at Grant Street.
Our unhoused neighbors are part of this community. This is their home and their neighborhood, too. For some, it has always been home. We want them here, welcome them, and want to continue caring for one another. Our desire for clean, safe shared spaces includes their well-being.
Who was staying beneath the bridge?
According to the information Matt received from the City’s HEART team, outreach workers connected with approximately three people before the clearing. HEART described the location as a place where people stayed intermittently, so that number may not include everyone who used the space.
Their identities are confidential. What matters for our community to understand is that these were our neighbors, with their own histories, relationships, and connections to this place.
What happened, and who was involved?
The Grant Street Ladies and other residents had raised concerns about accumulated trash, including debris spilling into the road. The request was for the area to be cleaned while allowing our unhoused neighbors to remain part of the community.
Matt contacted City staff, including HEART, expecting cleanup and connections to services. After back-and-forth between the City and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), responsibility for the area beneath the bridge was determined to fall to NCDOT.
Matt explained that he had expected the response to follow the City’s practices. He learned that NCDOT operates differently, and the work ultimately became an encampment clearing. He expressed regret about how it unfolded.
Before the clearing, HEART offered the people they contacted connections to street outreach and storage for belongings. According to Matt’s account, those offers were not accepted at that time. NCDOT subsequently cleared the site.
We do not have a confirmed account of whether those neighbors were present during the clearing, what happened to their individual belongings, or where they went afterward. We want to be honest about those unanswered questions.
The larger reality in our neighborhood
We also recognize the tension surrounding the Villages of Hayti development. While the project promises needed affordable housing, it is also a significant part of why many of our unhoused neighbors in the neighborhood have already been displaced as land and spaces they occupied have changed.
Both realities deserve our attention. As we advocate for our neighborhood’s future, we must also care for the people who call it home right now. We do not want unhoused neighbors to lose their relationships and place in this community as development moves forward.
What happened next, and what are we doing now?
In our follow-up conversation, Matt acknowledged that he had not anticipated the clearing. For all of us, this reinforced the need to clarify who controls a site, what a cleanup will involve, and how people staying there will be affected before work begins.
Our next steps are to:
Reconnect with affected neighbors. Matt agreed to share some of our neighborhood leader’s contact information with HEART so the team can offer it to those neighbors, with their permission. We want them to know they remain welcomed in the neighborhood and that we want to stay connected.
Establish direct communication with NCDOT. Matt offered to help identify the appropriate contact so we can communicate our values and ask clearer questions about future work.
Strengthen care and relationships locally. Looking toward 2027, we hope to work more closely with Monument of Faith, Oak Grove, and Russell Memorial, building on existing food ministries and creating opportunities to share meals, listen, and remain in relationship.
Continue pursuing longer-term support. Our vision for the former Boys & Girls Club includes a community hub where neighbors can find resources, relationships, and care. We want unhoused neighbors to help shape that vision.
We appreciate the neighborhood’s care for our shared spaces and Matt’s willingness to follow up honestly. We also recognize our responsibility to communicate clearly that caring for Grant Street means caring for everyone who calls it home.
May we continue to live into love and care as a shared value of this place.
