“Homelessness is a human and community tragedy, and we are all impacted by it. Our focus will be on developing an approach that addresses the full continuum of need, and on helping to drive meaningful and lasting change. With everyone at the table, including the public, non-profit, and private sectors, we plan to support existing work and create innovative, new approaches. I’m delighted to be working with Gene Woods and our dedicated and thoughtful group to help make the world a better place.”

– Cathy Bessant, Chief Operations and Technology Officer, Bank of America

“It’s fundamental to your health to have a roof over your head and to know where your next meal will come from. That’s why we are committed to a sustainable solution that lifts up those who are dealing with homelessness and precarious housing instability. I couldn’t think of a better co-chair than Cathy Bessant, nor better partners than the community servants we have assembled, to join in this effort. As we have seen especially throughout the pandemic, Charlotte has a track-record of government, businesses and health systems coming together to address our most pressing health and social issues. And I am optimistic that we can work collectively to meet this challenge as well.”

– Eugene A. Woods, President and CEO, Atrium Health

“Homelessness is deeply rooted in systems and structures that benefit some, but not all. Once a person becomes homeless, it is their circumstance that causes further trauma, and ultimately becomes the biggest barrier to their getting back into housing. With the pandemic, the need for a stable, permanent place to call “home” has never been more urgent. I am proud to be part of this joint effort by the public and private sectors to tackle homelessness with system-focused solutions so that we ensure that every single resident has a roof over their head. If we all do what we are able, then there is real hope for an end to homelessness in Mecklenburg County.”

– George Dunlap, Chairman, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners

“The ability to maintain a safe and secure place to call home is a fundamental right for all people, and one that will always be our priority as public servants. For the past several years, this community has focused on the need for affordable low and moderate-income housing, and we have made tremendous strides in that area. Bringing an end to homelessness is a continuation of those efforts and I believe in the power of our partnerships in finding new ways to provide homes for everyone in Charlotte.”

– Vi Lyles, Mayor, City of Charlotte

“The 2025 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing & Homelessness Strategy marks the first time our community has taken on the full housing continuum – with strong representation from both the public and private sectors – in this kind of comprehensive approach. Reflecting upon the past two decades, our community has much to be proud of: taking on chronic and veteran homelessness; centralizing and streamlining the intake process for assistance through Coordinated Entry; strengthening both our collection and dissemination of data; and, over the past several years, focusing upstream on the prevention assistance system. But, prior efforts, including the most successful ones, have only targeted a specific part of the issue or a defined segment of the homeless population. Twenty years from now, we do not want this work to be just one more marker on an even longer timeline, with an unchanged trajectory. We have designed this effort to be different. We have invested in the infrastructure to set this work up for success. It is essential that all of us make a commitment to see this effort through, so that every individual and each family in Mecklenburg County has a place they can call home.”

– Dena Diorio, Manager, Mecklenburg County

“This is a complex issue that requires multifaceted solutions. “By bringing together this all-inclusive assortment of homelessness specialists, including those who have lived it, we will attack this problem like never before and work toward achievable, sustainable housing options for all who need it.”

– Marcus D. Jones, Manager, City of Charlotte

“This effort is driven by our community’s deep concern for our neighbors who are housing insecure and homeless. Through the years, we have created many successful initiatives that have created positive change in our community. But only through this kind of strategic approach, at a systems and process level, can we enact lasting transformation. I am grateful to McKinsey for providing pro bono consultive services and to Gene Woods, Cathy Bessant, Dena Diorio, Chairman Dunlap, Mayor Lyles, Councilman Malcolm Graham and all of our community’s practitioners and leaders who are joining us in this transformational initiative. We have a deep commitment to drive systemic change.”

– Michael J. Smith, President and CEO, Charlotte Center City Partners

At Novant Health, we are constantly working to address social determinants of health, one of which is housing instability and homelessness. Together, we can take another step toward achieving health equity in our community.”

– Jesse Cureton, Executive Vice President and Chief Consumer Officer, Novant Health

“The last year has emphasized to all the vital role of housing in the health of our community. With this unified clarity, now is the time to align ourselves to invest in the right actions that will greatly reduce and eventually end homelessness in our community.”

– Liz Clasen-Kelly, CEO, Roof Above

“As a native of Charlotte, I’m thrilled to be a part of this group of stakeholders who are dedicated to using data to drive solutions and more importantly, who are committed to making sure that housing is available and affordable to all citizens of In our community. Addressing homelessness and housing from a systems level assures that we can create sustainable housing solutions that are inclusive of all citizens in Charlotte and throughout Mecklenburg County.”

– Deronda Metz, Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte

“Homelessness is a simple word, with much complexity attached. Our region has many competent and well-meaning stakeholders working tirelessly toward this cause. This Initiative brings together many of those stakeholders, and Anuvia is honored to be working collaboratively toward our common goal of addressing this community need.”

– Valerie Kopetzky, Chief Executive Officer, Anuvia Prevention & Recovery Center

“Our community is successful when we work in concert with one another, following a coordinated, data-driven approach in facing a systemic issue. The 2025 Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing and Homelessness Strategy is vital to the health and well-being of our neighbors in need. This comprehensive plan will address housing instability, affordable housing and homelessness, as well as contributing factors, such as workforce development, transportation and childcare. Our approach is essential to tackling a complex challenge with no one solution.”

– Michael Marsicano, President & CEO, Foundation For The Carolinas

“Our community’s approach to homelessness has shifted since we last had a plan to address it. With the renewed urgency from the impact of the pandemic, we have a chance to put some lessons learned from our past work and research into practice, including crucially, that we can’t solve homelessness without addressing the systemic factors like housing affordability and racism that create and sustain it.”

– Lori Thomas, Director of Research and Faculty Engagement | UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, Executive Director | Institute for Social Capital, Associate Professor of Social Work UNC Charlotte

“The only way we have a chance at solving such a critical issue is through an intentional and collaborative process that includes stakeholders from all parts of our community. Solutions need to be co-created. Positive change will require commitment, resources, a holistic approach, and both a sense of urgency and acknowledgment that sustainable change will take time.”

– Chris Jackson, President and CEO, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

“Homelessness and housing insecurity sadly are a reality for far too many Central Piedmont students. Surveys conducted in 2017 and 2020 found as many as 11 percent of our students experienced some form of homelessness while 40 to 60 percent were housing insecure. Developing a comprehensive strategy that addresses the full spectrum of homelessness, housing insecurity, and providing more affordable housing options is critical to Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s work to improve social and economic mobility.”

– Kandi Deitemeyer, President, Central Piedmont Community College

“Addressing the issue of housing and homelessness is simultaneously simple and complex. It is simple in that, at root, we need only commit ourselves to building housing that is affordable to individuals at all income levels. It is complex in that the issues that lead to housing instability and homelessness cross multiple sectors – from employment to mental health to criminal justice – and are rooted in the legacy of systemic racism. We must approach this critical work in a strategic, collaborative, and intentional fashion. The 2025 Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing and Homelessness Strategy can provide us the roadmap we need to succeed.”

– Kathryn Firmin-Sellers, Chief Impact Officer, United Way of Central Carolina | Board Chair, Mecklenburg County Continuum of Care

“To effectively impact housing instability and homelessness, we have to tackle it systemically through multiple partnerships and collaborations. It’s important that we are working together to address all factors, such as unemployment and mental health, that contribute to an individual’s ability to obtain sustainable housing”

– Danielle Frazier, CEO, Charlotte Works

“I appreciate the opportunity to be involved in the first comprehensive effort to address housing instability and homelessness in our community. More, important it’s being recognized that Charlotte-Mecklenburg has over time made significant investments in prevention, emergency shelter and permanent housing.”

– James Searcy, Promise Resource Network

“Empowering people to achieve long-term housing stability is critical to addressing the issue of homelessness in our community. Strategically bringing together voices from across Charlotte-Mecklenburg will help break down barriers created by systemic racism, low wages, lack of access to healthcare, and other racial and economic inequities. We are committed to a future where all residents can thrive and achieve their dreams.”

– Carol Hardison, Chief Executive Officer, Crisis Assistance Ministry