Raleigh woman chooses homelessness for 48 hours as Wake County leaders share what's working
RLEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- By noon, Shirnetta Harrell had already walked nine miles.
"It's 12 o'clock, and I've already walked nine miles. I've been on foot like everybody else. That creates fatigue. I'm tired," Harrell said.
The executive director of No Woman, No Girl is spending 48 hours without a home to better understand the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and raise awareness about hygiene insecurity among unhoused women.
Just four hours into the experience, Harrell said the emotional toll was already setting in.
It's hard to walk the streets. No smile. No hey. No anything.- Shimetta Harrell
"For me today, I have no idea when I'll shower. I'll be navigating public transportation and limited resources," she said.
Harrell's nonprofit provides menstrual and hygiene products to women and girls in need. But she said living even temporarily without stable housing offered a sobering perspective.
"I felt invisible today. Sorry. I felt really invisible today," Harrell said.
She described walking through the city and feeling ignored by those around her.
"It's hard to walk the streets. No smile. No hey. No anything," she said.
Though Harrell is choosing to spend 48 hours without a home, many people do not have that option.
"It's a large problem. We've only seen it increase in recent years. For example, encampments," said Emila Sutton, Raleigh's housing and community development director.
Sutton said one of the biggest drivers of homelessness is the rising cost of housing, leaving many unable to afford a place to live.
Working on solutions, city, county leaders say
City and county leaders say they are working to address the issue.
"We want to connect 400 people to permanent housing directly from the streets," said Eileen Rosa, who helps lead homeless services in Wake County.
Rosa said outreach teams spent eight weeks building relationships with the 33 people who were living at a former encampment site. That work included helping residents obtain identification cards, Social Security cards and complete housing applications.
Officials say all 33 people accepted assistance and have since moved into permanent housing across Wake County.
Under the program, participants receive housing support and services designed to help them maintain long-term stability.
"The minimum of what we're offering is 12 months of rental assistance and case management support," Rosa said.
Officials argue the approach is also more cost-effective than leaving homelessness unaddressed.
"We do know that doing nothing about homelessness is more expensive than addressing it in this way," Sutton said.
She pointed to encampments where emergency responders were frequently called.
"For example, the encampment at Dix Park, there were often a lot of fires. People were trying to cook their food. Fire department calls would come out. It's unsafe, right?" Sutton said.
For Wake County leaders, the goal is to move people from the streets into stable housing. For Harrell, the 48-hour experience was about ensuring those living without housing are seen and understood.
"I think it's one step forward. One step closer to where we need to be," she said.
