CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County officials are getting a better idea of the needs of people sleeping on the street by conducting its annual Point In Time Count.

Organizers say it’s about making sure all voices in our community are heard. More than 50 volunteers are working to count how many people are living in shelters or on the street. They say a lack of affordable housing is the leading cause of homelessness.

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The count is required for federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) every two years. Darrell Lightner sleeps on a bench each night in Uptown and just wishes people would see him as an equal.

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“They should act like I’m a normal person,” he said. “If I say ‘Good morning,’ to you, you know, have the respect to say good morning back and don’t just keep on walking. That’s all I ask.”

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Teams are also asking people how they ended up on the street. Those surveys are turned in to determine services needed. The count will be finalized in a report in late summer from www.MecklenburgHousingData.org