NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. – A law firm in Washington D.C. is stepping in to save a homeless shelter in Wilkes County.
The Catherine H. Barber Memorial Homeless Shelter in North Wilkesboro is the only homeless shelter in Wilkes County, and it has been operating for over 30 years. The shelter is currently occupying the second floor of the Crossfire United Methodist Church, which is a temporary location.
Board Chair Elizabeth Huffman says the last 18 months have been a rollercoaster because the shelter has been evicted from its home of nearly 30 years, turned down in its bid to build their own space, and denied a conditional use permit to move into a building donated by a local dentist.
“We meet all criteria. We're in the right zone. We're not within 250 feet of a school, a park, or another residence, and we have sidewalks. So we meet every legal requirement set forth by the town, and we were still denied,” Huffman said.
Shortly after this happened, Huffman said the Institute for Justice in Washington D.C. reached out to her to offer support and filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the decision.
Huffman said the Institute for Justice filed the complaint in the beginning of the month, and they're waiting to hear back from the court.