The opinions expressed in this piece are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carolina Journal or its publisher.
Walk through a city park in Asheville, Raleigh, or Charlotte, and you’re likely to find a sprawling, unregulated homeless encampment with no running water, no security, and no clear path to a better life for residents. The people living in such encampments are often chronically homeless, and many struggle with serious mental illness and substance abuse according to a 2025 report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is the predictable result of an approach to homelessness that has long confused permissiveness with compassion. As a result, it has allowed two problems to fester: Dangerous encampments flourish in public spaces, while homeless shelters meant to be places of refuge devolve into hubs for the drug trade…