About 50 people had to clear out of the Carolina Apartments in Thomasville after city inspectors ruled the small complex unsafe, leaving many residents scrambling for identification, shoes, and other essentials. As units at the building were boarded up, nonprofit caseworkers and volunteers moved in fast to arrange emergency lodging and basic supplies.
Janise Hurley, executive director of Davidson Medical Ministries, told WFMY News 2 that DC Connect, the ministry’s coalition of more than 60 partner organizations, stepped in to connect residents with temporary housing, food, furniture, and clothing. Hurley said DC Connect had rehoused more than half of the displaced people and, through a partnership with United Way International, offered each person a one-week Airbnb stay by Friday evening. She added that caseworkers continued checking in throughout the week to address ongoing needs and to assist people who could stabilize housing with deposits and first-month rent.
City Order Follows Housing Code Complaints
Inspectors with the city and the fire marshal issued an emergency order to vacate after determining the property was unsafe and not in compliance with housing code, WGHP reported. City Manager Michael Brandt told the station that staff had opened an investigation after complaints and were working with DC Connect, the Red Cross, and other groups to help tenants. At the time WGHP filed its report, city staff said roughly two dozen people lived at the complex. Aid groups later identified additional households, raising the total to about 50.
Nonprofit Aid and Ongoing Support
DC Connect, a program of Davidson Medical Ministries, worked with partner agencies to move people into other apartments and emergency lodging, Hurley told WFMY News 2. The outlet reported that teams focused on immediate needs while helping families look for longer-term housing solutions and offering financial assistance where possible. WFMY also noted that many residents left belongings behind amid unsafe conditions, and the station said it had sought comment from city leaders and was awaiting a response…