ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – A group of residents and business owners has been raising concerns for years about the operations of The Least of These Ministry, a local homeless day shelter cited by the city in February for zoning violations.
A Freedom of Information Act request to Roanoke City revealed that the group has been attempting to change the situation surrounding TLOT since before the 2024 city elections. The group says it supports the mission of the day shelter, but the things that come with it are hurting their businesses.
Business owners and residents in the area of Luck Avenue and 5th Street sent pictures to the city complaining about public drug use, feces, and fights near The Least of These Ministry. Most of the emails on behalf of the group come from Matt Prescott, who owns Prescott Construction. He wrote that he lauds TLOT’s mission, but the shelter can’t be allowed to break the rules…