Group helping families living in local Days Inn

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been more than a week since residents at the Days Inn off Woodlawn Road in Charlotte were asked to leave.

The hotel’s general manager said he was forced to close the hotel because employees refused to work due to safety concerns.

The hotel shut off power, but later restored it.

Legal Aid advised residents they can stay, since its illegal to kick out long-term residents. The state has halted all evictions until June 1.

Over the past week, organizations have been supporting the residents with meals and supplies. On Tuesday, Doretha Buie, delivered 40 meals for breakfast and 40 meals for lunch.

Meals like that, and other donations, are supporting people like Sharde Dupree. The mother and her three sons have been living at the hotel.

“With the housekeeping leaving, we had no one to clean the rooms anymore so they donated tissues, towels, and lot of different products, soaps,” Dupree said.

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Founder of the Transitioning of the Carolinas Resource Center, Paris LaBelle, said they’re helping Dupree’s family, and two others find housing.

"Trying to make sure that the resources that are needed to house these people after this pandemic is over... because the owner has expressed that he wants them out so the moment that courts open and they’re able file legal evictions, he’s going to do that,” LaBelle said.

LaBelle said they can’t help everyone so they have reached out to other organizations who can offer assistance. LaBelle said they also don’t support reported criminal activity that has happened at the hotel since management left.

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Last Wednesday, police said people broke into the hotel office. The hotel general manager said the suspects damaged their key cards. Dupree said her key card no longer works and she fears for her family’s safety.

“It’s sad that people would damage this property, knowing that this is like our home,” Dupree said.

The hotel manager asked residents to sign a contract this week. It laid out a couple of rules, like requiring people to stay in their rooms and not allowing outside guests. So far, not many people have signed it.

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