The death penalty is not for every life’s calamity

 

What if the death penalty is for every life’s calamity?

So he was, in a wheelchair, in the special med dorm.

His crime, to run a prostitution house and run the drugs.

The payment was several gun shots to his now limp body.

That was his calamity. No charges pressed although he was armed too.

Life’s calamity caused him to be a guest at the shelter.

So too, the white dude. Trouble, jail, substance abuse. All that landed him in the center.

“Scrap off the green” meaning to remove the mold from the food served at the shelter.

Then, scramble and ask staff for an anti-acid/tumbs/pepto bismo pill. That was the answer.

He had to eat being only 100 lbs and of short stature.

God, how many times the nurse came in to administer the TB test to staff. Several times per week. And, we were ordered to go to clinic E when the nurse was not available.

What happened, someone was screened for TB upon entry at the shelter, tested positive, and that meant everyone that came into contact with that person needed to be tested. A measure of safety feeling yes given the transient population, but none the less painful for those dang shot at the shelter.

Volunteers were plentiful and the administration welcomed it. Feed the hungry and be connected and receive free medical services.

The other guy was oozing. Cellulitis on the leg. We kept his bed while he went for a medical evaluation. That was the standard practice. Yes, refer them to the open door clinic for free medical and dental too. Had a seizure, no prob, you kept your bed.

The big time drug dealer was there too. The one from another Hispanic country, but he knew not to enter or sell his wares on the property. You would receive immediate action if caught.

But, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

Lost your job, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

No rent money out on the street, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

Now you are at the shelter.

Fell at work, and, let go because you cannot come in, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

You file for Workman’s compensation, but that takes weeks and no place to stay, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity? Three weeks wait and more for unemployment.

Now you are at the shelter.

Fight with that significant other, “you ain’t on this lease” and out you go, no couch either, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

CPS was called, they order you out the house, Now you are at the shelter can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

The room mate just up and left. You do not have double portion of rent, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

Now you are at the shelter.

You go from State to State for work, but the employer suddenly disappeared, now you are at the shelter, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

You work but there is just no affordable housing, are a veteran and need help to get your life back together, whatever the case, can the death penalty be for every life’s calamity?

A respiratory illness is no joke, especially if it leads to things like pneumonia and other complications. It can take your life. Vaping and drug use are similarly situated problems. Bugs, ticks, bed-bugs, lice, and other communicable diseases can take your life or deal you some serious life’s issues and/or death.

You are now at the shelter, sleeping next to Mr. Bugs, and they are crawling all over him, to extent he showers and wants new linen. The guy with the bug, roaches, mold mixed in with his clothes. The odors of poop, vomit, and no showers, that is enough for a death sentence at that time, the stench of drugs in the clothes. Lice all over, they just love people. The bright idea to have lockers in the dorms, the orange bags fill those lockers, and so do the zillions of creatures whom exit the bags to find new host.

What is the death sentence? When you enter and stay at shelter otherwise healthy, and contract some sort of communicable disease that can end your life, the death sentence. When you are the substance abuser but can buy and use right on the shelter grounds. That is a death sentence.

The rarity of a death or a worker being attacked moved to commonality.

What if the death penalty is for every life’s calamity? The calamities described hereto. Does that mean you need to be placed at risk for death?

The move and the tie and the link with Urban Ministries was a health component.

The ideal shelter should have a health screening and provision component. They do not even have a private health screening room, with all the planning and administration. No place for a PA, nurse, or DR to conduct assessments/administer treatment. MAR yes, to some extent have staff supervise, but injections and other procedures like wound care “that a doctor ordered” is not found or cannot be done at the center. Should a tech handle pee to administer a drug screen?

The ideal shelter, not that low barrier crap, should have 24 to 72 screening for conditions that are dangerous and can cause death to self and others. You don’t get denied a stay, but must be evaluated for risk assessment. Partner with the community’s health providers and first responders to help ensure a stay at the shelter is not a death sentence.

Urban min was good about getting the volunteers to help, the county is not and/or believes it is not a priority. Sunnybrook clinicians from DOH should have regular schedules at the shelter, stop the death sentencing. Or give the guys a bus pass with the stipulation of a return with the guaranteed bed once you went to be assessed at the clinic.

One last example to bring this home. You work at the shelter, as a result of exposure to this transient population, you contract a life threatening respiratory disease. They vape and smoke, the worker is on work restrictions to include a stipulation by a licensed North Carolina Physician that the worker cannot be around chemicals, strong odors, vaping, and smoking [we all know the effects of vaping remain unknown but are hazardous to your health by default], etc.. Even with the documentation from the medical professional, the worker is still placed at risk of death due to being assigned to areas detrimental to that person’s health. RSV, COVID, Influenza, Ticks, Mold, AIDS, Blood Bourne Pathogens, Hepatitis, all can cause the death to any worker. The safeguard, at least a minimal one, with “have them screened”. Period. End of Story, and forge partnerships to get professional clinicians in to volunteer and help and other community based providers and persons. That is the ideal model. Calamity should not be a walk on death role for employee or guest.

Open Letter to Wake County

 

04/09/2025

To: Morgan Mansa, Wake County Housing Department

Angela Crawford, Human Resources

Cc: Frank Lawrence, SWSC

Re: Notice of April 2025 Push

Attachments: Supporting Statistics.

Greetings:

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of recent activities by Universal. This also a commentary on homelessness and the Wake County Human Services and Human Resources recent actions and the lack of services and initiatives like open and competitive employment. Lastly, it is a personal sadness point of reflection.

Universal did submit a public comment that discusses the Wake County Housing Department and the South Wilmington Center for Men for the recent Wake County Board of Commissioners Meeting. Here are just some of the specific links of current events/acts:

1. https://www.wakecountyfails.com main page update

2. https://www.wakecountyfails.com/stop-messing-around

3. https://www.wakecountyfails.com/wake-county-da

4. https://youtu.be/R3eAKlULEeI?si=XL9T3yOmvcUiiNpn

5. https://youtu.be/unieoK_8nHQ

6. https://youtu.be/_IOpGgcDCq8

7. https://youtu.be/9xjEsYSVAxk

We will be moving onto all social media platforms this month and fully by next month to comment on the issues we deem needing the scrutiny of the public.

Homelessness is on the rise in North Carolina. Some estimates are of a 19% increase “in the homeless problem” in North Carolina. Some experts claim of the 19%, 30% are unsheltered. From all reports, the focus of upper administration at the Wake County Housing Department, Human Resources, and the South Wilmington Center for Men is not meeting the increased needs, but rather politics as usual. What that means is there remains the lack of open and competitive hiring, in the county overall, but a more specific example is at the center for men. The center should be fully staffed to meet the increased need. Instead, there is evidence of waste, fraud, and neglect, as cited in the videos. The center should have case managers and assistants helping to get the unsheltered off the streets and into permanent housing. However, the focus presents as just hiring your friends, as a certain president desires, but Wake County has been doing such for years, way past the presidency [Thanks Angela]. And cause the employees there to leave so a specific few can get all the overtime they want, waste and fraud.

The outer cities and towns of Wake County now suffer the problem of the homeless in their midst. It is scary. It is sad because “they” need help with applications for Medicaid, Disability, Workman’s Compensation, VA disability ratings, VA Benefits [the best inroads are for this population admittedly], Social Security Disability and Retirement, and other much need programs like subsidized housing and section 8. It is not being reported for example that SWSC is fully staffed.

Low Barrier is and was the source of deaths of many homeless persons at SWSC. This is the specific example there. While at Wake County Human Services examples include the class action suit for Medicaid, and the foster teens that now occupy the social services building, all tragedies. The videos and DA letter refer to theses issues. SWSC went against state law and public policies by allowing or causing to be allowed the sales and use of drugs on government property and communications of threats of harm and violence. The results were the death(s) of more than one person due to employee negligence in administration.

The bottom line is this, the Wake County Housing Department needs to look at the programs and services and offers and what it does not have. You do not have many workers often because of things like the hostile work environment you allow to exist at for example SWSC. And, again, there is not adherence to open and competitive hiring through human resources, just let Frank hire whom he wants, etc.. Take an innovative approach and do not follow the David Harris legacy. How long will you continue to allow the homeless to be prey? At some point in time, you have to consider the lack of retention of employees to be based in part if not entirely on the administrators you place in positions that do not have the commitment to serve the people. You need to consult and confide with the district attorney’s office.

The center should be open 24/7 given the current need in North Carolina, meaning that case managers and social workers should be available around the clock to help “get them off the streets”. Help those working have somewhere to sleep and bathe for all the shifts they may work. Have the invalid/elderly housed until permanent disabled housing becomes available. More importantly, invest in supported housing programs or open up and expand shelters [the later is not an option the public favors]. Lastly, nothing is more poignant than I was the last physically disabled person hired in the similar capacity of Guest Services Technician, wow, 2001 established that Wake County Housing and Wake County Government never embraced Diversity Equity and Inclusion in programs/employment. Workers were attacked and threatened and hurt because of criminal negligence.

Please visit ministry websites like https://www.carolinajesus.com/ and more importantly https://www.wakecountyfails.com/ and https://www.reyoadvocacy.com/ .

Reinaldo Olavarria, Sociology, BA, Political Science, MA, Elder

Call for DA Investigation

 To: Lorrin Freeman, Wake County District Attorney

Re: Investigation Request of the South Wilmington Center for Men

Attachments: Supporting Statistics.

Greetings:

This letter is to request a formal investigation/inquiry of allegations of abuse of residents that utilize the South Wilmington Street Center for Men. This is also a request to investigate practices that are endangering homeless persons and workers thereat. Lastly, this is an inquiry as to the relationship between Human Resources of Wake County and your offices.

To begin, in the past, center employees were noted for the exploitation and preying upon the homeless persons that use the center. The center is used by persons whom encountered hard times due to sudden homelessness. In the process of reestablishing themselves, the men apply for various benefits like Veterans Benefits, Food Stamps, Unemployment, United States Social Security Administration Disability and Retirement benefits, and a whole host of other monetary programs for relief in their quest for stability. It is a fact the men suffer from addictions at times and mental illness. Over the past three years, there were reports of Guest Human Services Technicians taking money from residents. One name that kept coming up was Candice Brown, a human services technician that is part of upper management thereat. Allegedly, concerns reached the human resources department to the extent they conducted internal investigations. As a result, there were a couple of terminations of employees. Reportedly, irregularities continue. The question here is was the Wake County District Attorney’s Office ever contacted as a result of allegations of predatory practices and fraud and obtaining property under false pretenses by the Wake County Human Services employees, etc.. In the myriad of internal investigations, does Wake County’s Human Resources ever collaborate or reach out to the district attorney’s office to consider charges in such matters. The allegations at the center include that of verbal abuse of homeless persons and other disreputable practices. While Wake County HR has an internal process, the question is because of the nature of the allegations and the fact this population, the men, are vulnerable, does Wake County Human Services ever collaborate or consult with the district attorney’s office to perhaps press charges. For example, allegations include the use of beds as a tool to get payment/funds by workers. Another example includes allegations of falsified times sheets that includes a new added measure at the center to include clock-ins for work. To be plain, if human resources saw the need to have “clock-in” devices because of a rampant problem, was anyone ever charged or referred to the district attorney’s office for prosecution for things like fraud.

The measurement of a good work week should not be “how many people died from overdoses” at the center. The is a clash between statutory law, city and state law in North Carolina, and center policy. One clash is the edict that no illegal drugs use and sales transpire on government property. Here, the Wake County Housing Department due to lax oversight is allowing drug use and sales at the center. Resultant deaths at the center from drug use is high, even if one person died from such, that would be alarming, but here the reports are of multiple deaths on the property due to illegal drug use and sales at the center. “Low Barrier” is the catch phrase used to justify such. Did the Wake County District Attorney’s office ever conduct an investigation into illegal drug sales and use on the center property? How many drug arrests were effectuated at the center and are the entry standards to low thereby encouraging those activities. There does not exist a statute of limitations on negligent homicide. Did the DA’s ever look into the rise in deaths at the center from overdoses and sales on government property? The notes and reports are there; however, at one point the administration was encouraging line staff not to record and report incidents [was the DA’s office in receipt or ever contacted].

The communication of a threat against a government employee is a criminal offense in this state. This is in addition to the right to protect oneself from harm and the right to not just have life threatening conditions bestowed upon you through negligence. On one occasion an employee had to fight the administration at the center because that employee sought and obtained an arrest warrant against a homeless person. At the center, through policies followed by the center director Frank Lawrence, disrepute of the honor of being a government employee occurred by allowing the homeless to threaten staff and other homeless persons. Additionally, a family center began operations within feet of the center’s sexual offenders. It was reported to Wake County Human services that employees were by placed at risk of harm and injury through the negligence of persons like Frank Lawrence, whom when housing and providing employment to his friends and/or friends of friends, placed center staff and homeless persons at risk for injury through preferential treatment (criminal negligence). In addition thereby causing a hostile workplace wherein persons left county employee due to the added additional risk emanating from negligence. For example, a homeless person enters the center, becomes agitated, and then states he will go out of the center to get his gun to settle the matter, thereby communicating a threat against center staff, but nothing was do in response to that communication to preserve safety. Whereas, in the past, a homeless person would be barred from the center for at least 30 days citing the communication of a threat and law enforcement would be immediately notified.

Upper administrations failure to safeguard other homeless persons is also at issue through negligence. Remembering this, all homeless persons sleep together in the dorms. No screenings are occurring upon entry to the center or within 72 hours to ensure persons are not able to enter with communicable and life threatening diseases. The end result is COVID outbreaks in the center (among many and other diseases and conditions) and during such time there was no overwhelming presence of medical personnel to deal with COVID and other outbreaks. I am not sure these issues aforementioned where discussed with the district attorney. Human resources of Wake County did receive complaints especially with regards to worker and homeless persons safety. Did the DA’s office ever receive information on these concerns and/or work with the county to ensure the center is a safe, drug free, and illness free environment?

The issues are low barrier, fraud, negligence, and other detrimental issues brought to the attention of the Wake County Housing Department and the Wake County Human Resources department, but, it presents the issues were never collaborated with the Wake County District Attorney’s office. Wake County Human Services is not a law enforcement body, and, needs to consult and rely on “the experts” to make sure no further lives are being lost. Hence, a request is being made for the district attorney’s office to investigate, independently, conditions at the center, to determine the merits of any allegation of fraud, abuse, negligence, and death, etc.. Please work with Human Resources and look at the data to see if these issues are true. Thank you.

Please visit ministry websites like https://www.carolinajesus.com/ and more importantly https://www.wakecountyfails.com/ and https://www.reyoadvocacy.com/ .

Respectfully submitted,