KMNA's Notes on the March 4th Community Meeting

On March 4th, our neighborhood association co-hosted a meeting with the City in the interest of understanding the full spectrum of risks and concerns associated with the encampment on our neighborhood's northwestern boundary. For those who could not be there, and for those who were, we would like to provide our notes from the March 4th meeting. These notes by no means capture every moment nor point made, but we hope they will be helpful all the same.

With hope for a happier, healthier King Mountain neighborhood,

Your King Mountain Board

I. Background & Strategic Updates from the City

The City provided an overview of the current challenges regarding the encampment, emphasizing that solutions require a balance of law enforcement, social services, and property owner cooperation.

• Property & Enforcement:

  • Coordination: Lessons from the NW Encampment show a need for ongoing coordination with property owners. While most are responsive, some remain resistant to take action.

  • Abatement: Gaining the legal right to clear properties own by unresponsive property owners is a long legal process (ex. Fang property abatement).

  • Police Limitations: Law Enforcement cannot "arrest the problem away" because the jail’s capacity.

  • Probable Cause: Video footage alone often isn't enough for a misdemeanor arrest; officers usually must witness the crime in person.

  • First Responder Safety: Portions of the encampment are deemed unsafe for first responders. To enter the encampment, first responders require a critical mass of police presence.

• Housing & Social Services:

  • Upstream Goals: The city aims to address root causes.

  • New Capacity: A new "Tiny Village" is being built on an accelerated "sprint” timeline.

  • Service Resistance: Many residents have lived within the encampment for 10+ years and are deeply service-resistant. There is wide-spread loss of faith in the system as well as high rates of Mental Health (MH) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD).

  • Outreach: The Opportunity Council and other nonprofits are working to build rapport, not "enable”. The goal is to reduce “service resistance” and eventually transition residents to services.

• Fire & Public Safety:

  • Response: Fire crews assess hazards but often deem them "low risk" for spreading. The department will respond if risk is deemed high enough. Access for equipment and danger to personnel are limiting factors.

  • Regulations: Air pollution is managed by the NW Clean Air Agency. Criminal codes regarding reckless burning (Title 9A) require a very high burden of proof.

  • Reporting: The City urges residents to keep calling 911. Even if there is no immediate arrest, repots create the actionable data needed for resource allocation.

II. Chief of Police Advice

The Chief recommended several proactive measures for neighbors:

1. Secure the Perimeter: Install fences, high-intensity lighting, and cameras.

2. Neighborhood Watch: Know your neighbors and look out for one another.

3. Asset Protection: Secure all property; with the low cost of fentanyl, almost any item is currently at risk for theft.

III. Community Q&A

Topic	Community Concern	City/Agency Response
Funding	Why isn't there more funding for Mental Health (MH) crises?	HUD funding has been stagnant since the 80s. The new jail will include a behavioral support center and diversion programs.
Public Safety	A couple residents described homicides, suspected sex trafficking, and being personally threatened.	A multi-disciplinary approach is in the works. Residents are encouraged to document safely. The City also spoke about their limited capacity to appropriately respond due to limited jail capacity. They strongly encouraged attendees to advocate for greater holding capacity for the planned jail as well as the Behavioral Health facility.
Property Ownership	Confusion over who owns the land (City vs. Private vs. Housing Authority).	All private owners have been contacted. The Housing Authority is a separate entity from the City (COB).
Budget Priorities	Why fund "wants" (bike paths/parks/open spaces) over "needs" (police/jail/public safety)?	The city works with a general fund, but also specific funds passed by voters for specific purposes, such a Greenways for trails and parks. Funding is also secured through specific grants, such as new multi-modal trails in King Mountain.  None of these funds can legally be reallocated to the general fund.
Supplies	Why are supplies/propane being given to encampments?	The City was unclear, but suggested that supplies were distributed by third-party non-profits or mutual aid groups. When the city does support these things it’s not meant to enable, it’s to ensure short-term safety and establish trust in services.