Housing authority leaders get earful from concerned residents following shootings
For more than an hour, leadership from Charlotte’s housing authority got an earful on safety concerns from neighbors at a University City housing complex on Wednesday night.
The problem: bullet holes from shots being fired at Inlivian complexes across the city, some within hours of each other.
NOW | Staff from @inlivian are holding a meeting with residents at the Robinsdale Apts. regarding recent issues with shootings at Inlivian properties (Charlotte’s housing authority). pic.twitter.com/mTz2wFLiP4
— Jonathan Lowe (@JonathanUpdates) September 7, 2022
Residents want their worries addressed, and the first step to make that happen was held tonight at Robinsdale Apartment complex.
“I’m confident that they are safe, and we’re trying to get them safer,” said Fulton Meachem, Inlivian’s CEO, amid calls for a greater response in their communities. Inlivian has 50 properties across the city.
Residents didn’t share the same certainty. Several who didn’t want to share their name for fear of retribution had doubts.
“I don’t think the meeting will make a difference, I only think the meeting is occurring, because the news is here,” one resident said.
“I think Inlivian needs to check the people they’re putting in these apartments, I also think that they need to get more security involved,” another neighbor said.
The meeting on Wednesday happened at Robinsdale Apartments where neighbors say someone shot into their apartments and cars just over a week ago.
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Since the beginning of the year, there have been 11 CMPD calls for service at Robinsdale, Inlivian told Channel 9. That included two aggravated assault calls, one non-aggravated assault, three larcenies, and five other criminal charges.
“In this city right now, I know there has been a 25% increase in assaults with a deadly weapon, so it’s not just in our communities,” Meachem said.
Across town, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has responded several times to the Wallace Woods apartments in southeast Charlotte.
It’s where police say someone shot a 4-year-old boy last week after he got home from the grocery store with his mom. A one-year-old was killed and another child was hurt during another shooting at the complex earlier this year.
According to Inlivian, CMPD went to Wallace Woods 10 times between Jan. 1 and July 31. Those calls included three aggravated assaults, one larceny, one negligent manslaughter, two non-aggravated assaults, one burglary, one theft, and one other “crime charge.” Inlivian provided Channel 9 with those statistics after our initial report cited CMPD community crime map data.
Meachum said he believes the bulk of the crime is caused by people who don’t live in any of the apartments.
“I think they’re giving us information on where some of those individuals are, and so we’re going to take action in that case,” Meachum said “... Even though there are cameras here, I think there’s going to be more that we have to do and empowering residents to help us in this effort.”
Not all residents expressed doubt after Wednesday night’s meeting.
“Just hearing voices of hope from them, that puts things into perspective a little better and gives hope,” a neighbor said.
Inlivian says it’s implemented a “see something, say something” program where residents can call an anonymous hotline 24/7.
“I do believe it’ll probably be another shooting or something that happens out here,” an unnamed resident told Channel 9.
(WATCH BELOW: CMPD asking for help finding person of interest in deadly shooting at north Charlotte gas station)
