Charlotte’s Struggle: The Journey of Alicia Harvey and Her Daughters
It’s a tough time for many families in Charlotte as they grapple with the heavy realities of homelessness and housing insecurity. One such story is that of Alicia Harvey, a mother of two who is fighting against the odds just to provide a stable life for her daughters. Alicia’s journey is one filled with hope, determination, and the harsh realities that countless families face today.
A Tough Decision Following a Devastating Hurricane
It all began back in 2018, when Hurricane Michael swept through Florida’s panhandle, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Alicia lost her home and found herself living in a hotel with her two young daughters. Faced with dwindling funds and countless dead ends in her housing search, Alicia ultimately made a leap of faith, deciding to move to Charlotte to stay with a relative while she rebuilt their lives.
“I liked Charlotte when I first came, but quickly started to feel regret for it,” she confessed, “When you can’t provide the basic hierarchy of needs, such as having decent housing, it really takes a toll on my children and me. I feel like I’m just hanging on by a thread.”
Hopes for a New Beginning Turn into Hardships
Six years after that initial move, the reality is that things haven’t exactly panned out as Alicia had hoped. Instead of finding permanent housing, she and her daughters have bounced between five to seven different hotels. Currently, they reside at the Lamplighter Inn in west Charlotte, a place that city officials label as unfit for habitation.
The family was excited when they moved in back in February, thinking it would be a fresh start through a supportive housing program called Vermelle’s Place. They were promised housing assistance, health support, and affordable rent. Unfortunately, what followed was quite the opposite, as the city announced the hotel will close due to unsafe living conditions.
“I don’t want to be at another hotel,” Alicia said. She is left scrambling to find some semblance of stability for herself and her daughters as the clock ticks down on their time at the Lamplighter Inn.
The Journey from Florida to Charlotte
Alicia’s tale doesn’t just start with a storm. Originally a thriving resident of Panama City, Florida, she had deep ties to her community, active in her church, and a fulfilling job helping inmates learn essential skills. However, the hurricane turned everything upside down.
When she found no housing options after looking for help from FEMA, Alicia hoped that Charlotte would be their safe haven. “I didn’t want to live off anyone,” she said. “I came to get a stepping stone.” But life had other plans in store. Alicia found herself moving from shelters to hotels, trying to balance multiple jobs just to make ends meet.
Perseverance Through Challenging Times
Despite the uphill battle, Alicia has never lost hope. Since moving to Charlotte, she’s worked tirelessly, juggling no less than four jobs—working days and nights just to keep food on the table and gas in the car. Yet, her journey has not been a smooth one. At one point, she was kicked out of a shelter for forgetting to sign in, which left her and her daughters once again scrambling to find a place to stay.
It was during the pandemic that life seemed to throw another curveball. “Living in hotels was already difficult, and the COVID-19 pandemic felt like facing a second hurricane,” Alicia lamented. Despite those seemingly endless hurdles, a flicker of hope arrived in 2023; Alicia found a small apartment near Matthews, finally giving her family a place they could call home.
Renewed Hopes and Left Behind Dreams
Peace was short-lived, however. The rent went up, and Alicia faced yet another setback. “When I first came to the Lamplighter, it gave me hope,” she recalled. But soon that hope turned to despair as the conditions continued to decline.
Alicia has not just been focused on herself; she’s become a driving force within the hotel community. She’s delivered kindness and support to her neighbors, organizing events, celebrating holidays, and creating a sense of camaraderie among tenants. Her faith in God has been her anchor through these turbulent times.
Fighting for Change and Raising Awareness
Alicia now knows that her journey doesn’t end here. She’s determined to become an advocate for change in how society views and treats homelessness. “I want to change policy on homelessness and stand up for those who have lost their voices,” she shared passionately. Her experiences have fueled a desire to educate others about what homelessness truly looks like and dispel the myths surrounding it.
Indeed, Alicia, with her unwavering spirit, stands as a beacon of hope for many families facing similar challenges. Her story is a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of community support in times of crisis. While her fight continues, she remains optimistic that one day soon, she and her daughters will not just have a hotel room, but a home.
