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Sex offenders no longer accepted at men's shelter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Starting Friday, sex offenders are no longer welcome at the Men's Shelter of Charlotte.

Dozens of sex offenders live at the shelter now. Their crimes range from rape to indecent liberties with minors. The shelter on North Tryon is trying to find them homes. New sex offenders will not be accepted.

"It's a very difficult situation for them to find housing," Associate Executive Director Trish Hobson said.

Hobson said with so many restrictions on where sex offenders can live, without an income, they often end up stuck at the shelter. Shelter leaders felt they were perpetuating the problem instead of solving it.

"We really are trying to push back a little bit on our community and say this isn't just the Men's Shelter problem, this is a community-wide problem," Hobson said.

Where will some of the sex offenders go? Under state law, sex offenders have to be registered. But if they don't have a home, they can list a street corner or a spot under a bridge.

"I'd rather know that they're at a place where they're getting food and shelter and not having to find it somewhere else," Lauren Adcock said. "And not out on the streets where there are children and women walking around."

Theresa Coleman likes the idea of sex offenders being under some sort of supervision even if it is at the shelter.

"If they're monitoring them in the shelter," Coleman said. "I wouldn't see why they wouldn't be able to stay there.

Eyewitness News asked the associate director of the shelter if having sex offenders out in the community will put people in danger. She didn't think so. Eyewitness News also reached out to the Sheriff's Department to get their take but has yet to hear back.