Cabarrus County mother fights to find housing before work begins

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — Nearly 600 students in Cabarrus County are living without a permanent home this school year, representing a 23% increase from last year.

Among those experiencing housing instability is a mother and her 4-year-old son who moved to the area after escaping a domestic violence situation.

The mother and son arrived in Cabarrus County seeking safety and stability, but securing housing has presented severe challenges.

After spending weeks in October living out of their car, the family received temporary assistance that covered a week and a half in a hotel room.

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During their time sleeping in the vehicle, the mother tried to frame the situation as an adventure for her child.

“He thinks we’re camping, so he’s happy with that. But as a mother, that feels horrible,” she said. “We’re homeless.” Describing how they managed inside the vehicle, she added, “We just lay these seats down and pull these down and lay right in it.”

Though she has attempted to make the hotel room feel comfortable, the temporary accommodation is coming to an end.

With her hotel stay expiring before her new job begins next week, the family faces the possibility of returning to living in their car.

Every morning, the mother reaches out to regional community organizations, emergency shelters and outreach programs seeking housing assistance.

Her inquiries have included contacting Hope of Mooresville and Christian Missions, along with numerous other local resources, but her requests have been turned away due to a lack of available capacity.

Showing her daily record of contacts, the mother described her routine. “This, what I do every morning is I get up and I, this is my list of resources,” she said.

The repeated rejections have caused significant distress. “I’m starting to feel like we’re not worth it. Like, what what am I doing wrong that makes us not worth it?” she said.

As the winter holidays approach, the mother expressed concern over how the lack of stable shelter impacts her child. “I feel like he’s missing out on a lot of his childhood stuff because we don’t have a home,” she said.

She emphasized that she is seeking short-term assistance to support them until her employment income begins. “That’s all I want. It’s just just a bridge, just a bridge to get me there. Then then I’ll be fine. Then I’ll be fine,” she said.

Despite the uncertainty and fear, the mother said she remains committed to finding a stable living arrangement for her son. “I’m not going to give up. I’m not. That’s not an option,” she said. “My son thinks I’m a hero.”

The mother is scheduled to begin her new job next week while continuing daily efforts to secure temporary or permanent housing.