Roanoke leaders launch task force, expand support for unsheltered community

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Addressing homelessness in Roanoke is taking short-term outreach and long-term planning, according to city leaders.

The Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office hosts quarterly pop-up events, providing food and personal care items to unsheltered residents.

“We have a really good support system. A lot of the groups really come in together and put a lot of effort in to try and take care of our unsheltered community and really support them in any way that we can,” said Morgan Buzzo with the sheriff’s office community engagement team.

At the same time, Mayor Joe Cobb has launched the Hope and Home Task Force, which brings community members together to study the root causes of homelessness and recommend solutions.

“Community partners have been doing this work a very long time. They’re kind of the frontline people. What we’ve noticed, though, is that the community at large doesn’t have a full understanding of the complex issues related to homelessness,” Cobb said. “So this is as much about educating and raising awareness to the community at large and inviting the community to participate in the process.”

The task force will spend the next 12 to 18 months developing recommendations for short-term and long-term strategies to reduce homelessness. Cobb said the focus will remain on treating people with dignity.

“The challenge we’re trying to address here involves people, people who are very vulnerable,” Cobb said. “And so the thing we need to remember first and foremost is to have respect and dignity and value for human beings who are experiencing homelessness.”

The Hope and Home Task Force will continue meeting throughout the year, with updates posted on the city’s website. The sheriff’s office plans to continue its quarterly pop-ups to ensure unsheltered residents have access to basic resources.