WELDON — They all came together to discuss changes in policy and the neighborhood wall in Weldon.

Della Batts | The Daily Herald Weldon Housing Project resident Floshekia Barber presented Roanoke Chowan Regional Housing Authority representatives with a petition signed by residents and community members asking them to take down the wall at Dogwood Drive and 12th Street. Advertisement

Residents, the Roanoke Chowan Regional Housing Authority (RCRHA) Executive Director Barbara Warmack and Project Manager Tamara Jones met this week to talk about many issues. It’s time for recertifications and inspections in the projects. Maintenance is behind on their work. There are new trespass and ban policies and then there’s the wall.

The wall is a structure at the end of Dogwood Drive at 12th Street in Weldon that, according to Jones and the Housing Authority, was built to keep residents safe. Residents say they have a  different perspective. When Jones mentioned that subject a murmur flowed and built like a wave through the crowded room until it broke out in a roar of opinion.

“We’re going to talk about that,” said Jones as she tried to quiet the crowd. “But we’ve got some other things to talk about first.”

Jones introduced new trespass and ban policies and encouraged residents to read them. This is the second step in a plan to get rid of crime in the Weldon projects. Jones said in an earlier interview,  she is tired of her residents having to worry about their safety and the safety of their children. That’s why the wall was built in the first place and that’s why she’s implementing new policies and making changes. She said she wants her residents to be safe and comfortable in their homes.

Jones proceeded to go over the policies, explaining they were not targeted at residents, but at people coming into the projects. “This is to protect you and your family. It’s not you causing the problems.” she said. She explained a list of people banned from the facilities will be kept on the bulletin board and updated monthly. For several years, project residents have complained outsiders were taking them over, using and selling drugs, using Dogwood Drive as a shortcut to Hwy. 301, drinking and fighting.

Jones stressed any person “who has engaged in activities which threatens the health, safety and right to peaceful enjoyment of RCRHA residents ... may be prohibited from entering all RCRHA property.” She read then explained how the policies are broken down and a person didn’t have to be notified in writing to be banned. “North Carolina law does not require the trespassed person sign nor receive any documentation,” she said.

Residents seemed fine with the new policies. Jones explained further she’s working on finding a police officer to work full-time at the project, but had no luck yet. Several residents sounded hopeful at the prospect. Others expressed disbelief anything could change things. “I respect your concerns for our safety, said one resident, “But we don’t see as much police presence since the wall was put up.” That opened the door again.

Another resident talked about a fight which broke out last weekend and how shots were fired, but no police came.

Other residents mentioned at length how drug dealers and loiters were hanging out around the wall, how they would walk through the woods to get to the projects. “They’re going to find a way,” she said.

Others complained about the inconvenience for residents, who lost quick access to Weldon when the wall was built.

“Do you see how every discussion brings us back to this one issue, the wall?” said one lady.

Just then a young woman said almost tearfully, “I don’t feel like it’s helping. I feel like an inmate!” Another wave rushed through the crowd. There were murmurs and movement, as she expressed the words nobody wanted to say.

“We’re being stereotyped,” another spoke up and said. “People have been saying people in the projects were no good for years.”

Jones did what she could to reassure the residents the wall isn’t about stereotyping. It’s about keeping them safe. It’s about keeping other people out.

Resident Floshekia Barber presented Jones and Warmack with a petition with more than 200 signatures from people effected by the wall, in the projects and in the community. “You’re putting forth a great effort to keep us safe,” said Barber. “And we appreciate it. You should have talked it over with us though. I feel like this meeting is the meeting we should have had before you built the wall. We pay to live down here, this is something we should have discussed.”

Jones agreed and said she would discuss this further with other residents scheduled to meet with her later in the week. “Then we’ll talk about it,” she said indicating the Authority would go over the information.

Both sides expressed appreciation for the others’ views as the meeting ended.

“It’s dark out here,” said a lady as she opened the facility door to make her way home. “I haven’t been outside past dark in a long time.” She pulled her coat in tighter against her chest. “I don’t like to be outside after dark,” she mumbled to herself. Then another woman stepped up beside her and said, “Let’s go home! It’s dark out here! I don’t like being out here after dark.”