Bill could increase penalty for drug dealers preying on homeless near shelters

A bill establishing drug-free homeless service zones could soon allow individuals engaging in drug activity outside homeless shelters to be charged under North Carolina law. After passing the House Rules Committee this week, the proposal is expected to head to the House floor for a full chamber vote.

The House Rules Committee advanced the Drug-Free Homeless Service Zones Act on Wednesday, which seeks to create legal protections around homeless shelters by increasing penalties for drug activity occurring on or near their premises.

“This bill actually has nothing to do with whether homeless are on drugs or not,” said bill sponsor state Rep. Heather Rhyne, R-Lincoln. “This bill has to do with those outside who are preying upon them to sell drugs to them.”

The purpose of the bill is to reduce the influence of gangs and drug dealers targeting homeless populations.

“For those that may not know, our homeless population is under regular threat of crime by gangs and others seeking to sell controlled substances to them,” Rhyne added. “By making homeless shelters drug-free zones, we will reduce the opportunity for gang and other criminal elements to further victimize the homeless while holding the operators of these facilities accountable.”

The bill requires shelters to post visible signage marking them as drug-free zones. According to the legislation, a drug-free homeless service zone would encompass 100 feet surrounding any homeless service building, such as a shelter, housing, or facility that provides treatment or services to homeless people.

“The presence of this sign shall raise a presumption that the person committing the offense knows or reasonably should know that it is a drug-free homeless service,” the bill reads.

The legislation would enact a new general statute which would provide a Class E felony for anyone who manufactures, sells, or delivers a controlled substance in a drug-free homeless service zone. It would also provide a Class H felony for any operator of a facility-based service that intentionally allows a person to manufacture, sell, or deliver in a drug-free homeless service zone.

The bill is focused on holding both drug offenders and facility operators accountable, ensuring that shelters are secure places where individuals can get the treatment needed to recover and work toward self-sufficiency.

According to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, 11,626 individuals experienced homelessness in North Carolina in 2024, a 19% increase from the previous year.

The committee voted in favor of the bill, and it now heads to the House floor.

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