People Experiencing Homelessness Camp Out At Norman City Hall To Protest Closing Of Overnight Shelter

People experiencing homelessness are camping out at Norman City Hall after the local overnight shelter shut down. 

The doors to the Emergency Shelter in Norman have been locked since Monday. 

“I was just like, ‘Okay, now where are we going to go. What are we going to do,’ because that place helped me feel safe at night,” Jade Cheshier said. 

The overnight shelter housed up to 35 people each night before shutting down, leaving many with nowhere to go.  

“It's unsafe. It's uncomfortable trying just to find a spot to stay. Then police might come up and say, ‘Hey you have to move somewhere else.’ It's no place you can really decompress and relax,” Cheshier said. 

“I'm walking around town every night. Every night. I barely get sleep,” James Corenelison said. 

The city said they received notice of a request to vacate the building due to canceled property insurance. The only other option is the Salvation Army, and folks we talked to said they've been full every night. 

With nowhere else to go, they went to City Hall looking for answers. 

“Treat it like the crisis situation that it is. It seems like the city could come up with an immediate solution for some type of housing,” Alan Hatcher said. 

The advocacy group, "Norman Care-A-Vans" has been sitting in the lobby since Tuesday to get their point across. 

“I've been here every day. I'm going to be here every day until we get action,” Cheshier said. 

Norman City officials are reviewing two proposals on how to meet the needs of the homeless community. We'll keep you updated on what they decide.