Local

Facing homelessness no more: Shively family finds a new home

WHQR | By Kelly Kenoyer,

Published August 13, 2024 at 8:11 PM EDT

Theresa Shively walks out of the Cape Fear Hotel where she was recently approved for an apartment in downtown Wilmington on August 7, 2024. Theresa, her sister Jennifer, and Jennifer's two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for over two years. — Theresa Shively walks out of the Cape Fear Hotel where she was recently approved for an apartment in downtown Wilmington on August 7, 2024. Theresa, her sister Jennifer, and JenniferÕs two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for over two years.

A few weeks ago, WHQR brought you profiles of homeless people in the Wilmington community. This week, we bring you some good news: one family who had been living in the woods found housing.

A year and a half after Theresa Shively and her family lost their RV and ended up in a tent in the woods, the family finally has a roof over their heads at the Cape Fear Hotel Apartments.

“I did it on my own," Theresa says. "I walked by and I saw that they were leasing and whatnot. So I come up, filled out paperwork about this thick. They handed me the keys!”

Theresa Shively naps with her dog Luna in the studio apartment that she was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. Theresa, her sister Jennifer, and Jennifer's two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for years. When Theresa was homeless, Luna, who is a service dog, was temporarily taken away by the city.

Now she has a studio to call her own: though she’s sharing it with her sister, Jennifer, and her two nephews. A major perk: air conditioning, after living outside in the sweltering summer heat.

It’s a little cramped with four adults, two dogs, and a cat sharing one little room, but they’re thrilled to have it, Jennifer said.

“It's nice to be able to cook again. It's nice to have you able to shower and a toilet instead of having to go in the woods all the time," she said.

Sisters Jennifer and Theresa Shively make dinner in the studio apartment that Theresa was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. Theresa, Jennifer, and Jennifer's two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for years.

The small room has four little sleeping areas: a futon for Jennifer, an air mattress for Theresa, Patrick has a chair, and the youngest, Dorian, sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor. They’ve kept the area in front of the kitchen clear for cooking, and Jennifer has taken the opportunity to stock up the fridge with groceries from the food bank and the local Asian market.

She’s partial to kimchi, she said: “Every time I get it and open they're like, 'oh my god, close it! that it stinks!' And I'm like, I like it. It's really good because it's got, I love cabbage, and it's got garlic and all that good stuff in it.”

Jennifer Shively eats dinner in the studio apartment that her sister Theresa was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. The family still uses many of the services in town that they had come to rely on, but they are now able to use their food stamps to cook their own meals at home, have a safe, dry place to sleep at night, and work on getting another apartment in the building for Jennifer. — Jennifer Shively eats dinner in the studio apartment that her sister Theresa was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. Theresa, Jennifer, and Jennifer's two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for years. The family still uses many of the services in town that they had come to rely on, but they are now able to use their food stamps to cook their own meals at home, have a safe, dry place to sleep at night, and work on getting another apartment in the building for Jennifer.

She’s already applied for her own apartment: the family can’t stay in that studio together forever. The same building has already offered her a place: they provide affordable housing for seniors and the disabled in the heart of downtown Wilmington, in a nearly 100-year-old building. Jennifer’s promised apartment will be a 1-bedroom, and she’ll get it once it’s through some needed renovations.

“Only two people can live in a space. And I was like, well, Patrick could stay here with her, and then I'll take Dorian with me. He'll have the, I'm going to give him the room so he'll have this little privacy and stay and everything," she said.

Jennifer Shively's sons Dorian, left, and Patrick, right, sit in the studio apartment that their aunt Theresa was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. The family had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for years. They still use many of the services in town that they had come to rely on, but they are now able to use their food stamps to cook their own meals at home, have a safe, dry place to sleep at night, and work on getting another apartment in the building for Jennifer. — Jennifer Shively's sons Dorian, left, and Patrick, right, sit in the studio apartment that their aunt Theresa was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. The family had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for years.

The two boys are in their 20s, but Jennifer said they’re not ready to be independent because of their developmental disorders.

“Probably not, not right now. Patrick, probably I can see maybe, but Dorian, I don't know. That's why I'm so scared. I want to get things ready for him," she said. "That's what I'm trying to do for his mental disability. I just had to go to Coastal [Horizons].”

Coastal Horizons offers mental health services in the Cape Fear Region. Now that the family is stabilized in housing, they have a mailing address, and phones, and can start taking steps to address their medical needs.

Small decoration line the window sill in the studio apartment that Theresa Shively was recently approved for at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 10, 2024. Theresa, her sister Jennifer, and Jennifer's two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for years.

Just being out of the weather has already helped Jennifer.

“Since I've been here, it's like I'm more energetic. I feel a little bit better, you know, cleaner, you know, and all that," she said. "But yeah, and I get and actually, the bites on my legs are actually starting to heal up better.”

Being in the woods, Jennifer was eaten alive by mosquitos. Now, her itchy legs are finally getting better. And she’s able to better control her diabetes. Theresa is feeling better too.

"I've been losing weight and walking a lot," Theresa said. "So that helps out a lot, because everything is here that we need. You know, the markets down here to Waffle House, I get free coffee because I'm a senior,” she added with a laugh.

Theresa Shively lays in bed with her dog Luna in her new studio apartment at the Cape Fear Hotel in downtown Wilmington on August 7, 2024. Theresa, her sister Jennifer, and Jennifer's two adult sons had been living in a tent in the woods and have struggled with housing insecurity for over two years.

The Shivelys are just one family of many who’ve become homeless in North Carolina in recent years.

They’re still working on getting all the furniture and appliances they need. But the Shivelys are grateful for everything they’ve gotten already.