Some of Fayetteville's homeless bused to Durham in effort to get out of cold, launching protest over hot-button issue

A battle is brewing in Fayetteville over the busing of some of its homeless population to Durham.

Some understood the trip to be a one night stay at the Durham Rescue Mission.

However, the trip to get the homeless out of the cold has turned into a a hot-button issue for Fayetteville and Durham city leaders.

Fayetteville has a homeless population of about 200. During a recent cold snap, places like the Salvation Army and local churches that provide shelter for the homeless during cold weather ran out of space. So, the city arranged to have those with no way of getting out of the cold bused to the Durham Rescue Mission.

Steven King didn't take the bus trip to Durham, but said he knew of several women who did.

"When they got there, then they told them what they had to do and what they were supposed to do and that they wanted them to do, like take over the women like they were in the 20s. It don't work that way," King said.

We're told that many of those who were bused to Durham thought they were going to get out of the cold for just one night. They didn't know the Durham Rescue Mission would require them to stay and work at the mission for an extended time. City leaders said that was made clear.

"It was clearly articulated that if you volunteered to partake in this opportunity, it was one way and you would be relocated to the Durham Rescue Mission," said Fayetteville spokesperson Loren Bymer.

The homeless busing issue has raised concerns of Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams.

"We want to make sure that people are not recruiting homeless people," Williams said. "And then putting them out on the streets. Because if they're coming from other places, then things don't work out there, they go to the streets of Durham."

Fayetteville City Councilman Mario Benavente, a community activist, welcomes Monday night's protest.

"The more of a priority this becomes to city council members by seeing these voices be heard," Benavente said. "Be loud if they have to be. That's what's going to get us to get our act together. To actually have a conversation about whether or not we've allowed a de facto busing policy to occur in the city  without the council's approval."

The issue of bussing some of the homeless population to Durham is not on the city council agenda Monday night. But those in attendance who are protesting, hope they get a chance to speak.

Fayetteville's City Council meeting starts Monday at 7 p.m. If you can't make it in person, you can watch it live on the city's website.