Wake County ends nonprofit’s homeless-shelter contract as NC Labor Dept. investigates
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- County terminated The Bryant Center’s Second Street Place agreement March 23.
- The North Carolina Department of Labor has open investigations into the nonprofit.
- A temporary shelter at 3211 Bramer Drive is being operated by The Women’s Center.
Wake County has ended a contract with the nonprofit it hired to run its newest homeless shelter as the state investigates the organization.
“Wake County was recently made aware of concerning operational practices with The Bryant Center’s operations,” the county said in a statement Friday. “In response, the County proactively sent a notice to terminate the agreement with the center as the shelter operator of Second Street Place on March 23.”
The county did not respond to other questions, including why it specifically ended its contract. The Bryant Center operated the nearly 100-bed shelter in the winter of 2025, before the county selected it in the summer to operate the shelter moving forward. The shelter closed in April for renovations.
“The county has yet to provide us with a reason,” Mike Gauss, the nonprofit’s spokesperson, said Friday. “They aren’t required to.”
But the N.C. Department of Labor said in a statement it’s investigating the nonprofit.
“Our Wage and Hour Bureau currently has open investigations related to this matter,” said John Wesley Waugh, the department’s spokesperson. “Because these investigations are ongoing, I’m unable to provide further comment at this time.”
Wake County Commissioner Vickie Adamson said she was aware of the county severing ties with The Bryant Center and seeking a new shelter operator. But when reached Friday, she said didn’t know why the county did it.
“Switching providers is fairly regular,” she said. “So I missed part of this.”
Adamson, who last summer called The Bryant Center “the perfect choice” to lead shelter operations in a news release announcing the contract, said she has been focused on the county’s upcoming budget decision.
“If something’s going on with The Bryant Center, that’s out of our hands.,” she added.
County Commissioners Chair Don Mial did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
Nor did the Wake County Continuum of Care, a network of local agencies and advocates, and community leaders aiming to address homelessness.
What problems might The Bryant Center have?
Robin Uhl, a previous employee of the nonprofit, told CBS 17 that she was not getting paid on time.
Gauss confirmed that Uhl is a former employee of The Bryant Center. “The fact that it’s an HR issue — I cannot comment any further,” he said.
The Bryant Center, he said, “is in compliance with all grant and funder-required accounting practices and procedures.”
He added the nonprofit’s contract with Wake County for operating the shelter is on a reimbursement basis, meaning the nonprofit submits its expenses to the county for review.
“Their system is set up so there cannot be a misuse of funds,” he said.
Second Street Place shelter
Second Street Place, just off Old Wake Forest Road in northeast Raleigh, is a relatively new effort by the county. The county bought the building in 2024 for $1.9 million.
It’s meant to be a low-barrier shelter, meaning it doesn’t have age or gender restrictions or require a referral to enter. People can just drop in and spend the night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The shelter is one part of the county’s strategy to address growing homelessness in the county, Adamson said.
In 2020, 974 people were homeless when Wake County did its annual point-in-time count. In 2025, the number was up to 1,258.
Point-in-time counts are generally accepted as an undercount of those who are without permanent shelter, according to Wake County’s website.
Adamson said that the county is short 68,000 affordable-housing units, which adds to the issue.
What the shelter renovation will add
While the shelter was open earlier this year, it was already set to close from April until around December for a $4.2 million renovation, according to the county website.
Raleigh city officials, county officials and Bryant Center leadership gathered two weeks before the county ended the contract to celebrate securing an $850,000 federal grant for the renovations.
The renovation is set to add additional security, make showers and restrooms accessible to people with disabilities, install new secure storage lockers for people’s belongings and increase available case management and support space.
While the shelter is renovated, a temporary replacement opened at 3211 Bramer Drive in northeast Raleigh. That shelter is operated by The Women’s Center of Wake County.
The Women’s Center will operate a night shelter from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for people regardless of gender and will move its women-only day shelter program to the building starting Monday.
Wake County entered into its contract with The Women’s Center on March 31, according to Amy Smith, the executive director of the Wake County branch of the Women’s Center.
That was four days after the county terminated its contract with The Bryant Center.
Smith said she had no knowledge of the county ending its relationship with The Bryant Center. The Women’s Center’s contract is temporary.
The Women’s Center happened to be leasing the Bramer Drive location to move its operations from New Bern Avenue at the same time the county was looking at temporarily leasing part of the building for its shelter, she said.
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