“Progressive” Carrboro Getting Criticism It Is Unaccustomed To

In 2007, Carrboro passed an ordinance forbidding day laborers from seeking work at the corner of Jones Ferry and Davie Roads outside of the hours of 5am and 11am.
On Friday, SCSJ attorney Chris Brook sent a letter to the Carrboro town attorney Michael Brough and the Board of Aldermen explaining the unconstitutionality of the ordinance. The city cannot outright bar people from gathering in any one place; ordinances like these can only target “specific criminal intent.” Recently, the North Carolina Court of Appeals struck down a more narrowly tailored “anti-loitering ordinance” in the city of Winston-Salem.
Judith Blau, Director of the Chapel Hill & Carrboro Human Rights Center works with day laborers to expand their work opportunities. Blau has been outspoken opposing the ordinance. She is particularly bothered by the police practice of herding the men off the corner at 11am. “They would herd them from one spot to another. It’s dehumanizing,” Blau said.
The letter and press release are available at the provided links and the “press release” section of this website:
A PDF of the letter sent to the Carrboro Town Attorney is available at:
http://bit.ly/maTina
This release and any additional associated documents can be found at:
https://southerncoalition.org/node/476