CHARLOTTE — Eight halfway houses operated by Cedric Dean in the Charlotte area are set to close this weekend, leaving residents scrambling to find new accommodations by Nov. 1.
The closures come after the FBI accused Dean of defrauding the program of millions of dollars, leading to the freezing of his bank accounts and the termination of leases by the landlord.
“This program is amazing cause, like I say, it’s helped a lot of people and it’s definitely helped me a lot,” said Crystal Evans, a resident of one of the halfway houses.
Residents of the halfway houses, such as Brandi Beckworth and Sterling Jonker, expressed their distress at the short notice of the closure.
“We don’t have somewhere to go, and it’s like 7 days we’re supposed to be out of here...it was very short notice,” Beckworth said.
Dean’s attorney, Claire Raucher, stated that the homes can no longer pay rent or provide services due to the government freezing all bank accounts and the landlord terminating the leases. Dean is reportedly devastated by the situation, as many residents may be forced to return to the streets.
Jonathan Robinson, another resident, voiced concerns about the risk of relapse if forced to leave.
“So if I’m around people out in the street, you understand, I ain’t thinking about no recovery no more,” he expressed.
Legal Aid explained that because the residents did not pay rent, they are not entitled to the typical 30-day notice for eviction.
The closure of Cedric Dean’s halfway houses highlights the precarious situation for residents who relied on these programs for support and recovery.
With few alternatives available, many face uncertainty and potential homelessness.
VIDEO: Charlotte activist took advantage of the homeless to steal millions, feds say
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
