Increasing homeless population in the Sweet Home area? (Amherst, Tonawanda: motels, home)

[mttzakr87]

Lately, I've been noticing an increasing in the homeless population in the Sweet Home area (Amherst-Tonawanda).....and it's been more evident over the past couple years. But especially along Niagara Falls Blvd, I've noticed more and more, and have been hit up for money quite a bit by them either hanging outside a tops, gas station, or 7/11, or just wandering the streets.

I was wondering if anyone else has noticed the same?

[Linda_d]

Why do you classify these people as homeless? Do they have shopping carts or cars holding their belongings with them or near by? Are you seeing cars in parking lots that look like they're lived in? I would guess that the Amherst Police Department would quickly clean out any little enclave of lean-tos/shanties/boxes they found but an individual homeless person might make a campsite in some woody area/park.

It may also be that these people are transients/drifters staying in some of the old motels that are still around on the Boulevard. I think most homeless people gravitate towards areas have more services like soup kitchens and food pantries as well as more public buildings like libraries and churches where they might get out of the weather for a while. Then, again, I'm no expert in the homeless.

[nynj147]

Originally Posted by Linda_d

Why do you classify these people as homeless? Do they have shopping carts or cars holding their belongings with them or near by? Are you seeing cars in parking lots that look like they're lived in? I would guess that the Amherst Police Department would quickly clean out any little enclave of lean-tos/shanties/boxes they found but an individual homeless person might make a campsite in some woody area/park.

It may also be that these people are transients/drifters staying in some of the old motels that are still around on the Boulevard. I think most homeless people gravitate towards areas have more services like soup kitchens and food pantries as well as more public buildings like libraries and churches where they might get out of the weather for a while. Then, again, I'm no expert in the homeless.

From what I saw while living there, you're kind of right. I never saw people actually sleeping on the streets in the area, just people who would stand on the busier streets with signs asking for money. Usually around rush hour someone would post up asking for things, but once it got closer to nighttime/the weekend, you really don't see anyone at all.