How Bad is the Homeless Problem in Madison? (Monona: apartment, homes)

[argyle]

from articles in the WI State Journal and Isthmus:

Detectives investigating the Brittany Zimmermann homicide want to speak to anyone who was solicited for money or gave money to strangers in the Bassett neighborhood on April 1 or April 2, Madison police said Monday. Zimmermann's murder is the fifth unsolved Madison homicide in the past 10 months. Two have occurred downtown, inside homes, during the day, apparently by strangers. In the wake of Zimmermann's murder, Madison police have launched a crackdown on transients roaming the city's streets. Joel Marino, 31, was stabbed at about 1 p.m. on Jan. 28 inside his home on West Shore Drive along Monona Bay, about three blocks south of Brittingham Park (the Zimmermann apartment is three blocks northeast).

The city's welcoming attitude has attracted more homeless people, and some beggars are becoming increasingly aggressive, police Lt. Joe Balles told The Associated Press. "We've kind of institutionalized an enabling environment downtown for this transient population to grow unchecked," Balles said. "They are downtown preying largely off of that student population and really preying off a lot of our good compassion as Madisonians. In a way, they are taking advantage of us."

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These murders are such terrible senseless tragedies. Whenever I'm in Madison for business or fun, I've come across the occasional homeless people on State Street asking for money, but have never really been bothered. Those of you who live in Madison, what are your thoughts on the homelessness issue.. are the panhandlers getting more aggressive... are people feeling less safe... has the number of transients escalated over the last few years and do you feel the Police Chief and Mayor are addressing the problem adequately?

[Drover]

I don't live in Madison any more though I still visit frequently. The only time I ever encounter homeless or panhandlers is on State Street; every once in a while you'll see one wandering down some random street but generally not bothering anyone. It's not like the city is verily teeming with them or anything.

[Megan1967]

I don't think it was fair to target homeless people as a whole group in investigating this murder. The police know who the "local crazies" are and shouldn't lump them in with all of the innocent people who are just down on their luck. There are, in fact, tons of homeless people in Madison, it's just most of them don't draw attention to themselves. They bounce from shelter to the home of a relative to the home of yet another relative or to friend's place. It's very hard on children.