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So what's it gotta take for Greensboro to get its homeless population under control.. I just witnessed a man getting off the bus and taking a **** right out on the side walk. I was eating lunch and parked at the Sheetz on Market St when this occured today. The man didn't even attempt to go to near by bushes to pee! He literally got off the bus and unzipped and peed standing on sidewalk . I mean he also could of walked across the st to the Sheetz bathroom. . I just read a article about Bliss salon might having to close downtown due to homeless issues . the city has GOT to address this issue. We can't just have the ( it happens in all big cities ) mindset... Our downtown has worked so hard on its image to just be ruined and tainted. We want people to feel safe to mill about our town without feeling like they are gonna be harressed or see scenes such as what I witnessed
It may take an upgraded local ordinance by the city of Greensboro to get this type of situation under control. Apparently there was some sort of change in NC state law that allowed for public urination and defication unless local laws prevented otherwise. I know such public defication and urination had become an issue recently in Charlotte and they had to pass a new ordinance prohibiting such activity. They are also contemplating purchasing some sort of upscale outhouse to serve the needs of the chronically unhoused, imported from Portland Oregon or possibly Seattle if I am not mistaken. But a bit of a major expenditure if I recall correctly from the news reports.
I've seen a pile of s- - - along with clothes in front of a downtown business. I've also witnessed public urination downtown by both males and females. Its a disgusting sight. I've witnessed mentally disturbed homeless people screaming down the sidewalk as if they were going to attack someone which briefly put me in fear. Police were nearby watching and did nothing which they could have because there are public disturbance laws.
The city is in a tricky situation. They have to address the issue but homeless people have constitutional rights like everyone else. That being said yes some upgraded ordinance will help the situation in regard to the visual appeal of the city but not the homeless problem itself. The city needs to start by enforcing trespassing laws. When parks close, don't allow homeless people to sleep in the parks. Close off city parking decks with screened gates like Carroll has at Carroll at Bellemeade. In fact there should be ordinance that keep homeless people from camping on city and private property. This is problem because the city allows it to happen. Constitutionally the city can't stop homeless people from walking around downtown or sitting on park benches but they can eliminate camping and arrest people for public urination and indecent exposure.
I visited downtown Durham and the lucky strikes factory for the first time in quite a while, over the weekend. I couldn't help but notice how clean Durham is in the downtown area. Greensboro needs to do what ever Durham did . I felt completely safe, the whole time walking, no homeless people were around asking for money, or peeing in sts, no mentally ill person screaming.. whatever Durham did , is exactly what Greensboro needs to do.. cause of right now, id rather take the drive to Durham downtown and spend my money there , then venture downtown Greensboro and put up with that crap.. litterly!
I completely agree with almost everything people have said above (and I vote democrat). I guess I disagree with the specific point that people should stop voting democrat, but perhaps some Democrats should stop being quite so crazy when it comes to common sense issues like this.
People who advocate for the homeless need to be realistic that at some point, it is not a matter of "lack of resources", it is the fact that a portion of the homeless population is not interested in utilizing available resources and will simply continue to live their life in the same manner (camping downtown) if you let them.
I find it infuriating that one of the most beautiful public spaces in town, Center City Park, has become taken over by the homeless. The homeless have a right to their life and to live it without harassment if they aren't harassing others, but they DON'T have a right to live wherever they want to and selfishly "claim" areas meant for public enjoyment.
If you choose not to use the many public resources available, then live your life somewhere other than in the middle of a curated public space. And yes, the city should use trespass laws and whatever else to clean up downtown and the parks, it is a matter of both public safety and the public's right to enjoy what our tax dollars have built.
I visited downtown Durham and the lucky strikes factory for the first time in quite a while, over the weekend. I couldn't help but notice how clean Durham is in the downtown area. Greensboro needs to do what ever Durham did . I felt completely safe, the whole time walking, no homeless people were around asking for money, or peeing in sts, no mentally ill person screaming.. whatever Durham did , is exactly what Greensboro needs to do.. cause of right now, id rather take the drive to Durham downtown and spend my money there , then venture downtown Greensboro and put up with that crap.. litterly!
I moved here from Durham and I can assure you that Durham's city council has done nothing to address the problem. The reason it appears better than it has in the past is twofold:
Downtown has sprawled and there less of a focal point for where the homeless congregate. For instance, American Tobacco Campus (the lucky strike are you are referring to) is not what most people would consider Donwtown Durham, but it is very vibrant and fun to visit.
Durham's population has exploded, such that the percentage of homeless:non-homeless has gotten much smaller.
If Greensboro's downtown expanded further to the South and East, and if Greensboro's population exploded, then the homeless problem would similarly "appear" to be better. In reality, the homeless population would likely be the same size, it would just be reduced to less of a nuisance for the reasons I listed.
I've seen a pile of s- - - along with clothes in front of a downtown business. I've also witnessed public urination downtown by both males and females. Its a disgusting sight. I've witnessed mentally disturbed homeless people screaming down the sidewalk as if they were going to attack someone which briefly put me in fear. Police were nearby watching and did nothing which they could have because there are public disturbance laws.
The city is in a tricky situation. They have to address the issue but homeless people have constitutional rights like everyone else. That being said yes some upgraded ordinance will help the situation in regard to the visual appeal of the city but not the homeless problem itself. The city needs to start by enforcing trespassing laws. When parks close, don't allow homeless people to sleep in the parks. Close off city parking decks with screened gates like Carroll has at Carroll at Bellemeade. In fact there should be ordinance that keep homeless people from camping on city and private property. This is problem because the city allows it to happen. Constitutionally the city can't stop homeless people from walking around downtown or sitting on park benches but they can eliminate camping and arrest people for public urination and indecent exposure.
What makes this difficult as well is the problem can get "solved" in one area so that it's out of sight and out of mind, but it can just get shifted to another area.
No offense about downtown, but that's where there is a lot of backing from people with a lot of political influence and financial sway. If the homeless get run out of downtown, but the reason they are homeless remains, they will just go to a different area of the city where there is less political pressure to not have that happen or they'll even go to a different city (possibly in the same region). That may seem like a "win" for the political leaders, but all they've done is make it someone else's problem. That's what is so difficult about this situation.
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. I mean he also could of walked across the st to the Sheetz bathroom. . I just read a article about Bliss salon might having to close downtown due to homeless issues . the city has GOT to address this issue. We can't just have the ( it happens in all big cities ) mindset... Our downtown has worked so hard on its image to just be ruined and tainted. We want people to feel safe to mill about our town without feeling like they are gonna be harressed or see scenes such as what I witnessed
