homeless population downtown Orlando (Tampa, Mayo: camp, living, fence)

[kyle19125]

Is it me or does it seem as though the number of homeless people in downtown Orlando has skyrocketed? I was down around Lake Eola last night for dinner (and a short stroll afterwards) and they were everywhere. I was asked for money several times by panhandlers on what amounted to a four block walk. Quite frankly I haven't seen anything like since I lived in DC back in the early 2000s. I read recently where some agency finally was getting ready to conduct a census which hadn't been done in awhile so the city could get the necessary funding for services like food and housing, and I imagine it is because the numbers have jumped so much. I'm wondering out loud if Tampa and St Petersburg's aggressive initiatives to get the homeless out of their downtowns has shifted many of them over here..?? It is really sad and not an appealing feature for visitors, or if one were living near Lake Eola as it seems they camp out there.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Is it me or does it seem as though the number of homeless people in downtown Orlando has skyrocketed? I was down around Lake Eola last night for dinner (and a short stroll afterwards) and they were everywhere. I was asked for money several times by panhandlers on what amounted to a four block walk. Quite frankly I haven't seen anything like since I lived in DC back in the early 2000s. I read recently where some agency finally was getting ready to conduct a census which hadn't been done in awhile so the city could get the necessary funding for services like food and housing, and I imagine it is because the numbers have jumped so much. I'm wondering out loud if Tampa and St Petersburg's aggressive initiatives to get the homeless out of their downtowns has shifted many of them over here..?? It is really sad and not an appealing feature for visitors, or if one were living near Lake Eola as it seems they camp out there.

I haven't been to Tampa/St Pete in the past year, but when I was in St Pete in 2010, it seemed like there were WAY more homeless people there than Orlando.

[Pete C]

Hey Kyle, I can honestly speak to this as I have lived on Lake Eola the past 2 years and walk around a lot. It hasn't gotten visibly worse, but I say that only because it was just as bad when I first moved down here. It's really bad, and it depends on the night how many times you get asked for money. Sometimes there are more or less depending on where there is a free feeding that night. It sounds like you hit one of the worst times if you got asked a few times. When my wife and I walk downtown from Thornton Park, we rarely get all way downtown and back without getting asked for money once. Never could you make it without at least seeing several homeless. Go by the downtown Baptist church on Pine street at night if you really want an eye opener as to how bad the situation is.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

I haven't been to Tampa/St Pete in the past year, but when I was in St Pete in 2010, it seemed like there were WAY more homeless people there than Orlando.

That was before the city of St Pete began a program to get them out of downtown. You'd have to look hard to see any now.

St. Pete making progress with homeless - US news - Life - msnbc.com

[Magic_Kingdom_Mama]

I agree the homeless population seems like it has well more than doubled in the past 5 years. My husband and I have taken our son to play to the playground at lake Eola more than once and never made it on the playgound it self. We just didnt feel like it was a good idea to let our toddler run and play while there is 3-4 homeless people leaning over the fence to the playgorund.

I heard on the news that the coalition for the homeless is building some kind of mens center so I hope that it will help noticeable decrease the number of them downtown.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

That was before the city of St Pete began a program to get them out of downtown. You'd have to look hard to see any now.

St. Pete making progress with homeless - US news - Life - msnbc.com

sounds like Orlando should do something similar

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Yes. I work downtown and the population is horrible .

[Infinite loop]

Yeah, I was at Lake Eola a few months ago and was blown away by how many homeless guys were there. Never seen so many in one place, although none of them asked me for money (unlike the bums on 192).

Mayor Bloomberg must be at it again - putting them on buses to come down here.

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Is it me or does it seem as though the number of homeless people in downtown Orlando has skyrocketed? I was down around Lake Eola last night for dinner (and a short stroll afterwards) and they were everywhere. I was asked for money several times by panhandlers on what amounted to a four block walk. Quite frankly I haven't seen anything like since I lived in DC back in the early 2000s. I read recently where some agency finally was getting ready to conduct a census which hadn't been done in awhile so the city could get the necessary funding for services like food and housing, and I imagine it is because the numbers have jumped so much. I'm wondering out loud if Tampa and St Petersburg's aggressive initiatives to get the homeless out of their downtowns has shifted many of them over here..?? It is really sad and not an appealing feature for visitors, or if one were living near Lake Eola as it seems they camp out there.

Ft Lauderdale was becoming like that in 2005 as well. Its probably worse now.

[Downtown Steve]

I think it doesn't help that we have so little other foot traffic outside of the work day that they stick out more than they might in a city where everyone walks around.

It seems like there is an inherent problem that the better a city gets at solving homelessness through programs or services, the more that will flock to that city.

Would love to know if any city has really tackled the problem besides shipping them out all together. I think the current methods of detering it are terrible as it usually invovles ruining something for all of us - ie putting in less comfortable benches or furniture, lack of lighting, shorter park hours, etc.