Just Walked 12th Street, Between Race and Arch ... (Philadelphia, Penn: school, store)

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

and it's a total disgrace! People now have to walk in the street because it smells like an unflushed toilet from all the bums now 'living' on the sidewalk. This was actually my second time along there this week and it's getting worse with the trash and puddles of urine all over the place.
Being as this is a big tourist area, you'd think Mayor Kenney would get this cleaned up, especially since it's only become a problem since he's been elected. What is wrong with this guy and with this administration? I guess he and his 'think' tank have bigger fish to tackle, like where to move statues (looking at you, Helen Gym).

I agree to an extent. the bums in this location were always out in front of the free library, but once the Mormon temple and highway cap were under construction, they all got up and haven't moved from the convention center since. It's disgraceful the city doesn't do more to move those people. I personally think we need to take the next step and make homelessness illegal. It's time. Housing isn't expensive here. We don't have high per capita of homeless people, but we do have a contingency of them that think it's there duty to go to the most visible spots. If you really pay attention too, it's the same people week after week, month after month, on the same blocks.

I'm glad I never have to go over to that area.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

I agree to an extent. the bums in this location were always out in front of the free library, but once the Mormon temple and highway cap were under construction, they all got up and haven't moved from the convention center since. It's disgraceful the city doesn't do more to move those people. I personally think we need to take the next step and make homelessness illegal. It's time. Housing isn't expensive here. We don't have high per capita of homeless people, but we do have a contingency of them that think it's there duty to go to the most visible spots. If you really pay attention too, it's the same people week after week, month after month, on the same blocks.

I'm glad I never have to go over to that area.

The bunch that moved from LOVE Park, directly across to JFK Blvd, to the plaza areas around Penn Center seem to be gone.
Have they moved to 12th St. ?

Project Home just announced another affordable housing project, so, yes, maybe it's time to move more aggressively to get
them off of the street.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Project Home just announced another affordable housing project, so, yes, maybe it's time to move more aggressively to get
them off of the street.

Yeah, but most of these people aren't capable of running a household.


Remember a couple of years ago when they gave the couple with the wandering kid a free house? It didn't end well.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

Yeah, but most of these people aren't capable of running a household.

Sister Mary Scullion's insight was this: First, get them into a home. Then you can arrange for the services and programs they need to get them back to where they can run their own affairs. (Those services and programs are both harder to deliver and harder for the beneficiaries to stick with when they have no fixed address.)

It seems to have worked well for those who manage to get into a Project HOME residence.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Sister Mary Scullion's insight was this: First, get them into a home. Then you can arrange for the services and programs they need to get them back to where they can run their own affairs. (Those services and programs are both harder to deliver and harder for the beneficiaries to stick with when they have no fixed address.)

It seems to have worked well for those who manage to get into a Project HOME residence.

Has it worked well? People can tell you anything they want to further their agenda.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

Has it worked well? People can tell you anything they want to further their agenda.

Boy, I thought I was pretty cynical?

The local homeless problem would be a lot huger if it wasn't for her and Project Home.

You are yakking about one block on one street in CC when Los Angeles has an entire part of their downtown that is skid row with thousands of people.

I want the local homeless problem " gone" just like everyone else but it's not so simple.

[GeoffD]

I just walked up 12th last night from the Jefferson Station elevator across from Reading Terminal Market towing a roll-aboard. That's the last time I'll do that. If I were picking a convention venue, a walk down 12th underneath the Convention Center would scratch Philly off my list forever. What could the city possibly be thinking?

The EPA office across 17th from Comcast Center is another bum lair. I wanted to use the Citizens Bank ATMs on that corner a couple weeks ago and thought the better of it.

The homeless need to sleep somewhere. If it's 12th street, at least install toilets and close off the sidewalk entrances at Arch and Race so clueless tourons like me don't walk down there.

[BK_PHL_DEL]

5th St between Callowhill and Wood (under the 95 overpass) is another bum lair. My wife and I decided to walk home to Fishtown from the Chinese lantern festival in June and unfortunately came across this shady stretch. We had to walk in the street to avoid them. Pretty unfortunate.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by BK_PHL_DEL

5th St between Callowhill and Wood (under the 95 overpass) is another bum lair. My wife and I decided to walk home to Fishtown from the Chinese lantern festival in June and unfortunately came across this shady stretch. We had to walk in the street to avoid them. Pretty unfortunate.

Well, everything old is new again, apparently. Sigh. Franklin Sq was pretty much abandoned for years and was populated by bums. And Philly's actual skid row was located just west of it on Race St. next to Chinatown. All the buildings were torn down.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I just walked up 12th last night from the Jefferson Station elevator across from Reading Terminal Market towing a roll-aboard. That's the last time I'll do that. If I were picking a convention venue, a walk down 12th underneath the Convention Center would scratch Philly off my list forever. What could the city possibly be thinking?

The EPA office across 17th from Comcast Center is another bum lair. I wanted to use the Citizens Bank ATMs on that corner a couple weeks ago and thought the better of it.

The homeless need to sleep somewhere. If it's 12th street, at least install toilets and close off the sidewalk entrances at Arch and Race so clueless tourons like me don't walk down there.

So many seem to be mentally ill too a la the guy who stabbed the 7 Eleven clerk, at the store across from City Hill, a couple of days ago over cigarettes.