Are The Homeless Ruining Midtown?

• I think the city needs to develop a large piece of land with basic housing and a HUGE wall and then go round up all transient people in the city and stick them in there so they cant get out. DETOX the hell out of them and process them back into society, a prison, or mental institution.

• All the panhandlers who refuse to contribute to society in anything but a negative way should be rounded up and taken to labor camps to work off the damage they do to society. After multiple trips to the labor camps, and if they continue this behaviour of persistent, aggressive, parasitism they should be euthanized for the good of society.

• how " agressive" is flying a sign? Yet I'm subjected to false arrest and false imprisonment on trumped- up charges of Criminal Trespass, all thanks to these sorts of hyperventilating little yuppies who think i'm somehow "below" them...as if . Yeah, I guess unless your credit is overextended, with outsized notes on your Mcmansion, benz, beamer etc. you're just not worthy, huh? All I can say is, if you want to drive a hummer join the army! (And please find a more worthy subject to obsess over. Say, the obscene profits of oil cos. who kill the planet.)

• "that is a criminal matter that should be called in to the police." So you can wait 20 minutes or more to tell a disinterested HPD patrol cop that a homeless guy was mean to you? I agree that most of them will accept no for an answer. But a lot of them take it farther than that. I don't give a shit myself, but a lot of people do get intimidated, and they have the right to not get harassed. Just as the respectful homeless should have a right to at least ask. "Deep thinkers. Sorta like our local policy makers. Deal with symptoms, forget the causes." Yeah, the one business owner should really find a solution for drug addiction and insufficient funding for mental health services. WHY DON'T YOU GET ON THAT SHIT, MR. MIDTOWN BAR OWNER?

• Great solutions people! Ignore them. Don't give them any money and they'll go away. Have them arrested. Have them removed from the area. Deep thinkers. Sorta like our local policy makers. Deal with symptoms, forget the causes.

• Its true. Midtown has gone into decline and the homeless are aggressive. I used to live in midtown and left the neighborhood becuase I was sick of the homeless approaching me. I don't agree with those commenters who believe the homeless aren't aggressive. I've lived in London and New York and can tell you I've rarely felt threatened there. Here, anything can happen.

• Don't think I haven't thought about it, USA1. I'm just not old enough for one.

• You should really consider getting a concealed handgun license, Anon. Better safe than sorry.

• I work in Midtown and as a women i feel quite threatened when beggers come into my shop and hassle me. It's a urban area and of course they are going to be there, they have that right, but to go as far as to into my shop, sit down, and want talk is crossing a line. I give them a water and amuse their conversations because you never know which ones are crazy. There have been a few to just straight up ask me for money for the bus only to be followed by "do you know any where i can buy some crack?" Its ridiculous.

• I used to work long hours downtown. I'd dread the days I forgot to fill up with gas on my way to work because it meant I'd have to stop at the Chevron in midtown on my way home. Literally, every single time I stopped there I was aggressively harrassed by homeless people. One time, I had to stop one of them from trying to steal the hubcap off my car after trying to open the cardoor and steal the change from my console. This was not the same as walking down mainstreet and being asked for change. As Houstonians (or residents of any major city), I think we're all skilled at handling that situation. The experience made me not feel safe (I'm a guy) in the area. Say what you want about avoiding the area late at night by filling up earlier, but this is the same issue that I'm sure bar patrons are concerned about leaving the bar at night. I sympathize with both sides of the debate here... Houston has a large homeless community that needs a place. However, if the goal is to have midtown be a nice area with expensive apartments and townhomes and restaurants, it doesn't really work to have a homeless infestation. I'll drop my coin in the River Oaks/West U/Upper Kirby area and spare myself the ordeal, thanks. That's why I think this issue is primarily incumbant upon the local business owners to raise the issue and work to increase awareness to get it resolved. I hope that the police force is helpful in the endeavor.

• NIMBY, anyone? The streets are public.

• What can I say, I'm homeless. It is either post on here or go hassle the unnamed source for change. ;)

• You've got WAYYYY too much time on your hands, Kyle. haha

• Please define aggression and pushiness. Simply asking for money is not aggressive. If we are talking about something that goes beyond that such as someone making physical contact or otherwise trying to intentionally intimidate, that is a criminal matter that should be called in to the police. The very vast majority stop trying after being told No once. They have other passerbys to target rather than waste more time on someone who is clearly not interested. The original entry: <i><b>Now there may be something else to cause concern: Are the homeless getting a) bigger in numbers and b) more aggressive with Midtown patrons?</b></i> <i>There's been anecdotal evidence -- people filling up at gas stations in the area regularly get hit up for that bit of coin that will enable the asker to make bus fare to Louisiana, or get gas for his car that just ran out, or get something allegedly to eat.</i> <i><b>A worker in the area tells Hair Balls, though, that things are definitely getting worse.</b></i> The entry then goes on to quote this uncited source with more anecdotal evidence, <i>none of which describes aggression</i>, but rather people daring to interrupt someone's night by asking for change. The uncited source then starts tumbling down the slippery slope. If homeless harass my customers, I will be fired! If I am fired I won't be able to pay my mortgage! I will be homeless too if someone doesn't do something about these goddamned homeless asking me for change on the patio!

• THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I!!!!!!

• "But don't sit there whining because someone dirty had the audacity to approach you, a person with everything." For a lot of people, getting approached isn't the issue. When vagrants approach me, I politely decline to give them change and wish them good luck. It's the level of aggression and pushiness that can cause problems, especially for women who don't feel safe getting hit up for cash by male strangers. That shit isn't right, and it's not uncommon, either.

• they've always been there and aside from helping kickstart a campaign reminding people to never give anything to bums (handouts prevent them from going to the proper places where they might find some type of meaningful help) there's not much for the city to do. they could look at raising our taxes to help provide more drugs/shelter to keep them sane, but we all know how americans like taxes and i don't think the rest of houston would have any sympathy for the midtown folks since the bums were there long before many of these new homes/businesses. on the flip side, i trust bums more than most strangers cuz they have no use for anything that can't be sold at a corner so perhaps the neighborhoods could get active and try to use them more as a neighborhood protection than a nuisance.

• Evenings are being <i>interrupted</i>, don't you understand?! How dare a Peasant look at a King!

• This is a city... get used to it and learn to deal with it. It's not difficult to say no. Don't even let them finish the story just say "I can't/won't help you out." Or... dig into your pocket and help out. Whatever suits you. But don't sit there whining because someone dirty had the audacity to approach you, a person with everything.

• USA1 says: If nobody would give the bums $$, they wouldn't be there. Thanks alot Capt'n Obvious did not no that. Here is another tip, if you dont fill your car with gas it wont go anywhere. Here is a cookie, find some where quiet and let the grown-ups talk.

• I walk my pitbull around Midtown every weekend and have never had any problems.

• I strongly agree something needs to be done with the homeless street people. Some of them don't know what the word NO means. They always bother are customers/guests. Sometimes we will give them free food but this only causes them to keep coming back everyday and expecting more n more with attitudes. We been broken into 3 times in 1 month. They ram sack the whole place n take all the food out and cause major damage like broken glass windows and busted doors n Locks. Are place is all bordered up with bars now n chains. Sad cause it looks like a prison cell on the windows. The city is a joke if you want my opinion and so is HPD! HPD says the homeless break ins are up cause of the bad economy. Like I said, what a joke! instead of the city walking around giving parking tickets out , how about control the homeless !!!!!!!!!!

• Jay FTW

• If homeless people bother you, you can always stop BW3 on the way home and order a sixer of extra blazin' wings. When the street person hits you up, you can give him the wings instead, and feel good that he's not drinking your money away.

• I agree with Progress I but I still say round the bums up and give them a one way bus ticket (non-redeemable of course) out of town. Police presence of some type (other than to hand out parking tickets) might be a good idea!

• I live in Midtown and some homeless people can be quite annoying and pushy. It's sad but I can recognize most of them, I'll probably learn their names soon. There's one Asian bum who I see all the time. I wish there were less homeless people in Midtown, they really scare me. I agree with Midtown Development not doing anything about it. I know they cannot clean up the area completely but more should be done to cut down on people like this. I've also noticed some of them have nice bikes, which I'm sure they stole from people in the area.

• I just ignore them like they're not even there.

• People who are homeless are in Midtown for the same reason people who are not homeless flock to midtown...convenience. As for the "beggars," every person asking you for money is not homeless. Secondly, just because someone ask you for something, does not mean they are being aggressive, breaking the law or need to be relocated. This country belongs to all of us, and if you say no to someone asking for money, my experience is that 99% of the time, they move on. As the previous poster noted, if it goes beyond that, it becomes a situation for the police. You are not entitled to not being spoken to or approached in a public place. Only when you've asked to person to leave you alone, or you've removed yourself and the other person continues, then you have a right for some corrective action to be taken.

• The homeless have been in downtown & midtown for years and I don't think there is a quick solution to our homeless issue. However, you may be able to relocate them from the midtown area. There is a bus terminal on Main and West Gray that seems to attract a lot of homeless people, along with the Search Homeless Project at San Jacinto and Mcgowen. If someone were able to purchase these properties and start another business there, the bus station and shelter would relocate, as would the homeless who congregate at these locations. However, this doesn't solve the homeless issue, it just relocates it.

• The homeless reservation is at Hermann Park. Have you ever been there early on Saturday or Sunday? It looks like a large campground without the tents. At some point the city will have to do something because the homeless bums will lower property values, and tax revenue will decrease. That should get the city's attention. I, for one, have no patience with these beggars. I should have the right to go out without being harassed for money. These bums do not just ask, they get very aggressive.

• Everybody just needs to relax and deal with the ups and downs of living in a free society. We have free speech in this country, so sometimes someone might ask you, "Buddy can you spare a buck?" The entry hints at aggression and harassment, but simply asking for change is neither. I am asked on the street for change every day because of where I live, and "No" always turns them away. I don't have to explain how I don't have any change, or that I only use my check card, or any other lies. I just say no and they move on. If something rises beyond merely asking for change to criminal activity, obviously the police should be contacted. It's just hilarious to me, though, to see people with a warm place to sleep acting like suffering victims because someone below them dared to speak to them. It sounds to me like homeless are being used as a convenient excuse for bars that aren't turning the profit that they once did.

• Call the police on every single one. I did this while living in my Montrose home and pretty soon beggars avoided the neighborhood.

• Prior to development the midtown area has always been a transient seedy area due to the bus station, homeless shelters and homeless services in the area. So you decide to build your home, set up your business in a area that has had that undesirable element prior to you being there and you want them to leave so you can feel comfortable? I guess that is the American way please tell me where the homeless reservation will be once you get your way

• I just saw one this weekend around the corner from the Tipsy Clover. At least he was nice.

• If nobody would give the bums $$, they wouldn't be there.

• Remember The Richmond Strip? It didn't last either, neither will Washington. It's all cyclical.

• Hand out leaflets with a map to Washington?

TotalComments: 37