this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2023
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I'm in Winnipeg... I live in one of the 'nicer' mature neighborhoods, with parks and schools every couple of blocks. This is happening everywhere.
Some dude who appears to be experiencing some housing issues pitched a tent in the park I walk my dog in daily. We play with the kids there quite often and it's a hub for families in the area with a Jewish education center and old folks home surrounding it. The homeless guy doesn't appear to be bothering anyone and keeps his area tidy.... I'm a bit torn as to whether or not to report him or ask the cops to rustle him out or whether to just leave him be. Having him relocated isn't solving anything, and might just put him back under a bridge where he likely isn't safe to stay. I know he'll be gone by winter though, if he starts lighting fires to keep warm he'll be gone in a hurry.
Why would you ever consider reporting him? The last thing someone struggling to live needs is to be harassed by the community and abused by cops.
Consider treating him like a human being. Ask how he's doing. See if he needs anything. Keep an eye on local social media for people mentioning him so you can warn him before some nimby bootlicker calls the cops on him.
Because in the past when I’ve lived in places that have had this happen, the situation grows rapidly and the park near my house became unusable for the neighborhood while property crime got so bad that wheel chairs were being stolen from kids at the park for scrap metal. If I start to see this trending in that direction, I will absolutely be contacting the City Councilor as well as the police to prevent it from escalating. I’m not willing to have my neighborhood get turned into an encampment, and if you think I'm a bastard for that, I’m fine with that. I have no issues with my kids playing next to someone camping out because they have nowhere to go, I have major issues with my kids playing next to discarded needles. We say hi to the guy when we've seen him, I say good morning to him when he pokes his head up on the morning walks. He's not lesser than anyone because he sleeps in a tent, but if one morning I walk by and it's a tent city, with needles scattered around, and a burned out fire then all bets are off and I'm choosing my family's safety & neighborhood over the people who are making the situation unsafe.
I work with multiple shelters in our city, one of them my family has supported for 3 generations now starting with my grandmother cooking meals there up to today where I consult with them on their plans to expands their services to keep helping people. I'm pretty open to finding ways to support people who have no where to go, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to let another neighborhood get destroyed in the process, which is exactly what happened to the last one and will unquestionably happen to this one as well.
Honestly, I know the so called bleeding hearts don't like hearing this, but it's something you do to maintain the standards of your neighbourhood.
I, too, live in a suburban neighbourhood, much like OP. A couple years ago, we had a couple guys living rough, very much sounds the same as what OP is describing. Lots of people were taking food, and leaving bottles out/etc. The problem with this, is word gets out on the streets. Come to this neighbourhood, there's lots of kind people who will support you.
Fast forward a couple years, our property crime is through the roof. We are experiencing violent crimes as well. Close to one of our schools is some bushes, that are now full of needles and the cops/support teams can't keep up. Someone got burned out of a tent a couple weeks ago. We have areas where people are starting to get scared to walk at night. Remember, this is a quiet suburban area, where taxes & HOA fees are high, and again unpopular opinion, but I don't want to be putting up with this shit. It's why I live in the suburbs.
If folks could not forcibly drag everyone else into their problems, and it's just a few random people in tents not harming anyone, then no harm no foul and they'd get taken care of.. But that's not how it is in our modern times, with our modern issues and no supports available for these people. People that will do anything to get their drugs. Again that fucking sucks, it really really does, but it's not something you want to tolerate in your neighbourhood. Broken lightbulb theory and all of that.
I know this hurts to hear. We fucking suck as a society. At some point though, we have to call this for what it is.
Like fuck it is, you'd be bitching about the homeless no matter what neighborhood you lived in.
So would I.
I mean when you live downtown, it's to be expected. My life would be easier downtown, I'd probably have more fun, but I don't want to deal with the bullshit of downtown living (not singling out just homeless people here - there's lots of tradeoffs to downtown living). That's the rub.
It somewhat seems that people who have not been victims of the devastation causes by the expansion of homeless encampments want those that have been to stay quiet. My brother gets woken up multiple times a week because someone lights a fire under the bridge next to his apartment building. I had to leave a once wonderful neighborhood because of needles at the playground, and an explosion of property crime and violence. At some point, the safety of the general public needs to be taken into account, and when fire and needles enter the picture, I'm comfortable in stating that's the time.
It's a tough spot. It's the intersection of human empathy and the reality of the absolute darkness in some people. I think a lot of people have their heart in the right place but far too much naivety.
You want to help, but if you've been exposed to homeless people they will drain every drop of empathy from you. I know in my head it's mostly just the worst of the worst, but I used to work next to a homeless shelter and they'd pee on and scratch my car, they'd chase me through the parking lot and alley threatening me, and I got mugged twice after staying late at work. I lived downtown for a while and they'd steal anything left out and they'd cut open my garbage bags and scatter them on the stoop looking for cans (even though I'd set them aside for easy collection, the second person by would destroy the bags looking).
Emotionally you just can't look past that after a point. There are lots of people who need help, but also a lot that don't want it and seem happy victimizing others.
I still donate to shelters and the food bank, but I live far from downtown now. I don't know how to help these people, I just try to help the ones who do know and do have hope.
I had an awesome apartment in University, that was awesome until the city relocated the needle exchange next door. It quickly got to the point where I had to literally and carefully think through every single action I made, everyday. I had to take my car home, I couldn't open my windows for fresh air. You had to take a flashlight to do groceries in the dark, because you had to make sure you didn't step on any needles, like it literally turned into a junkie warzone in less than a year. Longest year of my life. I think it was my time down there that has narrowed my viewpoint on this topic somewhat. I, too, used to be all touchy feely and bleeding heart on this topic, but I'm a lot more jaded these days.
According to some people here, you're a terrible person for not just letting these people come into your home and giving them all your food and money.
I feel like there's a whole lot of people in this thread that don't have a f****** clue what it's like to be involved with this unfortunate segment of society.
How are you torn on this, you stated yourself that he's not bothering anyone and he's attempting to keep his area tidy. I guarantee you that he does not want to be living there anymore than you do, but it's most likely the safest option he believes is available to him. Asking the cops to "rustle him out" is only going to put him in more danger and make his situation worse.
If you really feel the need to "report him", maybe consider reaching out to advocacy/support groups to see what services might be available to him. Providing support and treating him like a human are much more likely to actually solve the problem. Your solution would just hide it from your view while endangering him further.
Because in the past when I've lived in places that have had this happen, the situation grows rapidly and the park near my house became unusable for the neighborhood. If I start to see this trending in that direction, I will absolutely be contacting the City Councilor as well as the police to prevent it from escalating. I'm not willing to have my neighborhood get turned into an encampment, and if you think i'm a bastard for that, I'm fine with that.
I work with a homeless shelter in town, they are aware of his location- I saw him up on their board the last time I was there. That means he's been offered assistance and has declined it. That is often because of drug usage issues, even though this shelter doesn't require you to be sober to use it.
I'd written a longer response to your post earlier but it seems to not have actually posted. I'll try and summarize what I had initially written.
I don't think you're a bastard at all. If anything you seem to be the only one coming down on yourself and others throughout all of the responses here. I simply think that this is a complex issue and those often don't have a simple solution. That being said, our current approach to the problem has led us to where we are today, continuing on that path won't suddenly solve it.
I don't think anyone would argue with you about not wanting an encampment in their local park but that's also not the scenario you initially described so that might be why you feel people are reacting differently than you expected.