Eventually, the makeshift shelter of umbrellas and trash bags and old office chairs grew...
In fact, yesterday, we saw that the man now had a lime couch under part of his home... a Liz Christy volunteer said that the homeless man in his mid to late 50s was originally from Cuba...
We were always surprised that the shelter had lasted this long ...
However, this evening, just after 5, various city employees, including from the NYPD and the Department of Sanitation, dismantled and discarded the shelter and, seemingly, all his possessions...
We didn't see the man around... the police were keeping a close, watchful eye on the proceedings...
They weren't in the mood for questions, such as what happened to the man.
The guy is homeless and what little he had in this world is now in the back of a garbage truck? Why not give him a warning first telling him to move? No. Instead they think they're a bunch of Navy Seals raiding the Bin Laden compound all big and bad with their police protection. Rotten fuckers.
ReplyDeleteI hope the people involved get no sleep tonight. I hope their conscious slowly tortures them until they find a way to correct this situation.
Because yuppies with million dollar condos don't want to walk by the homeless on the way to Starbucks....
ReplyDeleteI could see it being a fire hazard tho.
ReplyDeleteUm, how do you know he was not given a warning? Unless you have sources to the contrary, this post doesn't mention anything about "navy seal" behavior.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that if this hovel had been in place since mid-December, today was not the first time anybody addressed him.
Perhaps they waited until the weather hit 60+ degrees before dismantling this shelter, rather than toss his stuff during sub-zero temps.
Just sayin'.
I was just admiring the addition of the couch this evening. I agree that it lasted surprisingly long. Best of luck to him in putting together a new set-up.
ReplyDeletewhatever
ReplyDeleteThe police officers in the photo were from the Homeless Outreach Unit, not the 9th Pct.
ReplyDeleteI'm disturbed by the sight of the white shorts-wearing, sockless yuppie walking past. Get out of my neighborhood, you f**k!
ReplyDeleteIt's not a campground. I can't speak for New York but the majority of the "homeless" in San Diego are out drinking on the streets. In San Diego they have shelters where you can go and sleep. Where you can get a warm meal every day. I'm SURE that New York has similar services available.
ReplyDeletehttp://corruptionincortez.blogspot.com/
so was he bothering the whole foods shoppers. i had a very disruptive couple camping on my stoop for months and i had to beg the cops to get them out even after they physically assaulted me. why bother this poor man who was just trying to live in peace the best way he could.
ReplyDeleteIt's very strange to me that it's illegal to create a shelter out of found objects to protect yourself from the elements in the middle of the winter. Seems like it shouldn't be against the law to be homeless and try and keep yourself dry, warm, and safe.
ReplyDeletemost times when I read the comment section of this blog, I feel such an affinity with people posting. and am heartened by others perspective, as we watch our community being sold off, for scratch, and dorm housing. The sanitizing and suburbification, is like strip mining the soul of this town.
ReplyDeleteOn this particular strand of comments, it started to turn sour for me, all the way down near the end. . Henry Krinkle, sir...
as we speak, the city and state are severely cutting social services, and dismantling what safety net there was, for people in this city who are homeless.
If you actually spoke to people, who live on the streets, there is usually a lot of instability and various levels of mental illness in these people's lives. Being homeless adds to this instability, sometimes on a quantum level.
The shelter system is a nightmare. In many cases, people would rather deal with the elements outside, then live in the fear of being attacked, or having your stuff ripped off, in what's supposed to be a safe space.
We offer little to no solace for the neediest New Yorkers. This is a hard place to not have a home. Do not make comments sir, about people here, or those who you think are drunks, in San Diego, because that is disrespectful to them as well.
with all the Prime spaces at a steal CRUSTY ROW comes with a nice garden view
ReplyDeleteCBS radio reported they cleaned out the books on 6th Ave around Waverly, because they were being left overnight, so obviously someone is expected be in the area soon. CBS radio also reported Bloomie's net worth up to 22 billion. I do recall he came into office at 4 billion.
ReplyDeletethat must have surprised the beans out of them when they returned home from work that evening - my home, it's gone!
ReplyDeleteI-)
It is not illegal to create a shelter out of found objects - The real issue here is safety. Rats can build nests there, wind could blow some of the house and it could hit someone or some freak could light it on fire.
ReplyDeleteI am sure this guy was warned at some point about his makeshift abode.
maybe some of you don't recall a homeless mental patient hitting some poor woman over the head with a brick years back or another pushing an upstate girl to her death at the union square NRQ station. if someone is willing to live on the street, there's not telling what else they're willing to do.
ReplyDeleteHow dare that homeless guy create a mini-shelter to protect himself from the elements in full view of the monied shits that live in the tax payer-subsidized market rate housing next door, who pass by on their way to over-priced restaurants and shops and who shop at genetically-modified Whole Foods across the street.
ReplyDeleteSome fucking nerve....
He was not warned and he was not being aggressive or threatening to anyone.
ReplyDeleteDear "bupkus".
ReplyDeleteI respect your opinion, despite your naivete. Perhaps you are new to this, but blogs are around so that people can have an exchange of ideas.
In all fairness you're right about the mental illness and its ubiquity within the homeless community. I'd write some long diatribe, like yourself, in search of self gratification - but it would be in vain because you have already made up your mind. Which is ok.
If if people who drink themselves into a stupor on a daily basis can no longer be called drunks. Well then my friend, I don't know what to call them.
People don't just fall through the cracks. It's a shame you can't see that.
@ Chris..
ReplyDeleteHe cannot create a mini-shelter. It can be dangerous to the general population. The city is setting themselves up for lawsuits if failed to do anything about the problem. What if an umbrella blew away in high winds and struck someone. What if the homeless man IS crazy?