The Post-Gazette reports there’s a new influx of homeless people in the Strip District. Per the P-G:
“Alicia Romano, CEO of Community Human Services which is located in the Strip District, said she has heard business owners voice similar concerns at Strip District Neighbors meetings, describing a ‘good bit of stigma’ in the room. She said as a result of closing encampments Downtown, her organization has seen a rise of homelessness in the Strip.
“Romano said she does understand why business owners might not want someone who is unhoused sleeping outside of their shop and encouraged them to provide resources should they ask someone to leave.”
Really?
But as more than a few observers have noted, it’s more than a bit counterintuitive to “provide resources” to those who sleep outside their shops, dissuading customers from patronizing their establishments.
It’s also quite counterintuitive to help those who urinate, defecate or otherwise deface your property.
Some would argue that paying such “tribute” – as in providing resources – to those who make a business front, side or back their personal homes and toilets – is a small price to pay in the larger scheme of things.
But more would argue that such acquiescence only encourages similar and expanded behavior. Namely trespassing and criminal mischief.
And, in the least, where are the police to tell these vagrants to “move on”?
“As we make it easier for the homeless to be in the city, the city will get more homelessness,” reminds Frank Gamrat, executive director of the Allegheny Institute.
“Same goes for the county and the executive’s plan to put 500 homeless people in 500 rooms across the county,” he adds. “You can almost hear the property values fall.”
In response to Monday’s At Large column on a new, though quite questionable, plan to “remake” parts of downtown Pittsburgh, the following, from a wag with whom we regularly correspond:
“I have seen plenty of these taxpayer-funded studies collect dust once the presentation is concluded. Unfortunately, it is the ones that are acted on that are the really expensive ones.
“If there really is a large demand for residential housing in Downtown, then the powers that be would not need to pick the taxpayers’ pockets to subsidize these building owners.
“But, more to the point: Why would anyone want to live in a location where the vagrants rule the streets? Resize (shrink) Liberty Avenue to put in tennis courts?
“Turn 8th St. into a plaza?
“These plans are just providing more places for people to be accosted.
“These are the same people who thought up the idea of closing roads and calling it ‘Open Streets Pittsburgh.’
“It is bad enough that the city taxpayers are getting the government that they deserve, but what about the rest of us, whose tax dollars at the county, state and federal level, are being redirected by well-paid grant writers to subsidize these follies?”
Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).
