There were only two highlights at Tuesday night's meeting and they occurred during public commentary. The first one was when Peter Timm asked the commission if there still was anyone on the dais who believed that the beach was in the red. Scott Maxwell raised his hand, the whole time smiling.
The second "highlight" is talked about below. It was rather stunning to say the least. It shows the mentality of people today who believe that the government owes them, and one speaker even gave a veiled threat if Lake Worth doesn't comply.
There is so much homelessness across our country. The entrenched poverty is so visible in public spaces everywhere. I can't put my finger on why it is growing. Is it drugs? Is it alcohol? Mental illness? All of those? Is it that rental housing is just too expensive and jobs are scarce...a catch 22 situation as you need an address to have a job unless you're being picked up for day labor. Is it a life-style that some of them actually want? And then you ask yourself, "Who would want that" although I am judging my answer from my own standards.
Cities are cracking down on it and even Lake Worth is trying to do the same as mentioned by a homeless advocate, Ryan Hartman, and one other gentleman at Tuesday night's meeting. They have been told that the homeless are being given a hard-time (harassed) by PBSO in Bryant Park especially over the past few months--getting tickets for loitering and sleeping. They believe that it is because we, meaning the city, want to open the Gulfstream Hotel not realizing that we don't own the hotel. The homeless have been living in it for quite some time. Did the City ask PBSO to crack down harder because of Hudson Holdings?
One guy firmly believes it is the city's responsibility to provide aid to them with services such as water, bathrooms, etc. and said that the City was capping off the drinking fountains. He then proceeded to call our laws "crazy" and asked the commission if they knew what happened in Ft. Lauderdale when they did the same thing? He warned the commission that there would be as much push-back here as there was in Ft. Lauderdale that got national attention if they continued treating the homeless in this fashion.
I have always thought that the reason why more are coming here is that we haven't been tough enough. It's just another problem that has gotten out of hand. We needed to act sooner on halting the migration of homeless people to our city by enacting laws like Sacramento has as an example. They have just criminalized “possession of camping paraphernalia,” another name for carrying around your meager possessions. Some cities are making it illegal to sit or lie on a sidewalk. Here in Lake Worth, they sleep on our city benches.
So what can we do? Will the Federal government help now that they have made it impossible for cities to stop the influx and stop the homeless from sleeping on and taking over city property, not to mention other crimes committed by them. We have a nice big park right on the Intracoastal Waterway that is occupied by the homeless as well as illegals.
One of our notable homeless guys was hassling ME in the park the other day, yelling at me and a friend. He was obviously upset that WE were in what he considered HIS space. He did not like that a group of 30-somethings were gathering in HIS park for a cookout (near the boat ramp). He was very aggressive and rude. We got out of there before he got really wacky. YES, there is a problem here. When a normal resident can't walk through our city center during the afternoon without feeling real uncomfortable its time to take action. Seems a lot of these guys are drug addicts. Others don't want the hassle of holding down a job and paying bills. And with our beautiful climate and lovely beachfront and parks complete with water fountains and showers it is easy to live outside. Capping off water fountains is a good way to start. Might have to take away all the park benches too. Sucks, but whatever it takes.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the folks I see in Bryant Park, when I go which is rarely b/c frankly I don't feel very safe in our parks anymore, seem to be less traditional homeless and more drugged out young people. I'm not sure if this is related to the proliferation of so called sober homes in the City, but most of these folks appear to be drunk or drugged. The south pavilion (right next to the playground) is a perpetual problem. Tons of drugged out homeless using the water and electric there and the bathrooms as their own lodging.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very unsafe situation. Then add in the feedings on Sat. and I generally stay away which is very sad. We have beautiful waterfront space, the homeless should not be permitted to use it as their own and exclude residents.
no you ass --the citizens that live around there have- we call police because we can't go to the park without them sleeping on the tables---smoking pot-----pass out on lawn because they are f up---fighting with each other---and not to long ago and mayor knows of this a homeless guy with gray beard was asking for money and two days later he went to john prince park and raped a 15 yr old girl---we also had homeless fight and one died hitting head on rocks--- a lady bird watching was raped---over 30 men got arrested when pbso caught them having sex and prostituting in bathroom ---do you want more ---i have many more examples---where the hell have you been mr --not in lake worth
ReplyDeleteWent to Mt. Dora this past Saturday- No homeless people!
ReplyDeleteWent to visit friends in Palm Beach last week-No homeless people!
How do they do it?
Katie Mcgiveron
Zero tolerance is needed for these bully lowlife who choose to live like that. I am sure they would be quickly ushered to the bridge should they show up in PB. Ditto for Mt Dora, a beautiful peaceful town.
ReplyDeleteWe are going to "Make America Great Again" and deport the illegals first. That will return our resources to help our actual citizens and get these homeless people back into mental hospitals where they get the kind of help they need. As it stands our cities cannot afford to address this problem because they are overwhelmed with illegals and anchor babies. First we sent the invaders sent home, then we scoop our crazy people and young lost people off the street and straighten them out. It can work, it will work, and we will finally, "Deal with it!"
ReplyDeleteIt's the Californians!!!
ReplyDeletePalm Beach County has thrown MILLIONS of dollars at the homeless/crazy street people problem. MOST,yes MOST of the wanderers don't want to get help. It's a catch 22= they are too crazy to get the help that we are paying for in this county and no one can override their craziness and make them go into a program. Yeah, they have RIGHTS. But so do WE,the people they rob,murder and blight our communities! Most of the people benefiting from the county programs are county employees. I'm to the point,I say shovel them all up and give them a one way bus ticket OUT OF THE STATE !
ReplyDelete