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Coatimundi
Guest
Quoting from the news article:
Homelessness charities said the use of metal studs to prevent rough sleepers is widespread and they have been installed on ledges and in doorways for more than a decade.
Yes, these sort of things are used in other countries as well. I think I first noticed them 20 years ago, and didn’t understand their purpose until I was told.
Here is a TV news report of architectural devices to deter homeless people in San Francisco.
sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/9878337-phil-matier-architecture-aims-to-keep-homeless-away-from-san-francisco-buildings/
Homelessness charities said the use of metal studs to prevent rough sleepers is widespread and they have been installed on ledges and in doorways for more than a decade.
Yes, these sort of things are used in other countries as well. I think I first noticed them 20 years ago, and didn’t understand their purpose until I was told.
Here is a TV news report of architectural devices to deter homeless people in San Francisco.
sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/9878337-phil-matier-architecture-aims-to-keep-homeless-away-from-san-francisco-buildings/
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Allegra
Guest
That’s really sick.
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Deus_tecum
Guest
Try to see the big picture. What if people were defecating, and urinating, and leaving dirty needles on your doorstep? Would it be Christian charity to allow this yet subject your small children to the health hazards of it?
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Isca
Guest
I think it’s appalling. What have we come to, that we do this in our streets? God bless the homeless and everyone who is cold, lonely and hungry tonight.
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Allegra
Guest
Oh, if that’s the case, then let’s go ahead and treat human beings like souless vermin! Why stop at spikes? I mean, why not feed them poisoned hotdogs? Why not just go out and shoot them? Why not round them up in a windowless van and take them to a facility to have them neutered? I mean, it’s for the children!
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getysbg
Guest
I was a street vendor for nine years back in the 70’s-80’s. As much as we do need to ‘be our brother’s keeper’ it is truly unbelieveable how nasty the homeless do make it for all. There are shelters available. The fact that they choose not to use them, for whatever reason, is not my issue.
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BlueEyedLady
Guest
I’ve volunteered extensively with the homeless in several cities. Most shelters do not allow anyone to be there during the day, because they need to clean, set up, restock, etc. And most shelters have very strict capacity limits and have to turn away sometimes hundreds of people a night.
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BlueEyedLady
Guest
I’m shocked at the unconcerned and even hostile attitude taken by some towards the homeless.
Regardless of how “nasty” you may find these people, they are still someone’s child/parent/sibling, and they still deserve love, respect, and concern.
“It’s not my problem” is one of the worst attitudes that can be taken.
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estesbob
Guest
Despicable.Simply despicable.
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Inisfallen
Guest
This is news? We’ve got stuff like this all over New York City.
And our city government seems more concerned with rendering the homeless invisible than about actually solving the problem, but we’ve got a relatively new admnistration, and that may change. This administration is already beginning to demonstrate, in real, practical terms, its commitment to affordable housing.
And our city government seems more concerned with rendering the homeless invisible than about actually solving the problem, but we’ve got a relatively new admnistration, and that may change. This administration is already beginning to demonstrate, in real, practical terms, its commitment to affordable housing.
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Deus_tecum
Guest
If that’s the case they need real help and structure in their life, not being enabled in their addictions to sleep anywhere they please and take no responsibility for it. The spikes do nothing more that say “keep off” just like a fence implies “keep out” as does a locked door. One of the main reasons some homeless avoid the shelters is they are unwilling to abide by the “no drug, no alcohol” rule. Nobody said anything about being cruel to them in any way so your implications are rude and dishonest.
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Cricket2
Guest
I agree. All too many of the homeless we see in our area are completely intoxicated and/or high on some drug. Many are rude, confrontational when begging, and do try to intimidate others. Some simply wander around harmlessly.
People should not be allowed to sleep on the sidewalks and in the way of store fronts. I think we could certainly use more shelters to assist the homeless, but we also need to face the fact that some of these folks will always be there because they choose to be there. (Not all of course, but there are enough that do make that choice.)
Going to shelters means there has to be rules, and if a person wants to avoid those rules they need to find places to rest that do not impose on the general health, safety or well being of others. If a homeless person decided to use my yard to sleep on he/she would find themselves moving or being questioned by the police. I would rather see them in a holding cell for the night than on the streets.
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boomerang
Guest
No one is advocating killing them, but come on, where are MY rights? Will I ever be able to go downtown and shop unmolested by homeless panhandlers? In order to have a civil, first-world society everyone who is mentally able must be held accountable for their own actions. The fact is, that most homeless people are drug addicts and drunkards. They won’t go to the shelters that are available because they don’t want to clean up their act. I live in an area that is like a magnet for the “homeless”. There is a very good shelter nearby that will feed and house them for an unlimited amount of time, but many “homeless” won’t go there because this shelter expects these guests to do chores for their upkeep and to go to a non-denominational church service each evening.
What can you do with people like this? They don’t want to do any work, they don’t want to hear a message that will likely help them. They do not want to help themselves in any way. They want to continue doing their drugs and drinking their malt liquor and be a burden on society and an eyesore for all other citizens to have to deal with. It is the height of selfishness.
Then there’s the mentally ill, another segment of the “homeless”. Those people need to be locked up and treated for their illnesses, it’s as simple as that. When they are better, they can be introduced back into society under supervision to avoid relapse. But our government claims there’s no money for this. There is money for bombs, but no money to clean up our streets.
The “homeless” are homeless for a reason, and it’s not because of lack of jobs, for the most part. When people are homeless due to loss of work, they usually don’t remain homeless for long. They are willing to take any and all help available to them. The chronic “homeless” are another story altogether.
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estesbob
Guest
And your solution is? These spikes only purpose is to drive the homeless into less affluent parts of town. They are treating them like vermin.
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pnewton
Guest
I do not know that this was done in the street. It looks like it was on private property.
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Deus_tecum
Guest
No, making it uncomfortable or impractical for people to trespass is not “treating people like vermin.” By your logic, locked doors and closed windows treats people like vermin too.
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boomerang
Guest
The spikes are a useless short-term Band-Aid. Years ago, there used to be laws against vagrancy, loitering, littering, panhandling, truancy, etc. People understood that this kind of behavior makes a city unlivable, and they were willing to do something about it by locking violators up. Now we have a much worse problem, because illegal drugs have been thrown into the mix. I don’t want to sound like a Nazi, but the time comes in any society when citizens need to get used to the idea that some members of that society are a hindrance to the welfare of others. These people can be dealt with charitably, but they need to be dealt with. By that I mean they need to be helped, even if they are uncooperative about it. Being able to maintain a civil society is what’s at stake here.
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estesbob
Guest
So anything on a planter is trespassing?
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lutheran_farmer
Guest
That is very sad. I’m glad the two cities near me with very large homeless populations don’t employ such methods. Everyone just wants the homeless to disappear instead of helping them. Wouldn’t it be neat if new buildings actually had a little alcove with access to a bathroom and shower upon request? Treat people with dignity and most people will respond likewise. I wouldn’t be surprised if the spiked doorways are preferred urination stops now. I can see that attitude causing a backlash among the homeless and I wouldn’t blame them. Humans deserve dignity. Please try to find compassion as many homeless people are suffering from mental illness and there is no where for them to go. We did away with most of the mental hospitals.
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