Helping Homeless: Homeowner puts up tent city in his own backyard for homeless - WXIN
VIDEO
This is in a neighborhood where two of my good friends live, and just a mile from me. The whole neighborhood is pissed off, and seems there is nothing they can do about it.
One of them is on full alert and is afraid to sleep at night for fear of what they may do around the neighborhood.
Anybody have any legal suggestions?
I would say he is disturbing the peace, and likely should have a permit to allow camping. I'm very surprised the city hasn't shut him down. They shut everything down.
VIDEO
This is in a neighborhood where two of my good friends live, and just a mile from me. The whole neighborhood is pissed off, and seems there is nothing they can do about it.
One of them is on full alert and is afraid to sleep at night for fear of what they may do around the neighborhood.
Anybody have any legal suggestions?
I would say he is disturbing the peace, and likely should have a permit to allow camping. I'm very surprised the city hasn't shut him down. They shut everything down.
Man puts up tents in backyard to house homeless
A Monroe County man is tired of waiting for the city of Bloomington to help the homeless so he put up tents in his backyard. The tent city is not a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
12:35 AM EDT, April 24, 2010
Monroe County, Ind. - A Monroe County man is tired of waiting for the city of Bloomington to help the homeless so he put up tents in his backyard. The tent city is not a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
Dr. Harold Taylor, 91, has made it his life mission to help the homeless who he says are being kicked out by the city of Bloomington. The makeshift camp and Taylor's home are just outside city limits.
"It never occurred to me that this would happen putting up tents in my own backyard," Dr. Taylor told FOX59 News.
He says he has tried for a year to get Bloomington leaders to help find a safe place for homeless to go this time of year when temporary, winter shelters close.
Taylor spent several nights this month outside with the homeless in area parks but they were always kicked out. One Friday night he was taken to jail for trespassing.
"If not me then who? Someone has to do something. They are human beings," said Taylor.
Neighbors on West Fairway Lane who spoke with FOX59 don't disagree with helping the homeless but they can't agree with bringing people onto their street they don't know. Melody Dennis says she counted 25 people leaving the tent city one morning this week.
"What if they hop the fence? What are they doing at night? We don't know. We have everything locked up and it's changing the dynamics of this neighborhood," Dennis said.
Taylor says he has a long list of volunteers who help him by providing a van, food, and toiletries. Those volunteers pick up a group of homeless every night in Bloomington at the 3rd Street Park. They are dropped off again the next morning.
So far the backyard tent city has been given approval to continue by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department and the Monroe County Health Department.
Neighbors are pushing to find a way to check if any of the men who sleep in their neighborhood now are convicted sex offenders.
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