最新杏吧原创

That鈥檚 where he has lived for the past several months, along the riverfront north of downtown 最新杏吧原创, in a tent community of around 15 people.

鈥淚鈥檓 not very good at it,鈥� he says of his pastime, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 getting better.鈥�

Soon, he may have to find a new fishing spot. The city has been trying to close the makeshift 鈥淩iverfront Community,鈥� based in the pavilion where the Admiral gambling boat used to be, allegedly because of public health and safety concerns.

It鈥檚 an old story in 最新杏吧原创. Unhoused people can鈥檛 find shelter, or don鈥檛 qualify for shelter because of serious mental health or drug-abuse issues, or they simply don鈥檛 want to follow the rules. They end up in a community that becomes a popular place, for one reason or another. Under an overpass. Near a steam grate. In the park across from City Hall, or the space next to St. Patrick鈥檚 Center. Along the riverfront.

Eventually, businesses or residents complain, or drug use leads to overdoses, and the city tears down one encampment until another surfaces in a different location. JB and his neighbors are hoping that doesn鈥檛 happen to them. Last week, the city posted eviction notices at the encampment, requiring the people who have been living there in tents to find new shelter by Monday.

JB doesn鈥檛 want to go, and he has found an ally in Alderman Christine Ingrassia. She represents the 6th Ward, south and west of this location, but has been involved in homeless advocacy for several years. Moving these encampments 鈥渁bsolutely inflicts more trauma,鈥� Ingrassia says. 鈥淚鈥檓 not na茂ve enough for an encampment to be just anywhere, but if there鈥檚 a place for an encampment to exist without disturbing residents and businesses, this is the place.鈥�

The administration of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones says the Riverfront Community has been the subject of public health and safety complaints. It鈥檚 not far from businesses and restaurants in the Laclede鈥檚 Landing area, the most prominent of which is Lumi猫re Casino.

In reviewing police calls to the area for 2022, however, few of them appear tied directly to the homeless camp.

鈥淭he city is providing public health and safety as an issue but hasn鈥檛 provided me any information on what those public health and safety issues are,鈥� Ingrassia says. The city shows 43 calls for service along Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard since Jan. 1, but most were far from the camp. Many appear to be related to the cruising around the Arch grounds that caused the city to recently limit traffic on the road.

鈥淣obody down here is complaining about us,鈥� JB told me. He says he became homeless early during the pandemic after losing his job. He declined to provide his full name. 鈥淭his portion of land that we鈥檙e on has been vacant for well over 20 years.鈥�

The city, of course, has been trying to revive Laclede鈥檚 Landing as a tourist destination during most of those two decades, and with hundreds of millions of dollars spent on remaking the Arch grounds, is hoping to make progress in that regard post-pandemic.

It鈥檚 the same old dilemma. Jones and her administration have pitched 鈥渋ntentional encampments鈥� 鈥� safe, organized outdoor spaces for unhoused people, with security and fencing and shower facilities 鈥� but have run into political pushback from aldermen and residents who don鈥檛 want such facilities in their communities.

There are no easy solutions, but the Jones administration finds itself under increased pressure, including from some allies, to carry out a plan that looks different than the one we鈥檝e seen repeated for years 鈥� where encampments get moved from place to place without an accompanying increase in available affordable housing options.

JB has had talks with the mayor鈥檚 office off and on since last fall about the Riverfront Community, and he hoped to get a reprieve past Monday. That will happen. After reviewing police calls in more detail, the mayor鈥檚 office on Friday decided to give the riverfront encampment an extension until other options are found.

鈥淲e braved the winter, and now, as the summer comes, you鈥檙e telling us we have to leave? It鈥檚 not like we鈥檙e trying to hide,鈥� JB says. 鈥淭he city has always known about us. At what point did we transition into being criminals?鈥�