Of all the many things that might be affecting people in a state, the homeless are usually among the ones residents complain about most. And even if some cities suffer more than others, a few stand at the top. One of these is New York, where some residents have started complaining about a huge influx of homeless people in Manhattan. And while this may not sound like news to many, it seems that people are blaming this on one scaffolding that is providing shelter to homeless people, thus allegedly causing a safety hazard for many.
Redditor MainVeterinarian5232 shared the image on the NYC, claiming that this group of homeless people appeared at 14th Street & Irving Place in Manhattan, New York. While many residents know that there are homeless individuals all over the place, some think that the influx is out of control, as some mention the groups of unhoused people have grown in this location considerably, only after a couple of days.
According to the comments, many believe this is happening because of the scaffolding at this location. As you can see, it provides ample cover and shelter, meaning that those without a home might see this place as an ideal place to stay for a while. Yet, several have expressed their concern, as some of these individuals have allegedly harassed pedestrians for money, making it a dangerous zone for some.
New York Citizens Blame the Scaffolding
After sharing the picture, other Redditors started claiming that the scaffolding is the culprit here, and some even mentioned that, while homeless people have been arriving in smaller groups, this area is now full of them, and authorities seem to be ignoring it so far.
“I was there last Thursday. It didn’t look like this. Wild.“
“That’s the Con Ed building; the scaffolding is part of the issue. No one’s defending this, and these people weren’t there until recently.“
Others, however, said that despite the large groups of unhoused individuals, some have not harassed people, and that it is mostly safe to walk through that area.
“Can confirm as a resident nearby. This has only picked up over the last 4 weeks as the weather has gotten steadily better. I don’t like walking on that side of the block, but they don’t harass you (or at least not me); it’s just that the sights and smells are more unpleasant than anything else.”
Yet, many are urging the authorities to do something about the scaffolding, which might continue to drive more homeless people under it.
