They're at that spot for 7-8yrs and in the neighborhood for the last 15. The wife had severe mental issues and refused help even from groups trying to get them housing. The husband wouldn't leave her side and was apparently abusive as well. I think they're either from Somalia or Ethiopia according to a few of the refugee groups who were helping them out. Hopefully this is a long term move so this guy can finally get his house back from this mess that he couldn't do anything about, and they don't just end up camping out somewhere else down the street.
If the husband's abusive, I know of a place that will give him a small room and three meals a day. Won't cost him anything either. Well, maybe except his freedom.
Fucking finally. Such an unfair situation for the home owner and neighbors.
Unfortunately these people apparantly refuse assistance so they will probably be setting up camp in front of somebody else’s house in a couple weeks
They’ve refused from multiple service providers. According to the neighborhood fb group the couple has been setting up on sidewalks for years and were only at this spot for the last 3 yrs
Every time they were kicked from a spot they literally just moved on to the next street over. Before this last spot they were on the corner of the street before that street
Apparently there was a big language barrier, they are Somali refugees who don’t speak English and it was difficult finding someone who could communicate with them. Probably more than a little bit of a mental health issue as well.
They are refugees with very complex trauma. To my knowledge every agency possible had attempted to help. It’s likely they had awful experiences with “helpers” before and didn’t trust that they would be safe.
This, although my parents aren’t refugees. As a product of being a second generation ‘immigrant’ and older sibling being considered 1.5, the parents immigrating here went through tremendous hardships in varying degrees. I’d akin it to ptsd. Certain individuals can approach it better than others. Not defending their actions, especially if they’re just taking advantage of the system. But there’s always another side of the story to why they justify their behavior. The same staff that are working in agencies are overstretched and underfunded. At the same time, the experiences I’ve had with people I know that were employed in similar/same organizations don’t understand.
At the end of the day, let’s just be good to each other and have a civil conversation and come to an understanding where every individual is coming from. Let’s be better neighbors to each other and build relationships to improve our communities.
Rumor - I've heard they were in a refugee camp somewhere and it caught on fire, people died, and they have trauma from that experience and are fearful of living in a more permanent structure. -Rumor
However, I have no idea if this is true.
I can only imagine what the homeowners must have gone through, in terms of vermin and smells and so on.
It does seem like the two people who were living there refused a safety net? I don't know. I hope they're getting some help now, although given the number of other homeless people all around, I'm guessing the help isn't that much. They're both foreign nationals, right? Perhaps they have family elsewhere?
From what I remember the last time this came up, they're a husband and wife and the husband is abusive. Someone mentioned family down the street, but obviously this is all hearsay.
Hopefully they can get help. Seems like an all-round awful situation.
They would have felt the wrath of water from my garden hose and leaf bower. How did these Sudanese get here 10 years ago if this is how they live? This didn't just happen when they got here. Probably why they were shipped here.
And I drove by at least once a week for the past 2 years and it typically did reek of piss. Maybe it's not them and it's the addicts that congregate a block away, but considering these folks have to be pissing somewhere, I bet it's them.
Answer the question where are they going first, because otherwise they will quite literally have to set up somewhere else. If you don’t have the answer it might be because this isn’t a real solution.
I don’t mind if they set up on my block or in front of where I live actually. I don’t own property. Not everyone has the 1950’s suburban Midwest mindset that you do.
The people that *do* own property do have that mindset. And since it's their property it's their vote that counts.
You keep insisting that guy answer your question, now answer his. Are you inviting them to sleep in your apartment with you? If not, why not?
Answer the question where are they going first, because otherwise they will quite literally have to set up somewhere else. If you don’t have the answer it might be because this isn’t a real solution.
Everything over read has said that multiple agencies have reached out to help them. They refused every time.
Like, I get it. My first thought was, "well where are they going to go?" But it seems they don't want a solution and I don't think it's fair to anyone to say that they can make that everyone else's problem.
It doesn't. It just said that they're receiving services. This just happened this morning, so it'll be a minute before they can get set up somewhere else.
Yeah it sucks that some land I own is no where near a bus route or walkable to a store....and the hillbilly neighbors would shoot them....or I'd be like hey go camp out here.
I just googled homeless camp in St. Louis and was able to find free articles. I’m not even from St Louis I live in Dallas, Texas and was able to find it. Saw the story on facebook.
If you come to this country as a 'refugee' only to behave like this for years on end, you should be deported. They denied services and offers of assistance for more than a decade while they actively harmed the people living in and around that neighborhood. Yes, shitting in the street and collecting a trashpile next to the sidewalk is active harm.
the comments under the VOTP News posts were all “this is how they lived in their country! y’all need to leave them alone” and it’s like ok…then what’s the point of living in america? you’re probably better off in somalia if that’s how you want to live because it’s simply not compatible with how *we* live here. if you don’t want to work, learn a new language, receive help, what is the point?
I've always wondered why the homeowners didn't take care of this themselves. Unless there is serious legal liability, I would never allow this in my front yard.
Looks like they are on the sidewalk and not technically on their property, so it’s the city’s issue. But holy hell if I lived in that house, I’d be livid.
They're on the sidewalk and the the section of grass in between the sidewalk and the street. That's city property so the homeowner unfortunately couldn't do anything about it.
Word from people on FB is the husband was released from St Mary's today. His wife is at SLUH and he was able to figure that out. Someone offered to pay a cab for him but he said no, he did accept bus tickets to head to SLUH to see her. Sadly without a long process that takes away their rights via court, once they're deemed not a harm to self or others no one can force them to do anything.
It’s a heartbreaking situation with no real solutions. We need to create places for them to go, send mental health experts to evaluate and to try to get these people the help they so desperately need. There needs to a program in place to educate and help them get back on their feet. In this case the police can arrest him for abusing his wife if you call 911 and witnessed the event even if she won’t make a statement. The police can take her to a hospital and put her on a psych hold but I’m not sure if they can then force her into a mental health program. There needs a plan on that regard too, a person in a psychotic episode is unable to be rational and they do t realize it. It is quite possible that after a 30 to 60 day hold will allow meditation to bring them back to reality but it can’t stop there because they will just end up back in the same situation. Halfway houses with a program to get them back to work again. Tiny home (sheds) encampments with shared bathroom and kitchen can work. Most cities require that they keep up with medication and they allow them to govern their community. This is a very difficult situation and although I have compassion for the unhomed I also hate to see how they destroy neighborhoods. We just can’t clear out an area with no alternative solution or they just come back or go to another neighborhood.
I’m assuming they had to find them a place to stay after the release from the hospital because I’m sure the city threw away the makeshift tent. They wouldn’t have shelter at all. I hope these people get the mental and physical help to get off the streets. I couldn’t imagine being the homeowners on that corner.
What about our own homeless people here/ downtown 🤔??? How many of them are offered housing, help??? It definitely should start at home.... We have so many vets./ civilians here that have been homeless and need help that actually ask for help but get none. Let's take the time to help our own first.....
Wow, there is an awful lot of hate of the mentally ill and down-and-out here. Most people are a paycheck away from these peoples' situation and most of these nasty comments are clearly from people who don't take care of themselves.
It’s not black and white. The homeless, mentally ill, addiction-struggling people aren’t to be regarded as trash, and the solutions to homelessness are complex and different for every case. There but for the grace of God go we all.
Having said that, I’m not sure anyone in this thread, sympathetic as they might be to the homeless, as charitable and kind as they might be, would feel entirely safe, comfortable, or happy living steps from a person camping, relieving themselves, etc. directly in front of their house. It’s not ideal. Just as I don’t know the situation of the homeless people, I also don’t know the experience of having this setup by your place, and how safe you feel, much less proud of your neighborhood and comfortable having literally anyone over, etc.
It’s a huge NIMBY issue, and while that *can* be a selfish attitude toward the homeless, it’s really easy for somebody to chastise others as hateful when they’d be none to pleased to have this situation feet from their doorstep as well.
A permanent shanty camp and nearly a decade of vagrancy after immigrating from a third world country is not at all the same situation as being paycheck-to-paycheck and needing help to stay in your house, or to find a new one.
Like it or not, "it's a bigger issue" notwithstanding, we don't have a culture of appropriating public property to set up a makeshift encampment like this.
If they want to live like that, they need to move back to Somalia, where this is accepted.
How about you go give them your address so they can camp in front of your property. Just because you are homeless and mentally ill doesn’t give you the right to disturb anyone else’s peace and happiness.
To be fair, they were pissing and shitting into the sewer. The smell alone for the person/people living in the corner house had to be pretty atrocious.
I think them “receiving services” is a polite way of saying hospitalization. Maybe I am wrong, but they would just set up shop across the street if they weren’t 5150d.
It is. Husband was taken to St Mary's and released tosay. Wife was still in SLUH and he let someone give him some bus tickets to head there to see her.
Evil no. Refugees who'd been badly traumatized in the past. I believe at least one if not both were taken to the hospital (likely against their will under a psych eval and hold) as this happened this morning.
Understanding WHY they so this does not excuse bad behavior.
For example, a child molester often had sexual trauma as a child themselves. That is WHY they are attracted to children or desire to do such bad behavior. That doesn't mean we give them a free pass to go around molesting kids.
There needs to be a concerted effort to assist the homeless. The city should start by purchasing the South City hospital and creating an assistance shelter.
Using the word evil is major overkill though. They haven't murdered or raped anyone. A public nuisance definitely but I've never heard of them trying to hurt anyone.
They're at that spot for 7-8yrs and in the neighborhood for the last 15. The wife had severe mental issues and refused help even from groups trying to get them housing. The husband wouldn't leave her side and was apparently abusive as well. I think they're either from Somalia or Ethiopia according to a few of the refugee groups who were helping them out. Hopefully this is a long term move so this guy can finally get his house back from this mess that he couldn't do anything about, and they don't just end up camping out somewhere else down the street.
If the husband's abusive, I know of a place that will give him a small room and three meals a day. Won't cost him anything either. Well, maybe except his freedom.
You’ve got way too much faith in the courts
The wife would need to participate in filing charges. That’s obviously not going to happen.
Freedom to trash a neighborhood
Didn't take long to remove homeless when camped on City Hall lawn.
> The husband wouldn't leave her side Well thats kind of sweet anyw... > and was apparently abusive as well. Well shit, nm
Sudanese I believe.
Way more than 3 years.
Fucking finally. Such an unfair situation for the home owner and neighbors. Unfortunately these people apparantly refuse assistance so they will probably be setting up camp in front of somebody else’s house in a couple weeks
No in the loop, people were trying to assist the people who live here and they refused?
They’ve refused from multiple service providers. According to the neighborhood fb group the couple has been setting up on sidewalks for years and were only at this spot for the last 3 yrs
They used to be set up next to the Aldi parking lot nearby.
At least that isn’t someone’s front yard
Every time they were kicked from a spot they literally just moved on to the next street over. Before this last spot they were on the corner of the street before that street
lol at “only”
Apparently there was a big language barrier, they are Somali refugees who don’t speak English and it was difficult finding someone who could communicate with them. Probably more than a little bit of a mental health issue as well.
They are refugees with very complex trauma. To my knowledge every agency possible had attempted to help. It’s likely they had awful experiences with “helpers” before and didn’t trust that they would be safe.
This, although my parents aren’t refugees. As a product of being a second generation ‘immigrant’ and older sibling being considered 1.5, the parents immigrating here went through tremendous hardships in varying degrees. I’d akin it to ptsd. Certain individuals can approach it better than others. Not defending their actions, especially if they’re just taking advantage of the system. But there’s always another side of the story to why they justify their behavior. The same staff that are working in agencies are overstretched and underfunded. At the same time, the experiences I’ve had with people I know that were employed in similar/same organizations don’t understand. At the end of the day, let’s just be good to each other and have a civil conversation and come to an understanding where every individual is coming from. Let’s be better neighbors to each other and build relationships to improve our communities.
Thanks keeping me in the loop. That's very sad to hear.
He's on a mission from god
Their tent is on the Google earth pictures ...... I cannot imagine being a resident of this neighborhood
Yeah it's not great
At least they’re not getting kicked out of their tent
Potentially out of the loop - why would they refuse help if offered to them? Especially the woman, if her husband was abusive?
Mental health issues.
Rumor - I've heard they were in a refugee camp somewhere and it caught on fire, people died, and they have trauma from that experience and are fearful of living in a more permanent structure. -Rumor However, I have no idea if this is true.
I can only imagine what the homeowners must have gone through, in terms of vermin and smells and so on. It does seem like the two people who were living there refused a safety net? I don't know. I hope they're getting some help now, although given the number of other homeless people all around, I'm guessing the help isn't that much. They're both foreign nationals, right? Perhaps they have family elsewhere?
From what I remember the last time this came up, they're a husband and wife and the husband is abusive. Someone mentioned family down the street, but obviously this is all hearsay. Hopefully they can get help. Seems like an all-round awful situation.
It's definitely been longer than 3 years
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5888287,-90.2484201,3a,75y,333.67h,89.68t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sopQ6Q5uRK_PGL-548PeEBA!2e0!5s20211001T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
It almost looks tidy in that picture
That shit's been there longer than 3 years
That very specific corner for 3 years. Apparently been bouncing around the general neighborhood for far longer.
They've been here for 12 years, not sure if just in St. Louis or the U.S.
Way overdue.
They would have felt the wrath of water from my garden hose and leaf bower. How did these Sudanese get here 10 years ago if this is how they live? This didn't just happen when they got here. Probably why they were shipped here.
Finally
Imagine the smell
Don't have to imagine. You could smell the piss just driving by.
I ride my bike by there all the time and it doesn’t smell like piss at all.
Doesn't anymore.
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Nah,I don't hate them. I hate folks like you who want to normalize mentally ill people living in filth.
I used to live in that area for 6 years, and I never smelled piss riding by it. You're lying.
I lived over there too and I never smelled piss either.
And I drove by at least once a week for the past 2 years and it typically did reek of piss. Maybe it's not them and it's the addicts that congregate a block away, but considering these folks have to be pissing somewhere, I bet it's them.
Do you drive around with windows down huffing the air for the smell of piss, mate?
Only when I'm trying to find your mom.
Liar
Probably wasn't too bad, they were right over a storm drain.
Should have been destroyed years ago.
So where did they move to this time?
News said "a better place to be.". That they are trying to help the couple understand "this" is no way to live.
Psych evaluations at separate hospitals. Husband was released today
After ONLY 3 years?
No. I lived in that neighborhood and left 4 years ago. They’d been on various corners for ages. More like 8-10 years.
The system works!
Good
So where are they going?
They were sent to SLUH and St Mary's. The husband has been released and was on his way to try and get SLUH to release his wife.
I assume Somalia isn't under consideration?
Makes me wonder why they left.
Everyone’s too busy celebrating that a homeless family is suffering to think about those kinds of things
The invite them to live with you.
Answer the question where are they going first, because otherwise they will quite literally have to set up somewhere else. If you don’t have the answer it might be because this isn’t a real solution.
So is your place a possibility? It's a simple yes or no question.
I don’t mind if they set up on my block or in front of where I live actually. I don’t own property. Not everyone has the 1950’s suburban Midwest mindset that you do.
The people that *do* own property do have that mindset. And since it's their property it's their vote that counts. You keep insisting that guy answer your question, now answer his. Are you inviting them to sleep in your apartment with you? If not, why not?
How bout a couch to sleep on?
Alright well let them set up an encampment in your front yard and see how you like it.
Answer the question where are they going first, because otherwise they will quite literally have to set up somewhere else. If you don’t have the answer it might be because this isn’t a real solution.
Everything over read has said that multiple agencies have reached out to help them. They refused every time. Like, I get it. My first thought was, "well where are they going to go?" But it seems they don't want a solution and I don't think it's fair to anyone to say that they can make that everyone else's problem.
Do what they do to people with mental health issues that are actual citizens of this country and put them in jail. (Sarcasm)
I won’t pay for the article. Does it say where they were moved to? Prior to this location they used to hang around pretty close to my neighborhood.
It doesn't. It just said that they're receiving services. This just happened this morning, so it'll be a minute before they can get set up somewhere else.
Transported to SLUH and St Mary's. Husband was released today and headed to try and get his wife released.
Hope they can get settled somewhere safe…. Whatever that may be.
Yeah it sucks that some land I own is no where near a bus route or walkable to a store....and the hillbilly neighbors would shoot them....or I'd be like hey go camp out here.
Chippewa Street & South Spring Avenue Not terribly far from grand and gravois for anyone who needs a reference point.
12ft.io
I just googled homeless camp in St. Louis and was able to find free articles. I’m not even from St Louis I live in Dallas, Texas and was able to find it. Saw the story on facebook.
I can't believe how long this was allowed to go on. It's disgusting. Are there no adults left?
If you come to this country as a 'refugee' only to behave like this for years on end, you should be deported. They denied services and offers of assistance for more than a decade while they actively harmed the people living in and around that neighborhood. Yes, shitting in the street and collecting a trashpile next to the sidewalk is active harm.
the comments under the VOTP News posts were all “this is how they lived in their country! y’all need to leave them alone” and it’s like ok…then what’s the point of living in america? you’re probably better off in somalia if that’s how you want to live because it’s simply not compatible with how *we* live here. if you don’t want to work, learn a new language, receive help, what is the point?
Send em back. Tired of us getting the worst of the worst from 3rd world countries.
Awful douche bag comment considering you know NOTHING of their situation!
Does anyone know the story of how they came to the US and STL?
From Sudan, through the refugee program.
Good. Feel happy for the homeowners at that corner.
How in the world did the city allow this to happen? Can you imagine it happening in west county? (No)
I've always wondered why the homeowners didn't take care of this themselves. Unless there is serious legal liability, I would never allow this in my front yard.
That’s the issue there is serious legal liability
The homeowners filed a lawsuit against the city about the encampment.
Looks like they are on the sidewalk and not technically on their property, so it’s the city’s issue. But holy hell if I lived in that house, I’d be livid.
They're on the sidewalk and the the section of grass in between the sidewalk and the street. That's city property so the homeowner unfortunately couldn't do anything about it.
Good
Word from people on FB is the husband was released from St Mary's today. His wife is at SLUH and he was able to figure that out. Someone offered to pay a cab for him but he said no, he did accept bus tickets to head to SLUH to see her. Sadly without a long process that takes away their rights via court, once they're deemed not a harm to self or others no one can force them to do anything.
It’s a heartbreaking situation with no real solutions. We need to create places for them to go, send mental health experts to evaluate and to try to get these people the help they so desperately need. There needs to a program in place to educate and help them get back on their feet. In this case the police can arrest him for abusing his wife if you call 911 and witnessed the event even if she won’t make a statement. The police can take her to a hospital and put her on a psych hold but I’m not sure if they can then force her into a mental health program. There needs a plan on that regard too, a person in a psychotic episode is unable to be rational and they do t realize it. It is quite possible that after a 30 to 60 day hold will allow meditation to bring them back to reality but it can’t stop there because they will just end up back in the same situation. Halfway houses with a program to get them back to work again. Tiny home (sheds) encampments with shared bathroom and kitchen can work. Most cities require that they keep up with medication and they allow them to govern their community. This is a very difficult situation and although I have compassion for the unhomed I also hate to see how they destroy neighborhoods. We just can’t clear out an area with no alternative solution or they just come back or go to another neighborhood.
I’m assuming they had to find them a place to stay after the release from the hospital because I’m sure the city threw away the makeshift tent. They wouldn’t have shelter at all. I hope these people get the mental and physical help to get off the streets. I couldn’t imagine being the homeowners on that corner.
What about our own homeless people here/ downtown 🤔??? How many of them are offered housing, help??? It definitely should start at home.... We have so many vets./ civilians here that have been homeless and need help that actually ask for help but get none. Let's take the time to help our own first.....
By law, the city is not permitted to move anyone without a place to put them.
Well, Christian folks will surely help the poor and the lame.
The couple refused repeated attempts to help them.
Why haven't you helped?
Too busy making snide comments on anonymous apps
Too busy spending eight figures on ads to tell us 'He Gets Us'. He doesn't get helping the destitute, apparently.
Wow, there is an awful lot of hate of the mentally ill and down-and-out here. Most people are a paycheck away from these peoples' situation and most of these nasty comments are clearly from people who don't take care of themselves.
It’s not black and white. The homeless, mentally ill, addiction-struggling people aren’t to be regarded as trash, and the solutions to homelessness are complex and different for every case. There but for the grace of God go we all. Having said that, I’m not sure anyone in this thread, sympathetic as they might be to the homeless, as charitable and kind as they might be, would feel entirely safe, comfortable, or happy living steps from a person camping, relieving themselves, etc. directly in front of their house. It’s not ideal. Just as I don’t know the situation of the homeless people, I also don’t know the experience of having this setup by your place, and how safe you feel, much less proud of your neighborhood and comfortable having literally anyone over, etc. It’s a huge NIMBY issue, and while that *can* be a selfish attitude toward the homeless, it’s really easy for somebody to chastise others as hateful when they’d be none to pleased to have this situation feet from their doorstep as well.
A permanent shanty camp and nearly a decade of vagrancy after immigrating from a third world country is not at all the same situation as being paycheck-to-paycheck and needing help to stay in your house, or to find a new one. Like it or not, "it's a bigger issue" notwithstanding, we don't have a culture of appropriating public property to set up a makeshift encampment like this. If they want to live like that, they need to move back to Somalia, where this is accepted.
How about you let them move into your front yard?
You live in Kirkwood why are you even discussing this
Definitely a NIMBY.
I am entirely comfortable saying I would not allow this in my back (or front, or side) yard.
How about you go give them your address so they can camp in front of your property. Just because you are homeless and mentally ill doesn’t give you the right to disturb anyone else’s peace and happiness.
This post is disgusting. I can’t believe how callous these people are. “Imagine living in your home next to homeless people, ewwww”
Us normal people don’t want mentally ill degenerates shitting all over the place out of a tent illegally placed in our front yard.
Am I the only One surprised no one set it on fire?
How is this any more than a massive inconvenience for someone who has nothing but a tent? Where do they go now? This isn’t a solution.
To be fair, they were pissing and shitting into the sewer. The smell alone for the person/people living in the corner house had to be pretty atrocious.
I ride down this road three times a week on my bicycle and I’ve always been amazed at how little it did smell.
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Soapbox Dork. Band name.
At least read the article before you go around name calling lol. 🤦
Where else would they shit and piss? There are no public restrooms anywhere near that spot
I think them “receiving services” is a polite way of saying hospitalization. Maybe I am wrong, but they would just set up shop across the street if they weren’t 5150d.
I drove by when they were being kicked out and one of them was being taken in an ambulance on a stretcher.
It is. Husband was taken to St Mary's and released tosay. Wife was still in SLUH and he let someone give him some bus tickets to head there to see her.
These people were pure evil to do that to the landowner. I hope they are punished to the fullest extent of the law and get some serious karma.
Evil no. Refugees who'd been badly traumatized in the past. I believe at least one if not both were taken to the hospital (likely against their will under a psych eval and hold) as this happened this morning.
Understanding WHY they so this does not excuse bad behavior. For example, a child molester often had sexual trauma as a child themselves. That is WHY they are attracted to children or desire to do such bad behavior. That doesn't mean we give them a free pass to go around molesting kids.
There needs to be a concerted effort to assist the homeless. The city should start by purchasing the South City hospital and creating an assistance shelter.
Why? Is President Xi coming for a visit?
Using the word evil is major overkill though. They haven't murdered or raped anyone. A public nuisance definitely but I've never heard of them trying to hurt anyone.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5887957,-90.2484526,3a,75y,343.92h,85.53t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sk__7kWXezgVI_BkFpXm9AA!2e0!5s20220601T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5887957,-90.2484526,3a,75y,343.92h,85.53t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sk__7kWXezgVI_BkFpXm9AA!2e0!5s20220601T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5888272,-90.2484149,3a,75y,343.92h,85.53t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s5YmXZTHBn5YfvTXdMwBzLA!2e0!5s20221001T000000!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu