Agreed that this is becoming more of a consistent problem since last fall. I frequently visit the Ropes garden by myself or with my toddler. While it's obviously open to everyone, the public drinking has deterred me from visiting a few times.

This is an ongoing, pervasive problem in Salem and it is beginning to impact the quality of life for the residents!!
Salem has so much to offer but it is being ruined by these vagrants, beggars and drunks passed out all over downtown. You shouldn't have to step over a sleeping bum in the lobby of BoA!
The shelter turns them back onto the street if they're drunk or high so they roam around creating a nuisance and the city management has told the police not to move them on.
Nothing will improve this until the tourists stop coming, which is unlikely.

In relation to Skipper’s comment, the city allowing a recreational drug facility in the downtown area to me was not a smart move. Medical pot is one thing but to have this downtown is just asking for trouble. Either we DO or DON’T want to be a family friendly city. No one wants to be around these vagrants doing drugs and being passed out, that is NOT a family friendly environment. We need to be arresting (for public drunkeness) and/or fining these people to deter them from making camp in our city.

I would like to know please why my comment was blocked. It contained no foul or disrespectful language.

Agreed, this problem has gotten worse and worse since last fall. We are near the Commons and can no longer enjoy it because of the people drinking, harassing us. Calling the police has done nothing, as it seems the current administration wants Salem to be a sanctuary for everyone, but cares nothing about the residents who follow the laws. We have never had such a bad issue as it has become the last 7 or 8 months. Cannot wait for the warm weather to really bring this out. Used to see some of the vagrants sitting on a bench, but now they openly drink and smoke To add to that, there is all the pervasive smell of Marijuana, with people smoking it right on the Commons or sitting in their cars doing it on the street Salem is no longer a place suitable for families and does not care about its residents.

AMC, my comment was blocked too. No foul language, etc. Apparently we are being silenced.

Our comments have gone through.

The City is holding a public meeting, "Collaborative for Hope" on 4/24 at 6PM at the Bentley School on homelessness in Salem. I too share many of the concerns mentioned above. I have stopped walking in the Common when I see people laid out on benches to see if they are still breathing. Agree there should NOT be a pot shop downtown. Our police are not social workers but in many instances I think this is what they have become. The Mayor held a similar meeting last Summer/Fall prior to the election about this problem. We can see the results. The ACLU (mentioned at this meeting) has informed homeless people that they have rights to sleep on the Common or wherever. I am tired of having Salem referred to as Lynn north. This is not only a city issue; it is regional as well as statewide. One city cannot bring about change but we can - elect people who will. Go to the meeting on the 24th. If you don't then you are part of the problem. I'll stop now...............but if possible I would like to see our historic and cultural heritage preserved. Now I will stop.

With all due respect Mary, something named "Collaborative for Hope" has it's agenda already in the title. I'm not sure they're interested in listening to my own 'hope' on the subject.

To me, this is simple:
The shelter attracts people from far and wide offering services.
If they decide to get drunk one night, they're not allowed into the shelter and then roam the streets all night and day.

So: Why isn't the shelter taking a more proactive approach? They're responsible for this mess.
Whatever they're doing clearly isn't working.
Couple that to the mayor who has essentially told the police to look the other way.
Last week we had three beggars in Town House Square at noon holding up signs asking for money. Such a classy image for our tourist town.

What I'd like to know is how much are police responses to what the police logs calls "unwanted guests" costing the taxpayers? And what else is not being addressed while the police are dealing with such unwanted guests?

My personal belief is that it's too late. Salem is no longer family friendly and, tourists aside, now caters to and encourages those who can offer the city the least. Worst of all, it seems to be deliberate.

Skipper I completely agree! You hit the nail right on the head! I am all for providing services to the needy but they should be expected to adhere to the same laws are the rest of us. And yes, the title makes it very apparent that “more these carpet baggers along” is not going to be an acceptable opinion so why go?! Glad I am not alone my disguise for how this is being mishandled!

Skipper and AMC I get it. The question is how to correct the problem and it isn't writing back and forth here. I can think of other problems in this city but lets stay with this one. I wasn't impressed with the Collaborative for Hope either since it has been 6 months and the problem is worse. Call City Councilors and the Mayor's Office. Can we find out what is being done on a State level? Quality of life here is being impacted. Our taxes go up every year. I would like to see something for those dollars besides painted electrical boxes. Something has to be done before we see tents going up here like there are in other cities.

This garden is near my house. We can no longer enjoy it. My children walk to the Y for swim team and I tell them to avoid it, because I know many of the individuals are also sex offenders. When I walk with my children, we have seen them drinking, doing drugs, urinating, and littering. This location is a particular hot spot as they cannot be seen from the street and a police officer cannot just do a drive by to move them along. We are attracting more of this element as a city and we need to figure out why and how we can get them off our streets. More services is not the answer as it will attract more people. I'm talking about the ones who refuse help and engage in illegal activities. If they refuse help, then creating more programs won't get them to stop. Unfortunately, we need to make it harder for some of these people to be on the streets.

Pot is not the issue. Pot is expensive, at $200-$300 per ounce. Homeless aren't going to be buying it. They buy nips of booze and Beer and Wine. You can find the empties in all the alleyways and the doorway to the Mall area. With the Mayor advising Police to look out for their well-being, and not moving them out of the downtown area, this will get worse as they make it a full-time job to panhandle and intimidate tourists and residents. They DO NOT have the same rights to use park benches (their beds) as the rest of us do. We PAY TAXES. They DO NOT.

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