Benjamin Franklin wrote:
To relieve the misfortunes of our fellow creatures is concurring with the Deity; it is godlike; but, if we provide encouragement for laziness, and supports for folly, may we not be found fighting against the order of God and nature, which perhaps has appointed want and misery as the proper punishments for, and cautions against, as well as necessary consequences of, idleness and extravagance?

PS... Love the name - Sheehan's Shantytown. Nice, cute, it fits.

Catchy phrase (Hooverville"s were there b4 you) but unfair to the Mayor. New to Albany ( Pastures) and from our experience/ involvement, the Adm. and APD are very responsive.

Is that a bathrobe hanging from the tree? Seriously?

this is terrible

Has APD, Washington Park Conservancy, and the Mayor's Office all been contacted directly? The next step would be the news stations. The lack of response clearly sends the message this is fine to continue and increase.

APD has been notified DAILY since this began, and the mayor's office referred me back to the APD. There are services available including the city mission, there's no reason for this to be happening. If there are places available inside to lay your head and they choose not to utilize them then i don't really care where they go as long as it's not Washington Park. Will the mayor's office please respond?

Yes, that is a bathrobe hanging from the tree in the grove of hemlocks adjacent to the parade ground area where concerts are given. There are two tents there, and also people sleeping on the ground. Same activity on the South side of Soldiers and Sailors monument. They use the trees as a spot to relieve themselves. I saw it. Very sad situation and generally unsanitary.

Maybe the next step is to get the Times Union and local media involved?

People that are coming in from all over the area to see the play in the park are may also be seeing this and will never return, for the play, or for anything else in the neighborhood. This is not only impacting the park, and neighbors around the park, but also will have a more lasting negative impact on the neighborhood businesses as well.

@smalbany, That is an awfully wide net you are casting. A lot of homeless people have legit reasons for their problems. Many have health and mental problems that aren't addressed. If you know anybody who has been through the system the dss people often drive them away through how they are treated or by not giving them proper help. Much like what has happened to our Veterans. Obviously having them camp in local parks is not the answer, but this stuff happens often because of lack of help. So it is an illusion that people like the mayor want to help. If they wanted to help most of the people living on the streets would be in a better place, which would benefit all of society.

Concerned Eye,
Perhaps you could invite them into your home.

Caring Citizen,
I would much sooner invite them into my home that I would you. Caring or Godless?

Concerned Eye:

You make many assumptions in your ingorance.
Are you the type that are so convinced of your rightness that you cannot open your mind to other opinions or views?

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn"
Ben Franklin.

You and your alias, Caring Citizen can't even read. I made points for both sides. Hating on the poor is not being unwilling to learn. Try coming up with a solution. Better than trolling comments that you and your other do on here so much.

Hating on the poor is being unwilling to learn.

So many assumptions lacking in only facts and knowledge.

The only one speaking of Hate and Intolarence is you, Eye.

Smalbany, says the guy who trashed the homeless right off the top. I'm not going to keep engaging with a troll who does this to a lot of people. It is your thing. If it makes you feel better then so be it. It is ironic that you go around quoting Ben Franklin. Franklin was about coming up with solutions. You spend your time trying to irritate people. You should do some research on Ben Franklin.

Dear Eye,

I notice that you have brought mostly personal attacks and innuendo to this topic; you have had very little to say on the encampment in the park except to imply that I and others HATE the Poor and Homeless.
Perhaps you could comment on the issue at hand (homeless in the park) and not be attacking people you know nothing about - otherwise one could get the idea that you are the TROLL, and we would not want that.

BTW, To imply that I hate anyone, homeless or not, is inappropriate in this forum and on a personal level, insulting. Do I know you? I think not. Please explain yourself; how you have such knowledge of my likes, dislikes and preferences.

That said, your solution of hosting the homeless in your house/ yard sounds like an idea that I could support - I commend you on offering and taking these people in. You are clearly a better person then I am. Let me know how that works out for you.

p.s. Read the original quote again; It praises people like yourself that wish to help those that need help; it also questions helping those that are just lazy and homeless due to their own folly. How you got "hate the poor" or "trash the homeless" is way beyond me.

This morning there was lots of trash on the mall behind the monument: granola bar wrappers, liquor bottles, cigarette pack cellophane, and plastic bags. Can there be more garbage cans or more crews to clean up this heavily used area?

smalbany, you troll on here all the time never offering a solution. I brought up both sides of the issue. You are the one who can't deal with that so try to turn it into a little battle. You can have it.

RIP WASHINGTON PARK. People are literally defecating openly in the park now.

There was a full on crackhead brawl earlier this evening. Police had to be called because of course there's no presence to hear them screaming and beating each other. Charming sight for the residents and visitors. It's not safe there anymore. The whole neighborhood is degrading. I've run out of routes to take walking to work to avoid desperate folks asking for money and eying my purse. Albany has made a decision to let it go in favor of.......the booming downtown revitalization? What a joke.

Closed

Open

This problem continues.

Closed

Opened. There has been no response from the city, and no action.

Open

why would someone keep closing an unresolved issue?

Because the city removed the tents in the park. Credit given when deserved.

Closed

You're right. The tents are gone. So we'll start another issue about defecation in the park. I understand people are homeless and that nature calls. Maybe a port o potty?

You do not want a permanent port-o-potty in the park. They are ugly, not maintained, create a terrible stench, draw more people, and--even when used for construction sites--attract drug users and, yes, even become a quick spot for prostitution activity. We've seen it all with the Madison Ave. construction port-o-potties this year. The purpose of a park is not to camp or house people or encourage either one. And no, people have not left the park. Perhaps the tents are not being seen, but under the shrubs, throughout the park, people are still camping/living.

Albynyc:
understood. makes sense.
thanks for the info.

Well you may not want to encourage them, but the fact remains that they are there. And open air urination and defecation is happening. Realistically don't we have to deal with what is actually occurring instead of shooting down ideas? They aren't going away, they're human beings, what do we do? I don't have the answer, other than to suggest placing port o potties, which granted isn't the most ideal, but it's something.

I think the best you will get here is to report garbage or feces that is left behind. Push them to clean up after people. They don't want to actually help them. They clearly don't care about the health of citizens. So take pictures and report. Often. Maybe they will put up a Starbucks in the park.

Thank you for your submission to See Click Fix. In reference to issues that you see, please continue to call Police dispatch (518-438-4000) so a car can be sent out to handle the complaint. Through out the summer months we increase the number of officers in the area of Washington Park. We have recently done enforcement details and will continue to do so going forward.

thank-you apd lt-neu