urbanSTL

ImprovSTL wrote:I took my daughter to the new Library and parked by the NLEC. I was very uncomfortable getting around the hordes of people on the street loitering. I know that sounds like some suburbanite not being used to the city but I moved from Chicago recently and I honestly never ran in to anything like this.

Have you walked around St. Patrick Center around midday recently? Great organization, but I guarantee you that if you felt uncomfortable by NLEC, you'd be similarly uncomfortable around St. Patrick. And I'm not even going to mention Harbor Light. Not a knock on any of them, but I think NLEC gets a lot of extra attention being the largest.

Any news on NLEC hotel permit hearings?

There was a lot of talk about 3 weeks ago, but since then its been silence. I really wanted to attend, but my travel schedule wouldn't allow it. I would love to hear from someone that did. Having lived a block from the NLEC for 6+ years I am very passionate about this issue.

Hearings start up again tomorrow. Please attend if you are interested in this idea.

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/11/04/ ... e-tuesday/

I would like to attend. Does anyone know the time? I've been searching for it without any success.

The people you overheard may have a slightly different opinion if they lived next to his operation for 6 years like I did.

These are the same people that think they are doing a great service when they come from the burbs to give out food and amenities in Lucas Park. All the while clueless to the fact that most of the homeless congregating downtown are from surrounding areas, but come to the city because there are no homeless services in their actual community. That way they can hand out a sandwich, pat themselves on the back, and leave the problem in their rear-view mirror on the way home.

Yes it's happening

I think it's more testimony. Not positive though. Send your comments to Richard Bradley if you think the NLEC is a detriment to downtown. His email is on the cities website.

I think The NLEC should be shut down. When I walk close to the shelter or in front of it. I rarely feel safe or welcome. I seen public urination, fights and even a drug deal. Downtown St. Louis had seen an amazing amount of investment in the last 10 years but the problems around the NLEC cannot simply be ignored and could threaten to undo a lot of the investment made. As someone that wants to move my family downtown someday I cannot do it with all the problems around NLEC. I am a strong supporter of the homeless but NLEC is not the answer.

Dose any one know what the hearings would end and would like to guess the outcome?

I'm split on NLEC. On the one hand, I don't think Rice is doing them any favors by enabling the bad behavior and setting homeless people loose on downtown is doing nothing to help the city's image and being panhandled all the time is annoying. I also don't understand the whole "they were here first" anti-gentrification argument at all. Neighborhoods change, sometimes for the better. Get over it. On the other hand, I'm afraid that if it closes we'll actually see more vagrancy dispersed throughout the area since they'll be losing their home base. Maybe he could just operate his shelter in a more socially responsible way.

Anyone who still believes in Larry Rice should just watch his "Missouri Renewable Energy" channel (24-2). To call it a joke is being kind; it's truly embarrassing. Any 21st Century grade school class could come up with a better presentation, on so many levels. Why the City of St. Louis is still afraid of this guy I'll never know.

Steve Patterson from http://www.urbanreviewstl.com had some good comments about it.

There are other shelters around that don't have the kind of issues the NLEC does. The NLEC needs to get its act together.

The last last hearing is on Dec 10th.

Larry's operation is a serious danger to everyone, especially the homeless. If and when he is shutdown I believe the homeless population downtown will decrease. He recruits homeless to the area and his zero accountability operation brings the worst of the worst. The majority of the homeless at his facility are not from the city. They tend to congregate there for easy access to food, drugs, and a bed if the weather is good (most choose to sleep on the street whenever possible because the conditions inside are so bad).

I believe the city and Bill Seidhoff already have a plan in place to make emergency housing available when they shut him down.

There are no guarantees though. I encourage you to attend the hearing on Dec 10th and write your thoughts to:

Richard Bradley

Cherise Thomas
Board Secretary
Board of Public Service
1200 Market Street, City Hall, Room 301
St. Louis, MO. 63103

OR EMAIL THEM DIRECTLY TO:

Cherise Thomas
Board Secretary at: thomasc@stlouis-mo.gov

wow.. So wife, kiddo and I went to the Central Library today. Very weird. The place was crowded outside and inside with some of the individuals that visit larry rice's place. Atrium smelled like an ash try, and walking back out someone verbally harassed us. Amazing.

Wont be going back to the library anytime soon...

^ not good to hear. so what happened at the final hearing?

zink wrote:wow.. So wife, kiddo and I went to the Central Library today. Very weird. The place was crowded outside and inside with some of the individuals that visit larry rice's place. Atrium smelled like an ash try, and walking back out someone verbally harassed us. Amazing.

Wont be going back to the library anytime soon...

I strongly think you should message Richard Bradley about you story. I am sorry this happen to you and your family the faster the city gets rid of his shelter the better.
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/d ... ley-PE.cfm

Aside from the harassment part—I've never been personally disturbed by any of them—that adds up with what I've experienced and what I know from an employee to be true.

The last thing I intend to do is bag on people who may not have anywhere else to go, but the Central Library essentially gets used as a daytime shelter by many homeless. Many are of course no problem at all other than perhaps not smelling particularly nice. But others are drunk or under the influence of other things. Some cause trouble—sometimes repeatedly.

A semi-related issue is that the library (this goes for others in the city as well) gets utilized by parents as free daycare also.

I fully support good solutions to the regions homelessness problem. From what I understand, Larry Rice's NLEC is NOT that. And it's proximity to a magnificent civil service puts a damper on it.

What is the current status of this place?

We go all the time, that is why I was so disappointed yesterday. I am used to seeing the homeless there and almost always they are there actually reading and are never disturbing. But yesterday was definitely a hangout scene. I emailed the library letting them know what happened.

I mean it almost a hard to get in the door there so many hanging around outside...which is why I think lead to one of the guys out bursting (too many friends having fun)...

I remember my friend stating that the homeless being in the library is getting out of hand.. He feels they are scaring downtown residents and tourist away from going in there. He lives downtown and goes to the CL often so he has more knowledge about whats going on outside and inside of there.. I've told him the library needs to start confronting this problem before it gets to the point where the place is completely abandoned by downtown residents...