I live in the Central West End so I don't get to see the library as often as I would like. But if this is actually what is going on then I encourage people to write to the library and to their local public officials. I certainly will. The library is too important to let things like this drag it down.
Library replied back to my email from my Sunday experience, see below. Looks like they did have a few problems. Good thing is that they confirmed it is not a normal thing and something was "a up" on Sunday.
"I am sorry you experienced this while at Central Library. My staff told me that we had an large influx of people on Sunday and they are not sure where they all came from. A number of our regular patrons came in and left because they could not find a place to sit and read or do research. I have reported this to our Director of Support Services and we are looking into it.
As a public library, we are open to all. However, no one should be harassed inside or outside the building. We are also a smoke free facility which means there should be no smoking on Library property. This should not have happened to you and your family.
I will address this issue. I hope that you will return at some point and let me know if the situation is improved. Central Library has much to offer and I apologize you were not able to experience it.
Brenda McDonald
Director of Central Services
Brenda McDonald
Director of Central Services
Saint Louis Public Library
Central Library
1301 Olive St, St Louis MO, 63103
bmcdonald@slpl.org | 314.539.0348"
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Income inequality does not exist at homeless shelters.
This is unfortunate and essentially a waste of effort and millions of dollars if the city does not take action. Larry Rice is a nuisance and should be treated as such. I understand this is a delicate issue for the city but as someone who has dealt with it first hand for years I am really discouraged they haven't taken swifter action against him
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Agree I am not anti-homeless but I don't think downtown is the place for them.robertn42 wrote:This is unfortunate and essentially a waste of effort and millions of dollars if the city does not take action. Larry Rice is a nuisance and should be treated as such. I understand this is a delicate issue for the city but as someone who has dealt with it first hand for years I am really discouraged they haven't taken swifter action against him
The amount of homeless is not the issue. The amount of homeowners is the issue. Not sure the two are related beyond anecdotal stories and experiences. Manhattan is full of homeless, it's just that there are a bunch of everybody else, too.
My hunch is that removing the homeless will then leave the place empty.
If the grandeur of architecture, the available resources, and the interesting programming do not draw patrons, removing homeless will not work either.
My hunch is that removing the homeless will then leave the place empty.
If the grandeur of architecture, the available resources, and the interesting programming do not draw patrons, removing homeless will not work either.
IOW, increase homeowners and willing patrons, and the homeless will get the hint and move on or blend in.RobbyD wrote:The amount of homeless is not the issue. The amount of homeowner's is the issue. Not sure the two are related beyond anecdotal stories and experiences. Manhattan is full of homeless, it's just that there are a bunch of everybody else, too.
My hunch is that removing the homeless will then leave the place empty.
If the grandeur of architecture, the available resources, and the interesting programming do not draw patrons, removing homeless will not work either.
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I think Rice's place needs to go but I also agree with this to a certain extent. When people complain about the homeless people downtown I often tell them it's a lot lower than in some other similar sized cities. The problem in STL is the lack of street life and non homeless pedestrians. If we were able to increase pedestrian traffic it would suppress the homeless street hagglers.RobbyD wrote:The amount of homeless is not the issue. The amount of homeowners is the issue. Not sure the two are related beyond anecdotal stories and experiences. Manhattan is full of homeless, it's just that there are a bunch of everybody else, too.
My hunch is that removing the homeless will then leave the place empty.
If the grandeur of architecture, the available resources, and the interesting programming do not draw patrons, removing homeless will not work either.
More eyes on the streets make safe streets.
Was there ever a ruling on the hotel license? The story seems to have disappeared without any sort of resolution.
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The ruling as move moved in to the the spring.danryan1 wrote:Was there ever a ruling on the hotel license? The story seems to have disappeared without any sort of resolution.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt ... ff6f8.html
A ruling can happen in a week or two. It is seems like NLEC is about to be shut down
A ruling can happen in a week or two. It is seems like NLEC is about to be shut down
Wow those comments on that link.... Most seem to actually hate people living downtown and thus disregard the illegal behavior by NLEC as OK since it causes a nuisance to the residents.
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^ Suburban white guilt... they don't want to assist the homeless in their neighborhoods, but the sure as hell get in a huff about defending NLEC against the downtown hipsters and yuppies in the PD comments section. Now that they have done their duty, they come down to BPV and feel good about themselves again.
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I suggest that we move NLEC to a Chesterfield and plop it down in the middle of one of their subdivisions, preferably adjacent to a school playground. Then we'll see how "compassionate" they are.
Haven't read it but likely a good portion of them are NLEC supporters and not mainstream St. Louisans.zink wrote:Wow those comments on that link.... Most seem to actually hate people living downtown and thus disregard the illegal behavior by NLEC as OK since it causes a nuisance to the residents.
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With an attitude like that why should we bring the city into the county?Anglophile wrote:I suggest that we move NLEC to a Chesterfield and plop it down in the middle of one of their subdivisions, preferably adjacent to a school playground. Then we'll see how "compassionate" they are.
That garbage works both ways. Not just county people "scared" of city issues and problems. You don't see mass problems in Chesterfield because the city would have the police on the issue two minutes after it was called in. And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
The city should have cracked down on the homeless problem hard years ago. This is what develops with scared leadership who won't make tough decisions.
Interesting take. I think it's what happens when the homeless problem is treated as a "city problem" vs. a regional one....my favorite is county municipalities shipping their homeless downtown because they don't have the resources to deal with the problem.This is what develops with scared leadership who won't make tough decisions
You can't honestly believe this is the reason the city has "problems" while Chesterfield doesn't. The county needs to step up and take on more of the regional homeless issues.You don't see mass problems in Chesterfield because the city would have the police on the issue two minutes after it was called in. And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
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errr, yes it is. Chesterfield's lack of problems is precisely due to the wealth of it's prevailing demographic: middle class and well-to-do (mostly) white people that fled the city and left the poor behind.Wildwood_Banker wrote:And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
At least a couple issues here to discuss. The county doesn't seem to have much at all to offer in homeless services. Also, Rice is shipping in the homeless from outside the area. Reportedly, county police have also been seen dropping off homeless from their jurisdictions to ours.Wildwood_Banker wrote:With an attitude like that why should we bring the city into the county?Anglophile wrote:I suggest that we move NLEC to a Chesterfield and plop it down in the middle of one of their subdivisions, preferably adjacent to a school playground. Then we'll see how "compassionate" they are.
That garbage works both ways. Not just county people "scared" of city issues and problems. You don't see mass problems in Chesterfield because the city would have the police on the issue two minutes after it was called in. And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
The city should have cracked down on the homeless problem hard years ago. This is what develops with scared leadership who won't make tough decisions.
Shared responsibility would be nice, don't you think?
I think I've shared it before that one suburban municipal cop I know has admitted to me they'll drop homeless off at Larry's place. They'll smartly use one of the unmarked city cars instead of a marked police cruiser.innov8ion wrote:At least a couple issues here to discuss. The county doesn't seem to have much at all to offer in homeless services. Also, Rice is shipping in the homeless from outside the area. Reportedly, county police have also been seen dropping off homeless from their jurisdictions to ours.Wildwood_Banker wrote:With an attitude like that why should we bring the city into the county?Anglophile wrote:I suggest that we move NLEC to a Chesterfield and plop it down in the middle of one of their subdivisions, preferably adjacent to a school playground. Then we'll see how "compassionate" they are.
That garbage works both ways. Not just county people "scared" of city issues and problems. You don't see mass problems in Chesterfield because the city would have the police on the issue two minutes after it was called in. And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
The city should have cracked down on the homeless problem hard years ago. This is what develops with scared leadership who won't make tough decisions.
Shared responsibility would be nice, don't you think?
Is there momentum one way or the other here? Do we know what decision is likely?
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If I did a census on those homeless people, how many were born in Chesterfield? Now, compare how many are from the city, North County, etc. Where they come from is that town's problem.olvidarte wrote:Interesting take. I think it's what happens when the homeless problem is treated as a "city problem" vs. a regional one....my favorite is county municipalities shipping their homeless downtown because they don't have the resources to deal with the problem.This is what develops with scared leadership who won't make tough decisions
You can't honestly believe this is the reason the city has "problems" while Chesterfield doesn't. The county needs to step up and take on more of the regional homeless issues.You don't see mass problems in Chesterfield because the city would have the police on the issue two minutes after it was called in. And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
County leadership is garbage. Been so for quite some time.
I have no problem with Kirkwood, Saint Louis, or St Peter's taking care of their problems. Saint Louis' problem is tolerating this guy bringing them in. I would have lined up city police and then dropped off County homeless on Dooley's front door.innov8ion wrote:At least a couple issues here to discuss. The county doesn't seem to have much at all to offer in homeless services. Also, Rice is shipping in the homeless from outside the area. Reportedly, county police have also been seen dropping off homeless from their jurisdictions to ours.Wildwood_Banker wrote:With an attitude like that why should we bring the city into the county?Anglophile wrote:I suggest that we move NLEC to a Chesterfield and plop it down in the middle of one of their subdivisions, preferably adjacent to a school playground. Then we'll see how "compassionate" they are.
That garbage works both ways. Not just county people "scared" of city issues and problems. You don't see mass problems in Chesterfield because the city would have the police on the issue two minutes after it was called in. And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
The city should have cracked down on the homeless problem hard years ago. This is what develops with scared leadership who won't make tough decisions.
Shared responsibility would be nice, don't you think?
Wait, so "rich" people should have brought poor people with them to their neighborhoods?urban_dilettante wrote:errr, yes it is. Chesterfield's lack of problems is precisely due to the wealth of it's prevailing demographic: middle class and well-to-do (mostly) white people that fled the city and left the poor behind.Wildwood_Banker wrote:And no, it's not because everyone in Chesterfield is a millionaire.
But then the richest people I generally come across live closer to the city than further. I want to see all those wealthy folks in the CWE feeding homeless on their front lawns.
Guess the "rich" should just shut up and live in places that have high crime, terrible schools, and bad infrastructure. Or perhaps, those areas should work on political structure, economic reform, crime, etc.