Hemming Park Homeless Numbers Swelling.

[stephendare]

Sharla Valeski, is opening a gallery near Hemming Park.

She and her business partner, Jennifer Woodall Grant are members of the city's long time arts community, both painters.

She is watching as the numbers of the homeless are suddenly swelling in Hemming park, and the photos are a little alarming.

The city still has no comprehensive policy to deal with this issue, and over the next 9 months it is only going to intensify as it did in the last recession.

Sharla is sendin photos over so that people can see the numbers

[Captain Zissou]

I am dreading these photos.  Ignorance is bliss.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Is this the gallery in the Greenleaf & Crosby building?

[fsujax]

Speaking of homeless, Sunday after the jags game I was walking back and there must have been scores of homeless hanging out near the baseball grounds and the fairgrounds......I guess they were tailgating!

[Dog Walker]

If there was a requirement that the Mayor, his top administrators and the City Council was required to eat lunch in Hemming Park once a week, I bet this "problem" would get some sort of solution.

You Betcha!

[RiversideLoki]

Indeed, my girlfriend and I went to MOCA to see the UNF show the other night and I was approached by several in the span of a block with many, many more hanging out in the park.

I let one bum a smoke off of me, he obviously had Tourette syndrome and was very, very kind in asking.. But the minute I handed him a smoke he turned around, did a nazi salute and started slapping himself in the head for about 5 minutes cussing at the air. I felt kinda bad for him. But I did what I could.

The numbers were surprising. I'm used to the numbers we have here in 5-points, but there must have been some 20-odd homeless people in the park. With social services getting cut by the city even more, it's no surprise that they may as well just go hang out in the park.

Can't save everyone, I suppose. But what is the city going to do about it?

[vicupstate]

Speaking of homeless, Sunday after the jags game I was walking back and there must have been scores of homeless hanging out near the baseball grounds and the fairgrounds......I guess they were tailgating!

Give them tickets to the game, that will fill the stadium up.

[heights unknown]

Maybe the fact that the homeless numbers are increasing, and the economy and financial situation is declining and near crash status, maybe the Man Upstairs is trying to tell us something...that we are not spending our money or finances on the right thing.

Heights Unknown

[Wacca Pilatka]

I believe so!

Do you happen to know if Jacksonville and the surrounding area is a subject of their artwork?

[JaxBorn1962]

Maybe the fact that the homeless numbers are increasing, and the economy and financial situation is declining and near crash status, maybe the Man Upstairs is trying to tell us something...that we are not spending our money or finances on the right thing.

Heights Unknown

Which Man?

[reednavy]

God.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Money, Sex, Drugs rule the world you can put those in any order you like and it wont make a difference. You think the government is worried about the homeless or the average resident who's trying to keep from becomming homeless themsevels. Its getting tougher and tougher to make ends meet now a days. Doubt the city will do anything and if they could what? Many of these people dont want to work and just want a hand out.

[aaapolito]

Maybe Jax needs to look to the past NYC Giuliani administration and how it handled the homeless issue in NYC.

[mtraininjax]

Many of the homeless live in downtown during the summer and out at the beach, in the dunes during the winter. Sad, but true. Once GA/FL is over, I suspect you will see fewer downtown, but be careful at the beach.

Perhaps insuring 13 million americans to the tune of almost 1 trillion dollars is not the best use of our resources?

[Sportmotor]

Lets ship em to New Jersy