Downtown's Most Important Consumer.

[stephendare]

Find out Monday how Downtown's paramount consumer has become the homeless.

[Johnny]

Man, I think it's obvious. I don't think we even have to wait for an article.

The city of Jacksonville caters to the homeless. They even invite them to come here from other places. We have businesses or not for profits all over the place downtown that are only in existence for the homeless. Benches are placed & pocket parks  are built specifically for the bums & drunks (c'mon, who are they kidding??). The actual small businesses come 2nd to the vagrants that prevent their business from potentially booming.

[downtownparks]

Yeah, because toddlers are known for ripping copper out of AC units, pissing and pooping on the sidewalk infront of people driving by, throwing litter all over downtown and surrounding communities. Hanging out on corners, and aggressively pan handling, and shouting racial epitaphs when you don't give them the money they need to "get back" to where ever they claim to be going.

I dont mind dealing with the homeless, so long as its part of something bigger and better, like we used to deal with in Boston, or like you see in NY.

As it sits, our fastest growing industry downtown is social service providers, and out of fear of looking "harsh" or "mean to the homeless" the city government refuses to either distribute the services across Jax, or simply to push them out with legislation and zoning. I am cool with either decision, I am not cool with status quo.

[thelakelander]

Downtown suffers from a critical mass of vagrant attracting destinations.  Unfortunately, the epicenter for this vibrant social service center is the heart of downtown.  The very same heart that the city has invested millions of dollars into to attract lofts, restaurants, shops and tourists.  The solution to the problem is a simple one.

RELOCATION or DIFFUSION of vagrant attracting destinations to the point were the heart of downtown is not the heart of the vibrant epicenter for urban outdoorsmen.

[downtownparks]

Im not seeing your correlations. If people started dumping dogs downtown, YES, I would expect the city government to take action.

The infant correlary is bad because with those infants would be parent who would buy groceries, gas, housing, and other things that would actually make downtown more vibrant. In turn, people would be far less likely to accept crime in an area with large numbers of children.

Im not sure what you are going for here. Are you being contrarian just to get people stirred up, or do you really think that the homeless issue is not a real issue?

[downtownparks]

If your point wasnt so intellectual inane, perhaps it wouldn't be lost on simpletons like myself.

[second_pancake]

Ok, Stephen, either it's too late in the day, I'm too blonde, or you just enjoy confusing the hell out of people as to where you stand on issues....wait, there could be the whole anticipation factor too since you want us to "wait til Monday", in which case, it's too late in the day, and I'm too blonde, so just get to the point already

Seriously though, comparing the homeless to toddlers is a bit of a stretch, don't you think?  The homeless are generally adults who have ended up in their position through personal choice, or some kind of disability be it physical, mental or financial.  While both toddlers and the homeless rely on others to help them along through life, the homeless have the ability to physically take care of themselves and have the brain development in place to understand how to do that....yes, even the mentally inept know people don't like to be yelled at or peed on.  A toddler can not get a job, and even if they got hired, couldn't perform any of the job functions because of lack of reasoning ability or understanding...not to mention the whole talking thing.  If a homeless person has a serious mental illness, they wouldn't be the ones finding shelter each night, food each morning, and panhandling.  They would be the ones found dead in the gutter, stark-ass naked with a newspaper in his/her mouth.  Point being, if they know enough to beg for money and harrass people, they know enough to become a functional part of society.  If they don't, they die.

[Steve]

Let me try to explain - because I think we all are on the same page without knowing it.

Whether it be the homeless, senior citizens, toddlers, PETA members, or any other group of individuals, Downtown's actions and rules should not be set or decided based on any group of people.  Downtown is for everyone, and I think that Stephendare is frustrated with the fact that we are not addressing the homeless issues, but creating restriction oneverybody that visits because of this one segment of society.

Stephen - did I get it right?

[second_pancake]

Damn, if you had just said that in the first place, we wouldn't have all needed to put on our tap shoes, lol.  I guess like-named people have like-minds

[Steve]

I guess like-named people have like-minds

No, I just happen to speak stephendarese (and I knew the article was coming at some point)

[second_pancake]

lol  second.

every good story ends in dancing, ive heard.

And the best ones end with the horizontal kind

[second_pancake]

I apologize, that was totally inappropriate

[suburbiasucks]

I don't mind the homeless one bit! As a matter of fact I'm sort of grateful because if it wasn't for them I would feel I live in an abandoned city ("I'm Legend" style)!
More often than not, they are the only human beings I see or pass by in my daily walks to Starbucks or to Burrito Gallery. If more of you would do the same they'd blend in the crowds, you wouldn't notice them at all!

[suburbiasucks]

We like it or not, all of that is part of an urban landscape and for those who can't take any of it, the answer is simple: stay inside your gated suburban community!
Really, how many of you had a burning desire to sit and relax in that Main St. pocket park, but couldn't because of the homeless guy, his crap and his penis?!

[suburbiasucks]

And just technically speaking.  Have you ever seen anyone but the homeless in that park?

That's (sort of) my point. Although I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that you and your party had intentions of going there ... nobody else does! If it wasn't for homeless it would be empty at all times.
Anyway, in my opinion focusing on the homeless problem is a waste of time. I see them (and some things they do) as merely a nuisance that would surely become less problematic if some other, more glaring problems in Downtown were to be tackled first.