Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Residents Concerned With State Of Monroe Park Neighborhood, Urge Officials To Help Homeless

Some South Bend council members joined residents of the city’s Monroe Park neighborhood Friday night to tour an area nearby that has been a homeless encampment. 

Residents said the goal of the tour was to show officials the urgency of the homelessness issue and concerns about increasing gun violence in Monroe Park. Council members Henry Davis jr, Lori Hamann, Sharon McBride, and Sheila Niezgodski showed up for the tour and to hear concerns from the community.

Mayor James Mueller was invited but did not attend.

Stacey Odom is the Vice President of the Monroe Park Neighborhood Association. She said South Bend has not taken enough action to help the homeless in the tent encampment in the parking lot of a chapel at East South Street and South St. Joseph Street or to help the neighborhood.

“As a neighborhood association we just pray that we can get some kind of help and some kind of relief before something bad happens to someone because that’s where we’re at right now.”

Some council members who attended say they plan to contact Governor Eric Holcomb for assistance on the issue.

Mayor Mueller has said in the past that the City is working on both short and long-term solutions for the homeless.

The homeless living in the tents have been given until July 31st to disperse.

Contact Annacaroline at acaruso@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at @AnnacarolineC16

If you appreciate this kind of journalism on your local NPR station, please support it by donating at:  https://wvpe.thankyou4caring.org/ 
 

Related Content