The issue of the homeless people of the world is a huge problem that cannot be solved by pushing them out of our way. I have been living near Moore Square and have noticed that the problem is much worse now than 6 years ago. Although the nearby downtown churches are meaning to help our hungry, poor and homeless on the weekends by providing meals to them in Moore Square, these ministries may be contributing to the crowds of homeless and poor camping out in Moore Square on Saturdays and Sundays as they wait for a free meal. Perhaps the City might ask that these church ministries do their good works on their own property, not on the City's? I must add that I did help out for a few years with these ministries, until I became very uncomfortable hearing the drunken, drugged-up and disgusting conversations as they waited for their turn for a free meal. I have always considered myself gutsy, but some of the social activities that go on this, in our potentially beautiful park, are simply put, gross. Bryant Park in NYC was the same way 30 years ago. Today, it is a tourist attraction.

i agree with you, jmm, but on the same token i think one of the reasons these organizations use the parks is because it is easiest for the people who need it to get to. Chirch in the woods for example, is not located nearby...and of course transportation is a big issue for the homeless. getting from point A to point B is hard when you may be limited to just walking. it's possible i suppose that the organizations might provide transportation, if funding is available for that, but even than, you would need a central pick up point.

Thanks for the comments and observations, however allow me to clarify that the City of Raleigh may not "ban" anyone from a public park. The park is a public access park and unless someone is observed by a law enforcement officer violating a local ordinance, state statute, or other law or regulation, access to the park is open to all.

RPD is aware of the activity described above and enforces all regulations, ordinances, statutes and laws. Closing issue in SeeClickFix.

So true they can not ban but they could enforce the laws .I did not know it was ok for begging,padhandling as a job. for most here it is.If you in the area you will see it is alway the same people they never leave day after day, As for family coming they may one time but will not retrun because of this issue. Sad that money the area could us. Many come with the school durning the week to marbles but parent will not bring the family in weekend because of this issue. I do think if the could be moved .the Misson should move out where they could have more space, and yes church hes should do thing at they place for these people ,LOL but most do not want to mess up their building, They could easier bus them in their church buses to a church/preach /feed , But will they ???I work and yes the enforcement is activivty in this area parking tickets for some/talking etc with the normal folks ,With out them it would be total unsafe to even walk near the area. The answer would be for some prtiv. org to open job training/and get these back to work . sad most of them could work but we make it to easy for free food /etc/ We all pay for this in many ways
I belive work for food etc !!

Here is a story about Bryant Park, in NYC. http://www.asla.org/2010awards/403.html
I wish I could help the COR somehow, so that we could all share in the beauty of Moore Square without feeling frightened or imposed upon.

The Raleigh Police Department has responded. The Downtown District officers take appropriate action when they observe violations or when violations are reported to the police. Citizens should call 911 if they are being harassed so officers can investigate the matter.

Throwing trash on the ground is a violation. A week ago my friend and I were walking on the outer perimeter of the park over near the Salvation Army Building. A stout man asked if he could ask us a question. Then he asked a lewd question. What a creep!!!

i agree jo, that was rude and disrespectful. but that is not against the law. nor can you say behavior like that is limited to just the homeless. it's sad to say, but respect and civility are sadly lacking.

WHAT HAPPENED to the SMOKING BAN in PARKS? That would help solve this problem as most of the folks in question are so addicted to smoking they would leave rather than stay within the law. Re visiting that ban and voting it into place now that it is now not so new and could be approached as a helpful measure is something the CITY COUNCIL needs to look at. I for one am still remembering how MooreSquare wassupposed to have a huge costly makeover, Not one dime ahould go out til
it can be managed, The city doesn't need a public bathroom to police let alone another coffee place in the midst of a disaster zone that needs fixing. This not impossible, but closing the issue won't help either. IDEAS for CHANGE should be welcomed.I sayeliminate all parking along the 3 sides of the park, make that a bike and pedestrian visitor zone , Policehorses and horsecarriages. NO food truck delivery of meals, or religious/church services. Make every event that has nonprof organization buy permits only if they paya cleaning fee . NO GENERATORS> EVER>.

Someone needs to set up an Atheist protest / food giveaway / get in there faces type shindig to make it easier for COR to kick the "church in the woods" cult and their thug James Copp out of More Square Park for good

COR, as its been stated, the biggest problem isnt the people there themselves, it the littering. While a few volunteer groups pick up occasionally, RPD needs to start handing out citations for littering.

put up video cameras in Moore Square Park - video cameras reduce / eliminate this type of crime as conviction rates would go up to 100% with video proof of their misdeeds !!

Our organization, Human Beans Together, is a non-profit dedicated to helping alleviate homeless, hopelessness, and hunger. We are a secular humanist organization and we feed people in Moore Square Sunday a.m. We also clean up behind our hungry friends when we're done.

Those of you who view the homeless or otherwise disenfrachised as "them" or "those people" sadden me. The majority of us are just a pink slip away from needing assistance ourselves. I cannot fathom how someone can view helping our fellow human beings as wrong. I challenge you to go out and talk to some of those you wish weren't sullying your public space with their presence. They're people just like you, with hopes, dreams, desires, and problems.

Be careful whom you hate--it could be someone you love.

Well, said Carmen. Food Not Bombs is also there on Sundays at 4pm handing out food. Also not a religious organization and we also clean up after ourselves and our friends in need. I would also like to point out that I have been through Moore's Square many times and have never been harassed by the homeless in the park. I don't think it is as big a problem as some make it out to be.

It would be so nice to come here with my family at least once and not have my little girls be scared because these drunk bums ask me if I have a cigarette, a dollar, or food. I saw two police officers doing a great job last week when they arrested a guy that was blatantly drinking alcohol in the park.

Carmen, you won't be feeding anyone in the Moore Square anymore. If you do, you will be arrested by RPD. Thankfully SOMEONE is doing something & RPD is doing what it should be:

lovewins.info/2013/08/feeding-homeless-apparently-illegal-in-raleigh-nc

Nothing I said was about happy. But if you're going to complain about the homeless there....this is part of it & something needs to be done. If they weren't receiving handouts they wouldn't stick around.

These aren't cats! These are people!! Real people! Poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, bad luck, etc. don't just go away because you don't feed them!

Not to mention, what right do you or anyone else, including my government, to tell me whom I can and cannot share my own resources with?

If you truly don't like homelessness then get out there and help do something about the causes of homelessness. Wishing it away isn't going to work. Neither is infringing on my first amendment rights!

Thank you to the City of Raleigh for halting the abuse of our public park.

You have no idea what I have done personally to help those in need. But you can assume away because we all know what assuming proves.

But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want that because I sincerely doubt any of those who think this isn't a problem are the ones who live nearby and have them on their own door steps.

I am the founder and president of the organization and have spent the past two years directly helping "them" by sharing my food, transportation, and even my own home with "them." "They" are just like you, except "they're" probably much more compassionate.

Riiiight.....because compassionate people harass those coming going from their downtown homes & jobs. LMAO

I'm sorry you've had a less than positive experience on the streets of downtown Raleigh with people you have assumed are homeless. I encourage you to volunteer some time with one of the many organizations in this area whose mission it is to alleviate the homeless problem and really get to know the people you're vilifying. Human Beans Together, Love Wins Ministries, Food Not Bombs, are just a few examples of the organizations who would love to have your help and support.

Should Moore Square really be a homeless gathering area? I live blocks away and I am bombarded by homeless people asking for spare change and cigarettes, especially at night.

I really things these missions/charities should give out food on their own property. I know that the homeless are people too, but I will still avoid the area on the days where there's a heavy concentration of beggars.

I'm really concerned that so many non-religious populate this site. Because religious sorts surely wouldn't be espousing simply throwing away our weak, poor, mentally ill, and indigent, right?

Carmen you just post Hop.Get out of the BUBBLE see for your self !! This area needs to be cleaned up . People work in the area want to see it cleaned up ! If any person group want to give out food do it the right way in a church or building ! Put people to work train them to clean/cook open a store front place !

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In addition to the constant assault of begging, there are: Styrofoam plates, beer cans,, cigarette butts, bathroom debris in the shrubs, folks using the water hose to bathe, hearing parents saying F-U thousands of times around their toddlers; used condoms, broken glass, comments about my sexuality.
Do you want to live around this? If you really want to help. Shower Facilities; Porta-jons AND don't force them to listen to your preaching.

"I live here," this is why I encourage everyone, including you, to get out there and do whatever you can to help these folks, including (but certainly not limited to) VOTING!

You don't want these problems, but what solution do you offer up besides "go away"? Which, as you should know, simply doesn't work.

If you really want to make a change, go help out those less fortunate. And go petition your representatives to support existing organizations that are trying their best to make a difference.

I have no clue why I'm going to try to be logical here, it's like the WRAL comments up in here.
Fact- Homeless Panhandlers suck and scare little children with their hobo smell super powers
Fact- Litter all over the park sucks
Fact- Drunk frat boys suck and scare little children with the @#$% bag super powers
Fact- Drunk hipsters* twerking against buildings is hilarious, but probably sucks too
Fact- Sleeping on concert, with rats crawling over you REALLY sucks
Fact- Being so hungry you dig trash out of a garbage can sucks
Fact- Trying to find the work needed to pull yourself up by the boot straps when you smell and look like you sleep outside is nearly impossible
False- Being annoyed by the homeless makes you a bad person
False- Feeding the homeless makes you part of the problem

If you really want to fix this issue, move the bus station out of downtown. Why do you think they're there? It's not because they like the beer at Tir Na Nog.

This issue is bigger than people making accusations of godlessness on a forum. The people who work and live in downtown have a right not to be harassed day in and day out by homeless people. The homeless people have a right to congregate where ever they want as long as they don't break the law. They litter no more than the drunks on the weekend and are no less annoying (at least IMO). The homeless are fine people who are just in a bad way. I'm sure there are rotten homeless people, just like there are rotten people working in the Red Hat building.

If you want to effect change, have the city donate a downtown property at a reduced cost that various groups can crowd-source to buy. Instead of just feeding, how about we integrate addiction and vocational programs run by volunteers. Unless we put these people on a path to restore their independence this problem will never end.

Please feel free to resume yelling at one another.

*do not confuse hipsters with homeless, they bought those shorts to avoid societal fashion norms and to be an individual who dresses like all the other hipsters and intentionally didn't wash that belly shirt from the 80's

This is inaccurate information. The City is not contemplating any changes to the use of SeeClickFix. We encourage all citizens to use this tool. Our record of response to SCF inquiries is quite good, with a median time to resolve of about 3 days. Some items take longer, but this tool has been valuable to the citizens as well as to our organization and we just want to make sure that's clear.

Thank you for clarifying this issue.

Thank YOU !! Raleigh is More than Just MOORE Square to bad that all some want to see!!

Seems like a so-called church called "Love Wins" Ministries is spamming the site with these bogus comments. Flagged. Moderators, please consider blocking by IP, this group is angry and taking it out on us and the city of Raleigh.

Well it all ok the city now said' we will never turn away any non profit in feeding the homeless'. But yet we who work /live in the area has to see/smell/ etc If groups want to feed the homeless etc they should do it at a place not like animals out in the open ?? Why Is the Misson not open!! Or church on the corner???
Build a shelter with shower/tables/etc. Why not use the old YMCA just 3 block down??? Let the lady park for free sell her stuff etc!! win win Park would be clean!!!Guess Somethings will never change!
I really feel sorry for the local police they are stuck in the middle!!

Jim, you had a chance to speak your mind tonight at the meeting, rather than anonymously on a website. I sincerely hope you attended and did just that.

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