Folks, being in SF, I've seen this problem over and over in the past 5 years at my space. As a human being, you have to balance your desire to be compassionate with the need to run a business. Folks who are homeless and/or jobless or suffering from substance abuse, will frequently gravitate to an area of a city that supports or tolerates the way they are living/surviving/getting by. There are any number of root causes behind homelessness (I'm no expert) and it isn't something that fits into our rational view of the world. Once you allow someone access to a restroom or a place to sleep, they'll take it. It supports and enables them to continue their illness.
A no-sleep policy in the business is good for business. Vegas does it. You probably should consider it. Zero-tolerance is really the only way. It's not a motel. Bathroom access is a dual-edged sword. Once you allow it, and word is out you have a public restroom, you invite some social problems. I've had a customer take a shower, without permission, in my bathroom at our site, and it only happened once, and I had to bar access to this customer. I felt incredibly torn about it, because at least this guy experienced a moment of dignity in an otherwise harsh city, but I'm not running a motel and wasn't paid for the time or mess this guy created. Restrict access to the restrooms with key, buzzer, or some other system, and you'll reduce the desire for some of the more troublesome folks stopping by. For the door sleeping, the only thing you can do is put a gate across the door at night. They may still sleep in front, but what I've seen is the best places to sleep are under the shelter of a doorway entry, not under the sky. Once you've removed the enabling features of your site, this person will move on. And if you desire to understand the root causes of the homeless problem a bit more, there are a lot of organizations in each city which have volunteer opportunities that may shed some more light on this urban issue that cities like San Francisco seem to struggle with. - David On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 3:02 PM, Tara Hunt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks Dawn, > > When asked these questions (and we've asked many to fine out more), he > doesn't speak up. He just stares defiantly. I think he may be > autistic? > > T > > On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 2:59 PM, Dawn Hayes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Tara, >> >> Given the economy, your situation might not be that unusual. I work out of >> several locations in NYC- some public and some private- and I've seen more >> than my share of folks that remind me of RC. Due to the size of most of the >> locations, only regulars might have noticed somewhat odd behaviors or >> appearances. So, I haven't witnessed anyone mention it as a problem yet (a >> matter of time, it seems) >> >> I am certainly not saying it is your problem to deal with given how you have >> tried to handle the matter, but people lie about their employment and >> housing situations. Is there anyone in your space working with or for public >> service organizations? Perhaps they may have some local references to >> suggest. Is there anyone who might be looking for an intern or have a job to >> fill? Maybe he might express interest if he didn't feel singled out and that >> may get him to open up a little more about his situation if he is facing >> personal difficulties. >> >> In terms of safety, you may have to explore issuing keys (or getting >> building management to do so) for a more controlled environment; even if it >> slightly dampens the culture of the space. >> >> I wonder what he would say if he were asked directly why he spends so much >> time at the space in spite of possibly getting arrested and clearly making >> others around him uncomfortable? >> >> Cheers, >> >> Dawn >> >> >> >> On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 5:31 PM, Tara Hunt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>> Hey all, >>> >>> So, I thought I'd relay a story...not to freak anyone out or change >>> anything, but just as an experience that others can learn from. >>> >>> For about 6 months, there has been a guy who drops in regularly at >>> Citizen Space for free - almost too regularly at times - and would >>> fall asleep at the communal tables in the back. I thought, "Whatever, >>> no biggie, really," until I got a complaint from my landlord that, >>> when CS wasn't open, he would sit outside of our door or wander around >>> the building for hours. So, the next time I saw him I told him that he >>> isn't allowed to be in the building hanging around when we aren't >>> there. So, that was problem A. But he didn't really listen and we >>> would still find him sleeping outside our door. I must have told him >>> about 10x personally. Then he hadn't come around for a while, so I >>> thought that the issue was done. >>> >>> But no. One day I received an email from Eddie from The Hat Factory >>> asking me if Ryan Cook ever hangs out at Citizen Space and that they >>> had to finally ask him to leave and not come back because he was doing >>> the same thing - sleeping in the building - as well as bringing his >>> clothes and showering there. Eddie and another guy had taken Ryan to >>> lunch to get more information from him and didn't find much out. >>> According to Ryan, he had a job and a place to live. So they said he >>> would have to limit the times he dropped in and no more showering or >>> sleeping there. But he continued, so they finally threatened him with >>> calling the police if he returned. >>> >>> After that point, he stepped up his presence at CS again, this time he >>> had no laptop with him and people in the space (renters and other >>> dropins) were starting to complain about his presence. He would come >>> in, eat stuff from the cupboards, make coffee and leave a mess, then >>> sleep at the table. So, I told him he couldn't come back to CS without >>> his laptop - "This isn't a shelter, it's a workspace." I said. But a >>> couple of nights later, I came into the office to check on a package >>> at around 10:00 pm and, after unlocking the security door, I found him >>> behind it, hanging out. Of course, this freaked me out a bit, but I >>> firmly told him he wasn't allowed to be there, to leave and not come >>> back until he gets a computer. >>> >>> A couple days later, Jonathan, one of the desk renters, found him, >>> again, behind the locked security door and observed a pile of luggage >>> and clothes. This was early in the morning. He instantly left and >>> called me, telling me he didn't want to have to deal with this any >>> longer. I was very angry at that point and went directly over there, >>> but he was gone. Later that day, I caught him in the building again >>> and told him to take his clothes and leave and that I would call the >>> police if he returned. That was last Friday. >>> >>> On Monday, I wasn't at the space, but Arne told me he came in to >>> gather 'some of his things that he had left' at the space. CS is NOT a >>> storage locker. Arne supervised him and walked him out of the >>> building. I thought that was the end of it. But no again. >>> >>> Today, I stopped by CS to check on a package and, lo and behold, he >>> was there again. I totally blew up and told him I was going to call >>> the police and locked myself in the office. The police came by and he >>> was STILL hanging in the building. The officer talked to him, then >>> came and talked with me. I told him the story and the officer told me >>> he would tell Ryan that he would be charged next time he came into the >>> building. >>> >>> I hope this is the end of it. It's driving me nuts. I don't know if >>> he's a physical threat - he hasn't made any threats or moves. However, >>> his continued presence feels like a fear tactic and he makes everyone >>> at CS extremely uneasy...even the big guys. >>> >>> I'm looking for advice here...but also to open up a discussion on >>> whether others have shared this problem and, if so, how have you dealt >>> with it? >>> >>> Tara >>> >>> -- >>> -- >>> tara 'missrogue' hunt >>> >>> Book: The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build >>> Your Business >>> (http://www.amazon.com/Whuffie-Factor-Capital-Winning-Communities/dp/0307409503?ie=UTF8) >>> Company: Citizen Agency (http://www.citizenagency.com) >>> Blog: HorsePigCow: Marketing Uncommon (http://www.horsepigcow.com) >>> Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/missrogue >>> phone: 415-694-1951 >>> fax: 415-727-5335 >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> >> "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but we are spiritual >> beings having a human experience."--Pierre Teilhard de Chardin >> >> >> >> > >> > > > > -- > -- > tara 'missrogue' hunt > > Book: The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build > Your Business > (http://www.amazon.com/Whuffie-Factor-Capital-Winning-Communities/dp/0307409503?ie=UTF8) > Company: Citizen Agency (http://www.citizenagency.com) > Blog: HorsePigCow: Marketing Uncommon (http://www.horsepigcow.com) > Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/missrogue > phone: 415-694-1951 > fax: 415-727-5335 > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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