St. Louis government removes ‘scary,’ ‘smelly’ homeless camp after three years of disturbing homeowners
Residents sued the city in February for failing to remove homeless couple living on their sidewalk
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The St. Louis government on Thursday morning removed a homeless encampment that had made residents uncomfortable for three years.
City workers cleared the encampment located in a neighborhood complex just out front of multiple residences that was occupied by a homeless couple and disturbing homeowners.
"It was an all-around hazard," Toni Figuerroa, a neighborhood resident, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from her porch. "Goodbye and good riddance."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mayor Tishaura Jones’ spokesperson Conner Kerrigan told Fox News Digital the city and city services had been trying to work with the homeless couple for eight to 10 years.
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A homeless encampment in a St. Louis, Missouri, neighborhood was finally removed from the area after it was there for three years. (Bevis Schock)
"Previous relocation efforts have been unsuccessful," he said. "Over time, the area that the couple occupied has grown and is in the public right of way. The lack of sanitation has increased to the point of no longer being habitable."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The couple is receiving services from the City. Further details cannot be shared, due to privacy concerns," Kerrigan added.
Residents living nearby sued the city in February for failing to remove the camp.
Plaintiffs Richard Baumhoff and Steven McClanahan alleged that St. Louis refused to act despite multiple requests to the police and the city for a remedy. The residents said law enforcement told them it was out of police hands and blamed Jones, a Democrat.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"For three years, there have been two people living in a makeshift tent in front of their house," Baunmhoff and McClanahan's attorney, W. Bevis Schock, told Fox News Digital at the time.
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A spokesman for St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said the city finally removed the encampment because it was creating a public health problem. (The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"They have a lovely front porch. They would like to go out ... with a nice cup of coffee in the morning and ... let the sun pour in on them, and that cannot happen because these scary, smelly, noisy people are there, and they don't have the proper use of their house because of that," Schock added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The plaintiff’s petition to the court alleged that the street squatters — dubbed "Doe and Roe" in court documents — "have become aggressive with Plaintiffs and screamed at Plaintiffs and at other people."
"Plaintiffs no longer use their front porch and front yard because of the noxious odors emanating from the tent (including the smell of excrement)," the petition continued. It alleged that neighbors saw the homeless couple "straddling over the sewer, using it as a toilet."
"These people aren't taking a shower every day. They have got garbage in their house. They see rats running around. They throw their litter outside their makeshift tent, including things like chicken bones, and that draws vermin," Schock said.
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City workers began clean-up around 9 a.m. Thursday, with the fire department showing up around 11 a.m. to wash off the sidewalk, according to the local report.