https://ktul.com/news/local/downtown-tulsa-businesses-impacted-by-growing-homeless-presence
Downtown Tulsa business owners are calling on the City to do something about the increased presence of homeless people.
While there’s no lack of compassion or empathy for the homeless from area business owners, there’s also no lack of worry that nothing’s being done.
"There’s the guy again," said Vicki Economou of Coney Island.
The sheer volume of homeless near downtown's Coney Island has prompted signs in the parking lot and a sign on the door.
"You know, we’ve got signs up, 'Bathrooms are for customers only,' they’ll just walk right past you," Economou said.
And Mexicali Border Cafe next door is receiving threats from the homeless.
"I’ve been threatened more in the last six months than I have the whole time I’ve worked here because I refuse to give somebody a glass of water, I'm told that I'm going to kill you," said Albert Cronheim with Mexicali Border Cafe.
Gypsy Coffee House down the street said the homeless are deterring customers.
"They’re aggressive, they’re panhandling, they’re coming onto my patios and my business and aggressively panhandling my customers," said Bradley Garcia with Gypsy Coffee House.
And while we were interviewing Lou Lynch at Tulsa Violin Shop, a homeless man walked by his store screaming before laying down on a bench.
"You know, he was yelling when he was walking by here, and I mentioned that he probably should be on medication, it's pretty obvious," Lynch said.
"What we’re trying to do is ramp up using best practices to ultimately house everyone," said Erin Willis of Housing Solutions, a nonprofit working in conjunction with the city.
Willis says COVID-19 is part of the reason for the added homeless presence.
"So we’ve seen kind of a reduction in shelter opportunity, some reduction in outreach work, which has resulted in definitely a visibility of more people outside during the daytime and sleeping outside as well," she said.
Whatever the reason, businesses are tired of seeing the crisis fester.
"I’ve called the mayor’s office, I’ve called the mayor’s action line, I’ve sent an email, I’ve invited the mayor to lunch," said Economou.
"Nobody’s done anything with any teeth from the City at all to be quite honest," said Garcia.
The business owners are at wit's end and worried that the situation will only grow worse.
"It's getting to the point that it's getting scary, and I've never been scared to work here," said Cronheim.
"My fear is that it is going to take somebody being killed or severely hurt for anything to be done, and I don’t want that," said Economou.
Downtown Tulsa business owners are calling on the City to do something about the increased presence of homeless people.
While there’s no lack of compassion or empathy for the homeless from area business owners, there’s also no lack of worry that nothing’s being done.
"There’s the guy again," said Vicki Economou of Coney Island.
The sheer volume of homeless near downtown's Coney Island has prompted signs in the parking lot and a sign on the door.
"You know, we’ve got signs up, 'Bathrooms are for customers only,' they’ll just walk right past you," Economou said.
And Mexicali Border Cafe next door is receiving threats from the homeless.
"I’ve been threatened more in the last six months than I have the whole time I’ve worked here because I refuse to give somebody a glass of water, I'm told that I'm going to kill you," said Albert Cronheim with Mexicali Border Cafe.
Gypsy Coffee House down the street said the homeless are deterring customers.
"They’re aggressive, they’re panhandling, they’re coming onto my patios and my business and aggressively panhandling my customers," said Bradley Garcia with Gypsy Coffee House.
And while we were interviewing Lou Lynch at Tulsa Violin Shop, a homeless man walked by his store screaming before laying down on a bench.
"You know, he was yelling when he was walking by here, and I mentioned that he probably should be on medication, it's pretty obvious," Lynch said.
"What we’re trying to do is ramp up using best practices to ultimately house everyone," said Erin Willis of Housing Solutions, a nonprofit working in conjunction with the city.
Willis says COVID-19 is part of the reason for the added homeless presence.
"So we’ve seen kind of a reduction in shelter opportunity, some reduction in outreach work, which has resulted in definitely a visibility of more people outside during the daytime and sleeping outside as well," she said.
Whatever the reason, businesses are tired of seeing the crisis fester.
"I’ve called the mayor’s office, I’ve called the mayor’s action line, I’ve sent an email, I’ve invited the mayor to lunch," said Economou.
"Nobody’s done anything with any teeth from the City at all to be quite honest," said Garcia.
The business owners are at wit's end and worried that the situation will only grow worse.
"It's getting to the point that it's getting scary, and I've never been scared to work here," said Cronheim.
"My fear is that it is going to take somebody being killed or severely hurt for anything to be done, and I don’t want that," said Economou.
