Homeowner running small homeless shelter

Started by MichaelT21 • 16 replies • 512 views

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MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 462

Posted:

It's been brought to my attention that a homeowner in our community appears to be running a makeshift homeless shelter. They are providing certain services and partial shelter to up to 3 homeless people, but it appears that the homeless people are only permitted on their property a portion of the day. The remaninder of their time they spend in their vehicle (for 2 of them) or wandering the streets (for one of them).

I'm really scratching my head at what we can do about this. Our community is not the right place for a homeless shelter.

Ideas?

JohnT38 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,631

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MichaelT21 on 11/14/2022 3:12 PM
It's been brought to my attention that a homeowner in our community appears to be running a makeshift homeless shelter. They are providing certain services and partial shelter to up to 3 homeless people, but it appears that the homeless people are only permitted on their property a portion of the day. The remaninder of their time they spend in their vehicle (for 2 of them) or wandering the streets (for one of them).

I'm really scratching my head at what we can do about this. Our community is not the right place for a homeless shelter.

Ideas?

Do you have a rule against daytime guest?

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 462

Posted:

No.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Call code enforcement and let them deal with it. When the actions of the homeowner becomes a nuisance, you call them to a hearing and FINE them.

Been there done that. Be persistent and don't give up.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

You say this appears to be what the owner is doing, but you haven't spoken to him or her. You might want to start there. If the wanderer isn't trespass on others property or creating a nuisance, there might not be a lot you can do about that. Try talking to a local organization that helps homeless people - they may have some ideas and some may even come out to talk to these guys and offer services

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 11/14/2022 3:54 PM
You say this appears to be what the owner is doing, but you haven't spoken to him or her. You might want to start there. If the wanderer isn't trespass on others property or creating a nuisance, there might not be a lot you can do about that. Try talking to a local organization that helps homeless people - they may have some ideas and some may even come out to talk to these guys and offer services

Michael is deathly afraid of the Ring doorbell.

WendyM5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 1,522

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MichaelT21 on 11/14/2022 3:33 PM
Do you have a rule against day time visitors?
No.

Well then hopefully you have a rule against love thy neighbor, maybe your covenants were written by Satan himself?

If not see if you can update your documents to be a little less christian.

vis ta vie

AugustinD
Posts: 1,027

Posted:

I am laughing here at WendyM5's comment.

I figure Michael does not like the way these folks dress, or their cleanliness in general.

I wonder if HUD has anything to say about hostility towards homeless guests in a subdivision, when all said homeless are doing is being guests and enjoying a meal.

Last week my neighborhood got a mass text about car break-ins occurring on the block, advising parking vehicles in one's garage. A thousand miles away, in the city where I used to live, a friend had her 2020 Ford camper van broken into in broad daylight, around 9:15 AM, outside of a well-used senior center.

I think a pretty well-kept secret is the police are overwhelmed, with the effects of increased homelessness and increased crime.

Seems like a good time to re-read A Tale of Two Cities

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Just curious MichaelT do two of the individuals stay in their cars parked in your HOA when not permitted in th home? Does the lone individual actually wander your neighborhood, hang out in your parks, etc., when not permitted in the home?

What "services" do you suspect are offered? Meals? Showers? Laundry? How would you know about the types of services?

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 462

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By KerryL1 on 11/14/2022 5:16 PM
Just curious MichaelT do two of the individuals stay in their cars parked in your HOA when not permitted in th home? Does the lone individual actually wander your neighborhood, hang out in your parks, etc., when not permitted in the home?

What "services" do you suspect are offered? Meals? Showers? Laundry? How would you know about the types of services?

True on all accounts.

How do I know - jsut speculation. No evidence of services. People have then the transient walk into the homoewners back yard during the workday when the homeowner is gone at work, so we know that there are at least 2 people that are being supported in some shape or fashion. The third guy I saw today walking (wandering) in close proximity, so I am suspecting he is being helped as well.

It's fine if they want to help them, in my opinion. It's not fine that they throw out the people and leave them to wander our streets during the portion of the day they are not welcoming them to their home.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

So you think the Owner invites them to sleep each in his home? Are any parking rules being violated?

Our gated urban condo HOA has a rule that residents must accompany guests on the premises. If yours doesn't, and not knowing the laws, it doesn't seem your assn. can forbid this owner from having guests. Unless these visitors break rules or the laws, as Shelia says, there might not be anything that the Assn. can do.

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 462

Posted:

Just found two potential rule violations. One is exterior condition of vehicle. The other is that homeowners must notify property manager with the names of any tenants, and I think we can apply that here. The compliances letters won't solve the problem but at least get the discussion going between the homeowner and the property manager on what the deal is.

I would be very happy if the homeowner let the property manager know the name of the people so we at least know who they are.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Our docs say owners must give the PM names of tenants (contact info, etc.), but not of "guests."

JohnT38 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,631

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MichaelT21 on 11/14/2022 7:21 PM
Just found two potential rule violations. One is exterior condition of vehicle. The other is that homeowners must notify property manager with the names of any tenants, and I think we can apply that here. The compliances letters won't solve the problem but at least get the discussion going between the homeowner and the property manager on what the deal is.

I would be very happy if the homeowner let the property manager know the name of the people so we at least know who they are.

What are you babbling about? You think daytime guests must have cars that meet certain physical conditions? You also think guests that stop by for a daily visit are tenants? Are you now proposing that all daytime visitors must let the property manager know their names?

Your PM would be an idiot to listen to you and send out a compliance letter based on your nonsense.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Is anyone being harmed? Losing money? Is there damage involved? What is the problem exactly? Just because we don't like it or want it to be against the "rules" so we can flex? There are just some things that are non-issues if no one has an issue with it. The perception of an issue is on the one who has the perception. It isn't on those who aren't. Is anyone complaining?

Former HOA President

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Running a homeless shelter out of a single family home in a common interest community is the same as running an Air BNB.
If I wanted to live in the middle of party city I would have bought a condo on the stip. When I am off work, I want to leave the keggers
8 miles from my house. The same holds true with homeless shelters. If I wanted to live amongst a homeless shelter, I would have bought a
home on Foremaster Lane and Las Vegas Blvd.

Typically these activities bring crime and rampant drug use to a community and it affects the whole neighborhood. Homeowners
that live in their homes and are raising their families in that home don't want to be exposed to that nonsense. There are commercial
facilities that are equipped to handle homeless people, but there are rules that the homeless must follow and that's why they won't
go there, they do not want to follow rules. The homeless will go to where they can imbibe in their drug, alcohol and substance use
without resistance.

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994

Posted:

Our governing documents restrict our homes to single family residential use, and I believe homeless shelter would be a violation. Do you have anything like this in your docs?

"In order to achieve a neighborhood of
serenity and peaceful use, the Lot Owners agree and covenant that the homes in the Planned
Community shall only be used for single-family residential purposes exclusively. No groups,
except families shall reside, occupy, rent or use a dwelling in the Planned Community. No
business activity of any kind, including by example but not limited to, rooming house, boarding
house, gift shop, antique shop, professional office or beauty/barber shop or the like..."

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