Highland Park man says homeless population is scaring residents

MEANT TO PUNISH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED. BIRMINGHAM ALSO DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS AND RESIDENTS IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE FRUSTRATED AS THEY LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS. WVTM 13 LISA CRANE HAS THAT STORY FROM HIGHLAND PARK, THE HIGHLAND PARK COMMUNITY IS FULL OF HISTORIC HOMES AND BEAUTIFUL PARKS, BUT LATELY, RESIDENTS SAY THEY DON’T FEEL AS SAFE HERE AS THEY USED TO. WE STARTED HAVING SOME ISSUES AT NIGHT, ONE OF WHICH WE HAD A GUY THAT STARTED KNOCKING ON DOORS AFTER DARK, CUSSING, CARRYING ON ALL THE FOUL LANGUAGE. SCARING ALL THE NEIGHBORS. THEN RESIDENT JEFF JOURDAN SAID A GROUP OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE MOVED INTO CALDWELL PARK, SETTING UP A LIVING AREA COMPLETE WITH A MATTRESS RIGHT HERE. I JUST HAD ENOUGH OF SEEING IT AND JUST REALLY THESE BEAUTIFUL DAYS AND YOU JUST SEE ALL THIS MESS AROUND. IT’S NOT NOT WHAT YOU WANT. THEY SAY THIS IS WHAT ATTRACTS HOMELESS PEOPLE TO THIS PARTICULAR SPOT. ALL THESE POWER OUTLETS MOUNTED ON THIS ALABAMA POWER BOX. SO IT’S A WAY TO CHARGE PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRICAL DEVICES FREE OF CHARGE, PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM. RESIDENTS CALLED POLICE, ASKING THEM TO CLEAR THE PARK. THEY SAY OFFICERS ENCOURAGED THE GROUP TO LEAVE, AND THEY DID. BUT THEY SAY THAT’S NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION UNLESS THEY’RE REMOVED, THEY’RE GOING TO MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT. I DON’T WISH ANY ILL WILL ON THEM. I’M NOT SAYING HOMELESSNESS EQUALS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, BUT IT SURE PUTS A DAMPER ON YOUR THE FEELING OF SAFETY IN BIRMINGHAM LISA CRANE WVTM 13. WE REACHED OUT TO THE BIRMINGHAM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. NO ONE AVAILABLE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR RICK JOURNEY RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT MULTIPLE CITY