TexasCHLforum.com

Jim Beaux wrote:SNIP

GlassG19 wrote:
Not to discredit your decisions so far; I personally would have tried visiting in conversation to whether I could have helped him find (warm) shelter or a different place to stay. Being homeless isn't a sign of a "criminal" ( not assuming he is or isn't a criminal) & I firmly believe a little compassion in the beginning goes along way. I know personal homeless person who is not a drug addict (recovered) & acholic & is really a great human being & I "try" to understand if I was by chance in that same situation, where & what would I do. Not good for him staying in your laundry mat for sure but maybe a helping hand sometimes goes way better than current circumstances. Just IMPO. Hope everyone stays safe through this.

Obviously youre a good person with a good heart - but why is this guy homeless? Could it be that his family and friends have tried to help him in the past and got fed up with him being a lost cause? By his wearing colors tells me he is either part of a criminal element or he wants to be-either way its easy for me to conclude he is a parasite.

I have a family member who is employed with the Dept of Corrections & have learned that a large majority of inmates consider those who sympathize & help them as expendable as an empty food container.

I would have considered giving this guy $10-20 while telling him to move on. These guys are master manipulators & will use & victimize those who befriend him.

northexpedition wrote:^Good suggestion, I just emailed the property manager and told them exactly that. They sent out an email before telling all residents to lock the door to the laundry room, and obviously that did nothing to deter him.

Update: I just checked the laundry room and he left a ton of clothes and a torn up backpack in the trash can, probably for later retrieval. I put all of his clothes in a trash bag outside the laundry room and wrote a note that says "Sorry dude, I didn't want to call the police but you can't be living in my laundry room. Take your stuff and leave. Don't come back."

northexpedition wrote:

GlassG19 wrote:Not to discredit your decisions so far; I personally would have tried visiting in conversation to whether I could have helped him find (warm) shelter or a different place to stay. Being homeless isn't a sign of a "criminal" ( not assuming he is or isn't a criminal) & I firmly believe a little compassion in the beginning goes along way. I know personal homeless person who is not a drug addict (recovered) & acholic & is really a great human being & I "try" to understand if I was by chance in that same situation, where & what would I do. Not good for him staying in your laundry mat for sure but maybe a helping hand sometimes goes way better than current circumstances. Just IMPO. Hope everyone stays safe through this.

You and the few posters above you make some interesting points. I remember when I first caught him in there he tried to get me to talk to him and said "I'm just charging my phone in here, you can use the room if you need to" and then he fled the area as soon as I pulled up my phone about to call the cops. Now, I want to be compassionate towards homeless people, but this is a violation of my living space.

Still you have a good point though, I could have avoided all of this I'm sure if I had just leveled with him. The first time I saw him though he was wearing street gang clothes and my sixth sense was telling not to talk to him, so I just ignored him. He acts really suspicious and isn't someone I'd normally talk to. He talks like he's from the ghetto, wears the color red, you get the idea.

I was homeless for a very brief amount of time (one week) when I was younger and I never did anything like this. It annoys me but y'all are right, I guess I should just avoid the situation at all costs and call the police.

northexpedition wrote:

cbr6864r wrote:A word of advice don't contact anyone you plan on calling the cops on especially when they know where you live.

Yes, I am aware of that. Calling the police is usually a last resort but this has been an ongoing problem that would not solve itself without police intervention. Somehow he found out where I live before I even opened my door to tell him not to come back. I had tried to keep it a secret but I guess he found out where I live somehow. I live here though and it would be kind of crazy for me not to call the cops on him, especially when he is clearly breaking the law and has no right to be here. I had no choice. I was trying to do my laundry.

I mean my apartment complex is not a homeless shelter. He shouldn't get free WiFi and a warm place to hang out, in the same room where I do my laundry. This is probably the 5th time he has trespassed and nobody is doing anything about it except me. I don't want to fight but I will carry a knife in the meantime just in case.