homeless people on doorstep

[LeggyLoo]

Recently a group of ?homeless people have been meeting on our doorstep and spending about an hour late at night (loudly) talking to each other, seemingly catching up? and swapping/taking drugs. This isn't every night, but has been becoming more frequent over the last month.

We've had 2 break ins in the last 3 months. I don't think it is this group of people responsible- just for context of feeling uneasy about strangers congregating outside our front door and bedroom window.

I am completely sympathetic for the situation they are in, particularly in winter and during a pandemic. I also understand that living in a city there will always be homeless people- in no way am I 'looking down on them' or blaming them for their situation (If you find this relevant, we also make a yearly donation to a local homeless charity- I know AIBU can be brutal...).
There are various parks close by (including one on our road) with benches where they could meet, but I'm not sure why they have chosen our house?? For this reason I don't want to tell them to go away as it seems mean in the circumstances.

But I also have a 1.5 year old DS who has been woken by them and scared by loud strangers' voices and hasn't wanted to be away from me even after they've left as he is scared.

Any idea what I can do?! Can I contact anyone? Should I approach them myself to ask them to move on? Let them get on with it and accept my doorstep has become some sort of meeting place?

If you, or your DH, feel like an acting role you could do what DSis did a few years ago. Her house has a recessed door and suddenly became popular with local homeless people / drug users.

She came home one day to find a small group on her doorstep. She went in via the back door and, still in her formal work clothing opened the door and asked the assembled people "Tell me brothers, sisters, have you thought about inviting Jesus into your life?"

They left and didn't return.

Why would you feel “threatened” by these people - is it just because they are “homeless”

@Dongdingdong try walking through any city centre in the evening and not feeling threatened by homeless people. Esp during lockdown they will come right up and hassle for money (probably because there is less people to target in the day). OP has also said they take drugs - so of course that not making for a relaxed conversation about sleeping babies and could they just move back to the park.

OP, I'd have no hesitation in making my doorstep less inviting if I could; install a ring video bell with a notice saying you're being recorded.

It’s your property, not a drug squat. They’d be leaving.

Ask them to move or call the police. Put something sticky on your wall if they're sitting on it.

I just can’t understand why they’d choose to sit on someone’s doorstep . It doesn’t make sense to me , why not a park or outside a shop?
Do you have a front garden or does your door open straight on to the pavement ?
Personally I don’t think it matters who or what they are, they shouldn’t be sitting right outside someone’s house and you seem more worried about offending them than the fact they shouldn’t be there.

This thread makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Kick them off the stoop op. Do not let them in your house. Omg.

I'm not sure where people are reading that I was planning on inviting them into my house! Completely agree that homeless people should be treated as human beings and with respect, of course. But won't be inviting anyone in...never implied anywhere I would be?!

Other people are saying to bring them inside not you.

I would approach them earlier in the day/evening and ask them to move on and find somewhere else to go. I would feel intimidated approaching once the drinking and drugging was in full swing if that's what's going on, I think it's natural to be more cautious. I would try to deal with the problem myself, but if it carried on over a prolonged period of time despite asking them to move on, I would consider what other steps I could take. If there was violence or threats of violence I would call the police though.

We used to get this with a certain small group of teenagers, they would sit in our steps, drink then smash the cars in our street.
We all started pouring a watering cans worth of water on the steps each night so they could not sit down.
Its a waste of water and could potentially freeze as its so cold but it worked a treat for us.

There are some homeless people living in the bushes on the edge of the estate we live on, residents have donated a tent, stove, cooking stuff, sleeping bags,clothes & food for them.

@Nat6999

There are some homeless people living in the bushes on the edge of the estate we live on, residents have donated a tent, stove, cooking stuff, sleeping bags,clothes & food for them.

Lovely thing to do. The residents sound like very nice people.

How disgusting that the government is standing by whilst people are left homeless - during a pandemic!

We have protests about 'human rights' because some people don't want to adhere to Covid safe guidelines, like masks and social distancing.

Meanwhile other people are being denied that most essential of human rights - a safe roof over their heads.

Homeless people have an above average Covid death rate.

On fb the other day a mother warned that her dd and a friend had been followed by a drunk man around 10pm..Another post was linked to this showing that around that time a woman had been violently pushed to the pavement, ending with a bloodied face. This isn't something I would expect here so I was concerned.

As this is unusual I might just have a word with 101 and see if they have any knowledge of it. Possibly police have moved people on in open spaces. It can hurt to check.

I’m obviously a lot more naive than I realised, I would 100% phone the police (non emergency number) if there was a homeless person outside my front door. I can’t believe this is ‘normal’, how sad 😔

Ffs - people tripping over themselves on this thread to show how virtuous they are.
If any group of people were sitting on my doorstep pissed I’d either tell them to move - or if I thought it may escalate I’d call 101.

@Noddyandbiggerears

Ffs - people tripping over themselves on this thread to show how virtuous they are. If any group of people were sitting on my doorstep pissed I’d either tell them to move - or if I thought it may escalate I’d call 101.

No tripping. I agree. I too would call the police or council. Police, out of concern for their welfare (seeing as it's winter and we're in a pandemic), and the council to complain that people had been left without a safe roof over their heads during a public health emergency.

I wouldn't want them outside my home either. I'd want them in their own home - or at the very least a shelter, and/or receiving the appropriate mental health and social care (residential if need be).

Nothing virtuous about it. There but the grace of God...

OP has said it's in London. You do realise how much housing has become unaccessible in London? There's no need for a drink or drug addiction (until you need to deal with the horrors of the streets). All it takes is redundancy or illness and, unless there's family money, that's it.

@SheepandCow yes I live here and know exactly how unaffordable it is. However street homelessness comes from a complex range of issues. Ones that - to be fair - are not for the OP to tackle, alone on her doorstep.

If she said “at 11pm a load of blokes keep coming out of the pub, snorting coke and making noise” no one would saying “oh go out and chat with them and make them a cup of tea”.

It's not complex at all. Definitely not in London. For a small minority, yes, but for the others it's very simply that they're single, no family money, and have been made redundant or got ill.

What's complex about councils in London not housing single people, and housing benefit in London not paying the rent?

I haven't said to make them a cup of tea. I've suggested she call the police for welfare concerns and/or the council.

I'm also expressing my shock and disgust that the government has failed to house people in winter during the public health crisis of a pandemic. It's a risk to everybody wrt easy spread if people are street homeless.

@SheepandCow I know it seems unbelievable, but some people actually prefer a transient lifestyle and make themselves ‘unhousable’.

Street homelessness is complex - yes even in London. You don’t go from home to street (or OPs doorstep). There are quite a few sad steps that happen in between.

I know several homeless people, and I’ve worked in social housing. What tends to happen is that safety nets are broken through. Don’t pay rent on private tenancy - move to HMO - don’t pay rent on HMO moved to temporary accommodation. Throw drink, drug abuse or mental health problems into that mix and people end up on the street.

It’s fucking dreadful - but none of this means that the OP should be going out to offer around tea and biscuits to drunk strangers on her doorstep. People suggesting this are being ridiculous and quite frankly irresponsible.

I believe that completely @BananaPop2020
There have always been nomads by choice across all societies and civilisations.

There are also those who desperately need mental health and/or social care. Which should be provided.

Then there's the rest of the homeless population. Who most certainly are not there by choice, who are very much of sound mind, and who shouldn't be left like that simply because of a minority who choose to opt out of housing.