Neighbours frustrated by homeless tent city

A resident who lives across the street from the homeless tent city on Third Avenue in North Bay is worried about what is happening to his neighbourhood. 

The local man, who wishes to remain anonymous,  says there is a lot of screaming and yelling at all times of the day and night. While there has not been an uptick in local crime, he believes something will happen. 

"I know there are a lot of these homeless people that have mental health issues but the problem with this group is what follows this group a lot of the time is crime," he said. 

He says the new neighbours have made his family feel uncomfortable in their own home. 

"We hear a bunch of screaming matches and some yelling at themselves and my son is now afraid," he said, noting that at least five other area residents support his view on the issue. 

"My son hears these people and he is scared, he is 12 years old and he is worried about it. "

The property that the tent city near downtown North Bay is located on, is owned by retired lawyer Joe Sinicrope and is maintained by the owners and volunteers from HOPE's Kitchen who keep the property clean, have provided a Porta-John, and even provide food for the occupants of the Tent City. 

Sinicrope believes HOPE's Kitchen has done a tremendous job keeping the occupants safe.  

Sinicrope says he understands the opposition from some of the neighbours. In fact, he claims one local neighbour met with him and some of the volunteers and ended up changing her opposing viewpoint. 

"This person, who was totally against it, and is a neighbour there wanted them out and stuff like that," said Sinicrope.

"She left that meeting not being opposed to them being there, she was prepared to volunteer to help there."   

See related: City putting the homeless problem onto taxpayers says property owner

Sinicrope, who grappled with the City of North Bay last November about the garbage on his property due to the homeless. He says the volunteers have made it a priority to keep the property clean. 

However, the local resident believes Sinicrope needs to understand what it is like for the neighbours. 

"It seems like he is trying to do a good thing, but I don't think he is taking into consideration the local people who have to deal with the situation face to face," he said.  

"Where he is living homeless people are not camped across the street in tents. I don't think he would like that and I think he would do whatever it took to not have those people across the street from him but when it is away from his situation and the cost is very limited I think it is an easy out for him. I don't think he really cares how we feel, to be honest, having those people across the street from us."

The neighbour hopes someone will step in. 

"I am hoping it puts some pressure on the local government and essentially the provincial government," he said.  

"It's a mental health issue which is a provincial issue but I think the city has a responsibility too and I would like to see something organized. I don't want to see these people completely on the street and homeless, so they would have no place to stay. That is not what I want but I think something could be established for them, low cost and somewhere maybe a little bit outside of town."  

Sinicrope insists he will not be pressured into kicking the homeless off his property. 

"My message is simple, have compassion for those who are less fortunate than you are," said Sinicrope.  

"Anyone can say there is a potential for something bad to happen and there have been very few incidents in the area.

"I know one person in there who is an Afghanistan war veteran. Some of these people are disabled; there is a woman there whose hands are basically like claws,  so if I was going to get the police to kick them out where would they go?"

But according to Sinicrope, the only yelling he has heard has come from the neighbours. 

"I went there three weeks ago and the only yelling and screaming I heard was a person who was living across the street yelling at one of the volunteers. That is the only screaming that I heard," said Sinicrope. 

But the neighbour argues that the tent city is hurting the value of his property. 

"Right now it is not costing Joe Sinicrope one cent, it's not costing the city one cent," he said.

"It is costing us our peace of mind as local homeowners here fearing maybe for safety. It is a lot cleaner but it is not a campground, it is a public lot. 

"If I go to sell my home and someone is coming to look at my place sees a tent city across the street, well that is not too appealing for a new home buyer so that is one of my main concerns."