As I See It
Is La Crosse trying to clean the park, or remove the homeless?
The City of La Crosse sure isn’t in any hurry to enforce its newest law. Two weeks ago the La Crosse City Council amended its ordinance regarding camping in city parks and parking ramps. Police said that would give them the tools they need to keep the homeless out of the parks. But since that new law passed, there is little evidence of it being enforced. There are about 25 homeless people camping out, many in tents, in Cameron Park. Police have been called to the park and nearby ramp many times but don’t seem to be kicking out the unsheltered. Perhaps they don’t want to be seen as mean. Because on Monday, the city park department will close Cameron Park for “cleaning” and “maintenance.” It is the second time in as many months the city closed the same park to clean it. Not to say it isn’t dirty, but this seems a ploy to get the homeless to move, which they will have to do again. But two months ago, most of those kicked out just hung out across the street until the fencing came down and the park was reopened. It seems likely they will do so again. How does this solve the problem? And why did the city go to such lengths to amend its ordinance if it isn’t going to bother to enforce it?
Hank Kasson
July 28, 2023 at 9:36 am
WTH? Is happening to the homeless in Lacrosse?
If I’m up to date! La crosse city council won’t let the homeless; sleep in parks, and they refuse to let the homeless people sleep in a tent on the Church property? ? So WTH are the homeless in Lacrosse Supposed to do??
How about they all hang out at Chris Kalows?? Or the new FD station?
Or maybe we should have a protest sleep over at Mayor Reynolds house?
You pass so many laws to ban the homeless from having a place to live/ sleep?
Buy all you care about is your own life??
You refuse to give the La Crosse Catholic Charities or The La Crosse Salvation ?? What are we supposed to do about this homeless person, situation in La Crosse???
K.G. Szymczak
July 28, 2023 at 1:57 pm
They are a bunch of low life scumbag drug addicts. So I personally think they need to go straight the fuck to jail, or get a goddam job. I’ll agree with you on one thing, however. That Pinko mayor Mitch Reynolds created this situation, so they should go camp in his yard and use his garage for a rain shelter. How about it, Mitch?
walden
July 29, 2023 at 11:41 am
The City and the County have spent or committed to spend $15 million to support the “homeless” in the last 5 years. Rooms earmarked for homeless are to be included in the new Hillview Home and will be accompanied by drug use and trafficking, police calls, bed bug infestations, etc. Our seniors deserve better.
The Homeless Industrial Complex won’t treat these poor wretches for their mental disease and can’t get ahead of the drug supply. The mayor should resign if he isn’t able to show progress or willing to make the tough calls. Enough is enough.
Gaylord Perry
July 29, 2023 at 4:25 pm
How about getting a job and paying your own way rather than just letting the tax payers pay and pay
Yvonne
July 29, 2023 at 4:36 pm
What should the city do? I agree with you but the more the city spends (last winter the city spent over a million housing the hundreds of homeless (many are drug addicts) in North side hotels).The police had hundreds of calls that winter for drug, robberies, rapes & trafficking. What is your solution? You can’t just house them, they also need food, healthcare, etc. The churches can’t let them sleep in tents…with all their other needs. Where do they go to the bathroom, clean up, shower, where do they eat? Who is giving them drugs, needles and other things. Whose paying for those things? You feel sorry for them but neither you or the city have any worthwhile solutions. Mitch is a do thing Mayor, he doesn’t care about the people of La Crosse. We have a myriad of problems & issues that he hasn’t addressed yet. Our streets are full of potholes and drug dealers. He should resign, he should be ashamed for doing 0 fir the city.
Jack
July 28, 2023 at 1:03 pm
What needs to be done is find out the reason they are homeless and give them the resources to get themselves to get the help they need to pull themselves out of homelessness.
Mike Kopski
July 29, 2023 at 8:30 am
Give each of them 2000.00, and a bus ticket to a sanctuary state of there choice.
Yvonne
July 31, 2023 at 10:29 pm
Yes, I love that idea. Kuddos !
Kent Porter
July 29, 2023 at 4:41 pm
EXACTLY. MAYOR MITCH AND THE CITY COUNCIL COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE ADDICTED HOMELESS UNLESS THEY START CAMPING OUT ON THEIR DOORSTEPS LETS WORK WITH GUNDERSEN AND MAYO TO HELP THESE ADDICTS GET OFF THE VODKA METH CRACK AND HEROIN. WE COULD HAVE ONE PARK WITH A MASH TENT COUNSELORS AND LOCAL COMPANYS TO GET THESE FOLKS FIXED UP. IF THEY REFUSE HELP THEN THEY CAN GET ON THE BUS AND GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR ONCE PRISTINE TOWN. ITS CALLED TOUGH LOVE. WRITE IN KENT PORTER FOR MAYOR I WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. THAT GOES FOR CRIMINAL REPEAT OFFENDERS. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
J.Boland
July 29, 2023 at 9:24 pm
This is such a complex issue with pros and cons on each side of the spectrum. I believe if we go back to pre covid-19 and have a day shelter where they come for a few hours,get out of the seasons elements,they can do laundry and shower and have snacks as well as computers for them to reach out for job opportunities. Then we need a year round non-denominational night shelter from let’s say 7pm to 7am. They need outlets to obtain life’s necessities like listed above. A day shelter keeps them out of the park for when the kids are not in school or so the kids in the school across from Cameron can have their lunches without fear of the homeless. I think this would help alot. It worked before it’ll work again!
Brandon
July 30, 2023 at 6:25 am
You people who think the mayor is the only problem in these previous comments should look at yourselves. You’re really advocating for more homelhelp for transients who came here because you opened up a cushy hotel for them to stay at? Just go puck one or two up and take them home to your family. How do you see this as a government responsibility to support people who just want to live on the edge of society and do nothing. The ones you attracted to our beautiful town are transients not mentally handicapped homeless. They make signs travel to the most convenient panhandling locations, carry tents with them, many have a traveling dog companion. This isnt migrants from a repressed nation that moved here to avoid persecution these are a bunch of drug using drifters. We should rename cameron park cabrini green park. I know you people mean well but this is the wrong fight.
walden
July 30, 2023 at 9:23 pm
Its Sunday July 30 and the homeless encampment/drug den/brothel is back. You now have your answer.
Kent Porter
August 1, 2023 at 6:24 am
It is a city PARK for familys to go and spend a day throwing a ball and so the kids can PLAY , THIS IS NOT A CAMPGROUND FOR PEOPLE THAT REFUSE TO WORK !!!!!!!!!