I don’t begrudge the residents and businesses near Rio Grande who have seen improvements to their neighborhood after years of complaining about the drugs, human waste and safety concerns caused by the large homeless population. We all deserve to feel safe in our communities.
Unfortunately for those of us living in neighborhoods just outside downtown, we have inherited the very problems others fought so hard to eliminate. I understood it best when it was referred to as the “leaf blower” effect. Basically, to show progress in one area of the city, our elected officials have blown the problems associated with the homeless into other areas of the city and into our neighborhoods.