Homeless problem growing in downtown Columbus

Complaints about the problems caused by the homeless in Columbus have moved from the east side to downtown.

Police Chief Jon Rohde says his staff will be meeting later this week with officials from the Bartholomew County Public Library to begin to address the shift.

Last year at meetings between city officials and residents and business owners on and around State Street, neighbors expressed many concerns about the homeless people congregating around the Brighter Days homeless shelter. While numbers of certain types of police calls had spiked in that area at that time, Rohde said that has largely moved downtown.

Said the homeless in the community seem to be congregating at the Bartholomew County Public Library. He said that the police department will be meeting with the library officials on Thursday.

Rohde said that the homeless population are individuals, each with different problems and situations.

Rohde spoke at a followup meeting last night with State Street residents.

Fred Barnett, the code enforcement officer for the city, said that during warmer months the homeless move from camps under bridges and into the woods around the city. Since he started, he has broken up more than 30 of those camps and collected 52 tons of trash left behind on public property.

On private property, the city has fewer options, Barnett said. In several areas, private property owners have banded together to address homeless camps and remove the trash themselves. In extreme cases, the city has the option of citing property owners who allow these camps to continue, because there are no legal places for campgrounds under city zoning ordinances.