ST. LOUIS — The clearing out of a controversial, makeshift homeless encampment on the lawn of St. Louis City Hall was an all-day event Tuesday.
Under the watchful eye of police, the city said the singles, couples and families with pets had to go.
"It's heartbreaking. I never thought I'd be in this situation," Gino McCoy said.
McCoy said he and his pregnant wife were former business owners in Phoenix, but they were left suddenly homeless and living at the encampment three weeks ago when they moved to St. Louis with their three dogs.
"I just literally had to put my dogs, who are like my kids, in foster care because I can't take them with me," McCoy said.
For more than a month, the people had been living in tents on the lawn of City Hall in the heart of downtown St. Louis, near Market Street and Tucker Boulevard. Some were set up right under the office of Mayor Tishaura Jones.
However, the city decided to break up the encampment at 10:01 p.m. Monday by enforcing a curfew law that effectively closes parks in the city between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless a person has a permit.
"No, I don't want to leave," McCoy said.
Seeing their tents now broken down, brought McCoy to tears.
"This was the only place where I could keep all my dogs and keep my wife together," he said. "This was home, and they took it from us, and that's wrong."
"Many of them are going to other shelters and other locations where hopefully they can get the support they need," 7th Ward Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier said.
Several organizations, including the Metropolitan Urban League of St. Louis, showed up Tuesday to help the nearly 40 homeless people transfer from tents to the city's federally-funded Tiny Homes Transitional Village, near Jefferson Avenue and Delmar Boulevard.
The city said another goal was to help these folks find jobs.
"I just don't like how any of this was handled," said William Clay, who, along with his seven-months-pregnant wife, had to leave the homeless encampment and go to a shelter. "They will move us around, and then, we'll eventually end up back on the streets."
"This is not leadership. This is now what leaders do. Shame on all of them," McCoy said through tears.
By late evening, Mayor Jones sent the following statement:
“The City took action to save lives and protect people. Full stop. My administration navigated this complex situation to connect dozens of unhoused residents to shelter and resources while addressing a growing public safety hazard. This is a testament to the collective work of City employees as well as the major investments the City has made to improve access to shelter and double our number of tiny homes.
“Homelessness and housing instability cannot be fixed overnight, but St. Louis is breaking from past practices by ensuring we have places for people to go where they can get support and on a path to permanent housing. While this process is never perfect, and the work is never finished, those housed today will sleep more safely tonight.
“I am especially grateful to all the City employees who came together to resolve this issue, from the outreach workers who made dozens of trips to the site, to the Forestry and Park workers cleaning and repairing the grounds, to SLMPD officers who secured the location. I am also thankful to Ald. Aldridge for working with my administration to de-escalate tensions and coordinate outreach on-site today."
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