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A sprawling homeless encampment stretching roughly 12 blocks along Manhattan’s West Side is alarming people who live, work and visit nearby, with several telling Fox News Digital that the city is not doing enough to address the tents, trash and reported illegal activity.
“I think it’s embarrassing,” said Joan G., a woman who did not want to reveal her last name told Fox News Digital near the encampment.
A nearby construction-site security guard who identified himself only as “Joe the Dog Man” also criticized the city’s response. “I just don’t think enough is being done,” he said.
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Mamdani initially paused encampment sweeps after taking office, fulfilling an early campaign promise, but later introduced a revised removal policy that gives homeless-services teams seven days to conduct outreach before an encampment can be dismantled.
“They gotta clean them up, they gotta keep on top of them,” Joe said. “This seven-day stuff, or whatever it is now, is really not working.”
City outreach workers visited the encampment this week and were seen primarily collecting trash while many tents remained in place.
Joe told Fox News Digital he believed that police should be given greater authority to enforce the city’s rules.
“I think we need to enforce and give the police the right to do their job,” he said.
The encampments near the Intrepid Museum have drawn complaints about blocked sidewalks, trash and illegal activity.
“It’s terrible,” Joe said. “Drugs, prostitution and everything else in between.”
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Some people at the encampment appeared to be drawing power from utility poles, prompting an NYPD response Tuesday.
“The NYPD has not been given the green light to clean this encampment up, but we are ready to do so,” an NYPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The New York Post reported that sex workers were bringing customers to tents and nearby bathrooms, citing interviews with people in the area. Fox News Digital has not independently verified that claim.
The encampment runs from 34th Street to 46th Street along 11th Avenue. The encampment’s proximity to the Intrepid Museum and Javits Center has also raised concerns about its effect on tourism.
Karen, a visitor from Belgium, said she was disappointed by what she viewed as the government’s failure to support homeless people.
“It’s sad that they’re not getting the support they promised them,” Karen said. “I don’t know how it works here in America, but yeah, like when a politician promises to help people, they should help everyone.”
Mamdani made expanding housing assistance and changing the city’s treatment of homeless New Yorkers central parts of his mayoral campaign. The socialist mayor promised to expand the city’s housing voucher program but later appealed a court order requiring its expansion. His administration said the appeal was necessary to pursue an expansion that would be financially sustainable over the medium and long term.
“Shame on us. We have so much wealth in this city,” Joan said of the conditions and the city’s failure to house people living on the street.
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“I’m okay with paying more,” she continued. “Taxpayer dollars help people who don’t have a place to stay — give them shelter, give them food, help them get trained, get a job, whatever.”
Mamdani said earlier this week that the encampments would be cleared, although he did not give a specific timetable.
Mamdani’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
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“Make this a better place for everyone, make it a better place for tourists,” Joan said.
“This is not a great look for us,” she continued. “Great city. We can do better.”
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