Complaints About Filth, Foul Smells Prompt Police To Order Homeless Out Along Fifth Ave.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A walk through Downtown Pittsburgh can be quite enjoyable, but people who walk along Fifth Avenue, right by the old Macy's store say it has been anything but.
Bottles of urine, papers filled with feces and a smell that will make you sick. For the past few weeks, the number of homeless people on Fifth Avenue and Cherry Way has been growing.
"The smell today was worse. You could smell it all the way down the street," said Colleen Davis, who works Downtown.
The area has become an eyesore. Sleeping bags, personal belongings stored in large trash bags and the remnants of makeshift bathrooms.
For the homeless, it's a comfortable place to stay with a roof for protection.
"Me and my friends, we've been staying here about a month. We're homeless," said Alex, one of the people living in the camp.
"There are usually about 10, maybe 15 here," added Billy Haes, another man living there.
But Pittsburgh Police came by around 11 a.m. Wednesday and reportedly told the group they had an hour to pack up their stuff and get out.
"I've no clue where we're going to be at," said Haes.
"Apparently, there have been complaints by the owner," added Alex.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
And if not the owner, people who work or just walk in the area have complained loud and clear.
"Fifth Avenue was the grand avenue of the city years ago when we were teenagers. We could get dressed to come to town, so its unbelievable when you see the conditions," said Pittsburgh resident Richard Edmunds.
Getting the campers out is the first step, next will come cleaning up the area. It's a start, but people who come Downtown hope it's more of an ending.