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[Southsider2k12]

https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/m...2aXITH4S0N7udY4

Michigan City business owners and residents packed a City Council meeting Tuesday night to talk about the homeless population after the mayor removed benches from the city’s arts district, in an effort to discourage loitering.

Jessi Cundiff, who owns a resale shop in the Arts District, said he’s going to go out of business if something is not done. The homeless are scaring him and his customers.


And he said he understands their sentiments.

"Nobody’s going to want to come down there and shop and be bothered and have their cars beat on and people pooping on their cars," Cundiff said. "A lady sat and squatted on a lady’s car and pooped on it and then picked it up and walked away with it.”

He said removing the benches was probably not the answer. One homeless man agreed. Resident Christine Kissell was very critical of the decision to remove the benches.

“I say what a wonderful thing that the homeless can sleep on a G.D. bench, but we have a mayor that is so spiteful and hateful to humanity to take those benches away from those that have nothing is so shameful," she said.

Mayor Duane Parry was not in attendance. A church in the arts district put its own benches out. Many said the city needs to help the homeless.