Livermore residents are fed up, voicing their complaints about the homeless situation, saying the homeless people are now getting violent.
The problem is happening in the area of First and Second streets.
Desperate for a place to sleep and supplies to survive, some say the homeless have been shoplifting from stores and then heading back to their camps.
The mayor says it’s a regional problem. The city is well aware.
People say they love downtown Livermore but they’ve seen an increase in homelessness.
There’s major concern after a reported assault at a grocery store. A Facebook post has residents in Livermore on high-alert.
A woman said she was assaulted at this grocery store and sent to the emergency room after she tried to stop shoplifters from stealing a pack of lighters.
The shoplifters are apparently homeless and living at an encampment off Highway 580.
“You know, when someone gets assaulted, that’s when we need to all come together in this city and say enough is enough,” resident Deanna Smith said. “We need to come up with a better solution.”
Smith does not know the victim but says homelessness has been going on in Livermore for quite some time.
“People go in grocery stores, drug stores, fill up their backpack, and then go down to the creek,” Smith said.
“I won’t go shopping at night,” Smith’s daughter April Lalls said. “Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, anything near the creek is just off-limits for me.”
Lalls noticed a spike in homelessness in the downtown area.
“I work downtown,” Lalls said. “I’m downtown going out to dinner, lunch all the time, and all you ever see is people pushing shopping carts and trash everywhere, and right in front of my office there’s people going to the bathroom.”
Mayor John Marchand says the city is aware of the growing problem and needs the community’s help.
“When they see a problem, don’t just post it on Nextdoor, don’t post it on Facebook, call the city because we don’t have the resources to just look at rants and raves,” Marchand said. “Let us know so we can get the resources out to help these people.”
Livermore police confirm there have been calls of complaints about shoplifting involving the homeless.
The mayor also assigned two police officers to monitor them.
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