Homeless population up in West Side neighborhood

Residents worry about influx of drugs, city looking for solutions

SAN ANTONIO – It's a residential neighborhood that has a lot of new neighbors, unwanted neighbors.

A small section of the city's West Side has seen a dramatic increase in the homeless population, and residents who live there say the homeless aren't just panhandling. The community is desperate for solutions.

On North Zarzamora Street, between Houston and Commerce streets, is a quaint, quiet little neighborhood. These days people that live there say they are experiencing an influx of new faces.

"Yeah just hanging out. You'll see them passed out drunk here at the washeteria, or across the street by the little store. It doesn't look good to the neighborhood," said a resident who did not want to be identified. 

Several residents we spoke to did not want to be identified, but said the homeless are all over the streets.

"There's a lot of people that come out here and they strong-arm people with the hustling thing. Here at Bill Miller's, I can name a couple of spots," said another resident. 

District 5 City Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, who has lived in the area for many years, said the change happened fairly recently. Buildings downtown became occupied pushing the homeless out of their usual locations.

"We definitely have seen an increase of homeless people on the street. They seem to be younger, than we've seen in the past, and they seem to be also using a lot of drugs," Gonzales said.

Gonzales says drugs are now a big problem for the neighborhood, and the city is doing what it can, to offer services.

"At Haven for Hope we have so many services for the people that need them. For families, for individuals, for people in every stage of recovery, we have options for them at Haven for Hope." Gonzales said. 

For Gonzales and residents alike, the task is now encouraging them to actually use it. "My hope is that they go and get recovery for whatever it is, that their situation is, and they become productive people," Gonzales said. 

Gonzales says there will be a community meeting in the next two weeks to address this issue.