Over the last year I have noticed the same people hanging around - at night and during the day. Especially on London Road, also near the underpass/betting shop, and the station forecourt. Are there any statutory agencies that should be reaching out to offer help, or is this just the reality of life now in Forest Hill - a permanent homeless community living on the street?
I have observed this too and was verbally abused by someone as well as spat at without provocation, when I was just using our bin store. I was advised to report to the Police and was told community officers were aware. Not sure if they are advising these individuals of community services they could use?
I’ve always been of the opinion that a lot of them don’t really want to be housed because they enjoy being free from so many of the responsibilities your average taxpayer has to shoulder. Thankfully the triangle in Crystal Palace doesn’t suffer from the same level of rough sleepers as Sydenham and Forest Hill but I guess it’s only a matter of time.
There is one man who I think must be a rough sleeper who walks up and down London Road (twixt Sainsburys and the entrance to Havelock walk mainly)clapping.. he has approached me several times by just standing right in front of me and asking for money..but really close and not moving..I personally find it quite intimidating..I’ve noticed he mainly does this to lone women of all ages both late teens and elderly.
While we’re on the subject has anyone noticed the guy with fairish tousled hair, tanned who always seems to wear white baggy knee length shorts and a blue (I think?)sports jacket and trainers who walks up and down Honor Oak Road and London Road in an odd trance like state?
I once saw him standing as still as a statue unblinking on Honor Oak Rd at about 10am and when I next went past at gone midday he had’nt moved an inch.
I actually find him quite scary..I once saw him being put handcuffed into a police van near Costa but even then he seemed in a trance.
I don’t think he’s homeless because his clothes always look very clean but he is slightly unnerving (more so than someone who’s a bit shouty)
I’m sorry that you had to endure this experience, also feel ashamed that our so-called community was unable to protect you from this.
I hope you feel able to exercise your freedom in spite of what happened.
I think spice might be the cause of the immobility. It’s a popular drug in prisons and among rough sleepers. I haven’t noticed that particular person, but there does seem to be a growing population of street drinkers/dwellers/substance misusers visible. Perhaps the new government’s drive on ending rough sleeping will start to have an impact?
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I knew a guy many years ago who lived half the time with his wife in a nice home on the South coast and half on the streets and subways around Waterloo, where he’d get out of his box on booze. He loved the feeling of being off his head, and I think that must be the same for a lot of these rough sleepers now. So, yeh, Andy Burnham may well do something that gives them all a warm bed every night, but I seriously doubt whether that will alter their want or dependence on being comfortably numbed from real life by simply dropping some cheap tablets, so I’m afraid I won’t be holding my breath for any noticeable difference to what goes on on the streets during the daytimes.
There is a person who I have seen roaming around honor oak, forest hill, and even on the big hill leading down to Peckham Rye a handful of times. He has tousled brown hair and looks very very spaced out (I once saw him walking in the middle of a busy road with traffic), but not sure if it’s the same person described above?
The first time I saw him a couple of months ago he threw a stick/branch at me as I ran past him, it was very close but luckily it missed me so I just continued my run and sped off in a bit of a fright. I’ve seen him around 3-4 times since then and will now always cross the road to avoid! Not sure what we’re meant to do beyond that, even if they seem a bit unsafe.
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this sounds like it could be the guy I mentioned..
He’s very unnerving to me because he just stares in a spaced out manner and I feel he could just lash out…as it seems (if it is indeed the same person) he did with you.
I don’t know why the police were bundling him hand cuffed into a van a few weeks ago..it could be for wandering down middle of road..?
I reckon that a lot of the ‘vacant wanderers’ in Forest Hill and beyond are a manifestation of past governments’ attitudes towards the decriminalisation of increasingly strong strains of cannabis and the long-term consequences have come home to roost on our high streets.
I think my questions to the council would be: ‘What are you doing to ensure persistent, trauma-informed outreach and routes into supported housing for people repeatedly rough sleeping around Forest Hill town centre? And is there currently enough capacity, continuity of support and housing stock for that approach to work?’
If you have any issues with a particular person, then it is probably best to contact the local Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) who will probably already know of the individuals, and it is possible that additional reports could be needed to allow them to take action.
The best person to contact, if not an emergency, is our local, and very friendly, PCSO for Perry Vale:
Dedicated Ward Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)
PCSO Andrea WOOLRYCH - 7238SE
SE BCU – Perry Vale Safer Neighbourhood Team
Andrea.I.Woolrych@met.police.uk
and for Forest Hill there’s also the MetEngage team ( Forest Hill Safer Neighbourhoods Team - Met Engage ) and I believe the PCSO is Amie Mcreery (though I cannot get the right email)
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Why should the Borough provide housing and other expensive services to people who randomly show up on the streets of Forest Hill? Currently we can’t even get the streets cleaned!
There not truly homeless. How many do you see in the pouring rain or the snow. They collect money and use it for whatever. I had seen a guy given a police dispersal order for sitting under the forest hull station tunnel ( he eas actively dealing drugs and causing a problem) he broke the order came back and was arrested . The tunnel now is a lot safer than it was.
I don’t think anyone is suggesting unsafe or criminal behaviour should be ignored. My question is what happens alongside enforcement: whether there is persistent outreach, supported housing and enough capacity to help people whose underlying problems keep bringing them back onto the street.
I’d also be a bit cautious about the “why should the borough help people who show up here?” framing. There may be legitimate questions about which authority has formal responsibility, but if someone is rough sleeping and visibly unwell in Forest Hill, they still need a route into support. Otherwise we’re just moving the problem between boroughs rather than resolving it.
Would you be willing to accommodate a homeless person? I’m full.
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The other day, one of them went into a shop, picked things off the shelves, put them on the counter next to the items someone was in the process of buying on his card and asked for those items to be added to the bill. The unfortunate customer shrugged his shoulders and actually paid.
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I think that’s actually really sweet [of the unfortunate customer]- but people shouldn’t be put in that position.
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Morning,
I have read all the comments here and yes, I agree there is noticeably more on the streets of Forest Hill.
Is it worth taking it up with our council? Who is our MP? I am in the Perry Vale constituency.
Thanks
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There is one individual who has approached me five times asking for money. Fortunately he now recognises that I won’t pay up and he now leaves me alone.