Homeless Around Prospect Park

Has anyone noticed the number of homeless people who now seem to inhabit Prospect Park? Specifically around the Pavilion Theater?

I've lived in Windsor Terrace my entire life and honestly can never remember seeing any homeless here before, but now in the past month or two when I take my dog to the park, I see more and more taking up residence around the circle and claiming their own spots every night. Some of them drink alcohol openly and throw their belongings over the fence when they leave for the day before coming back at night. The benches around the circle now always have a lot of garbage around them. Last night when taking the dog someone asked me for a dollar and when I didn't give him anything, he started to curse me out.

Has anyone else noticed this or have any reason why so many homeless are now there? I thought it was from the armory on 8th avenue, but I heard that they were turning it into an athletic center.

The shelter in the armory is for women only and as far as I know it will stay open when the armory turns into a rec center (which will probably be long after all of us are too old and decrepit to use it).

If you are talking about the circle inside the traffic circle, that has been kind of unsavory for as long as I can remember. I've also noticed people who appear to be homeless camped out inside the park near the fence that separates it from Prospect Park Southwest, but I haven't noticed an increase recently.

While I'm not a lifetime resident, I've been in WT for 9 years. The homeless have always been there. Their numbers don't seem to be growing from year to year

There may be a seasonal increase as I believe that in the winter there is a "round up" to get people off the street once the temperature is below freezing. I think that might account for why you may notice more people in the warmer seasons.

they always been there for more than past decade as long as i can remmber.