3rd Street crime concerns

Jonathon, a Bayview resident on Newcomb, writes that he is...

"...concerned about the southwest corner of Newcomb and Third Streets, where there is a market. There seems to always be a homeless encampment or group of people loitering on the Newcomb Street side of the corner market. Most of the time I have walked by, there is also an old car, with the hood or trunk up, the car door open, with lots of rubbish piled high on the of or hood of the car, and refuse sitting around on the sidewalk. There is often spoiled food laying in the gutter or sidewalk, and the area has a strong stench. There is usually a group of 4 or more people camped out beside the market, who are drinking, talking, blocking the access to walk to the corner. The whole block from Newhall to Third Street often has lots of litter, including needles at times, and I regularly find small liquor bottles sitting on the fence in front of the house I live in, as well as countless cigarette butts...I hope that something can be done about the perpetual camp out all day long at the corner of Newcomb and Third, and that the sidewalks can be washed and cleaned, to take care of the stench."

Another Newcomb resident, a leader with the Newcomb Model Block program, confirmed that the problems are very real, and that those responsible do not reside in the neighborhood.

Juan, another leader with the Newcomb Model Block program adds...

"We have lived on Newcomb Avenue for over 18 years and have been complaining about that corner it seems like forever now. There are two liquor stores side by side, this seems to be the main attraction for people to hang out. Until one is closed or both it will be hard to change. There is also a methadone treatment center behind the old police building no one on our block was ever notified about and now we have more people coming into the block. We will transform Newcomb Ave from Newhall to Phelps by the end of this year and we hope this will make the city take notice of 3rd and Newcomb and maybe we can transform that section too."