Charleston city workers removed more than half a dozen benches from the Lee Street Triangle Wednesday after receiving "numerous" complaints about some of the homeless people who use them.
Jerry Hill, director of the Public Grounds office and former Charleston police officer of 27 years, confirmed that Mayor Danny Jones ordered seven benches to be removed from the triangle.
The fact that homeless people use the benches wasn't the problem, Hill said. The situation worsened when some of them began storing personal belongings and other items on the benches and throwing trash on the ground.
"They were sleeping there during the day and the trash was horrendous," he said. "We picked up this morning at least a bag full of trash."
Hill said the complaints have come from nearby businesses and people who frequently walk past the triangle. He said some people also complained that they were being harassed by the homeless.
Jones discussed the decision to have the benches removed during his radio show on 580 WCHS Wednesday morning.
"I think it's the only thing we could have done at this particular time," Jones said. "We cannot allow our town to be taken over like that, because it makes it unsafe and it makes people feel intimidated when they shop in that particular area and walk in that particular area."
Jones received heavy criticism in January when he called for the disbanding of Charleston's "Tent City" beneath the Spring Street bridge over the Elk River.
Hill doesn't necessarily think that's related to the issues at the triangle, nor does he believe Charleston's transient population has grown in recent years.
"It comes and goes - I don't think this year is worse than any other I've seen. [When] they come to more visible spots, it's more noticeable."
Despite cleaning up the triangle area several times in the past few weeks, "it kept getting like that," he said. "We had gotten numerous complaints in the last couple weeks."
An employee at Oddbird Gift Emporium, which is directly across Capitol Street from the Triangle, said they've dealt with people loitering inside the shop, asking for money or to use their phone.
Jason Myer, who runs the Super Weenie hot dog stand that sits across the street from the triangle, said he doesn't have a problem with the benches or the people who use them.
"One of my best customers hangs out [there] - he's a super nice guy," Myer said. "I had no complaints about those benches being there or the people hanging out on [them]."
Removing the benches is just a temporary fix, and Hill said he doesn't know when crews will put them back. "We're sure they'll move somewhere else," he said.
He said city officials have discussed the option of buying new benches with built-in arm rests to prevent people from lying down on them.
Issues related to the city's homeless aren't limited to the Lee Street Triangle. Hill said many parks and other city-owned properties have had similar issues.
He said one way to mitigate that is a simple fix: increase visibility.
In nearby Davis Park, for example, city crews have removed some bushes and low-hanging tree limbs so people have fewer places to set up a shelter or stash their belongings.
The same thing happened at Slack Plaza a few weeks ago.
People were staying behind some bushes next to the People's Building, out of sight from traffic and pedestrians.
"We found tables, backpacks and a grill," Hill said. "If you walk by there now, you can see all the way through it."
The issue also isn't limited to downtown Charleston.
Last week, the Living AIDS Memorial Garden on Washington Street East, next to McDonalds, was taped off. A sign posted at the garden says it will be closed until November for maintenance.
Bruce Severino, who heads the organization that created the garden, said a company is planting new grass and placing rocks beneath the tables and benches.
Because of the high number of people who hang around the garden, "they've gotten rid of the grass; it looks like a giant mud hole," Severino said.
"It's been terrible this summer. We thought if we close the park, maybe people will find someplace else to go."
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.