Homeless Encampment Across the Street

Homeless Encampment Across the Street

Member since 2015 · 1 post · 0 votes

We just put one of our rehab properties on the market a couple of weeks ago, and during the open house yesterday we saw a huge sign across the street on an empty lot owned by a nearby church.  They are bringing in a homeless encampment onto the large lot.  The sign shows that the lot will be occupied by a lot of colorful tents.

My fear is that this will scare away all of our buyers.  The area itself is filled with $500k+ homes (up to a few million dollars), and buyers with that kind of money tend to be picky.

We're considering refinancing (out of our hard money) and turn it into a rental, airbnb, or lease option and wait until they eventually move out (since these "tent cities" tend to stay in a place for 3 months to a couple of years)... but who would want to live in the house across from the homeless?  We're also not sure our income would qualify for a conventional refinance at the high price point, and that we'll have negative cash flow (and potentially no tenants).

Any advice on how to get out of this sticky situation?

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  • Investor · Riverside, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    11y

    Raise a stink at the next city council meeting. Putting a crowd of homeless people into a tent city is not solving the issue. That's nothing more than a rudimentary internment camp! I'm sure they need some type of permit and permits typically require notifying neighbors so they have a chance to voice opposition to any zoning use change be it permanent or temporary.

    There must be some more appropriate place in your city that would better serve the needs of the homeless than a vacant lot full of tents.

  • Investor · Dyersburg, TN · Member since 2015 · 320 posts · 100 votes
    11y

    Is that even legal?  I would do as much as I could to stop that...

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