Salon owner forced out of her business as homeless crisis worsens

Yahoo News Australia

Updated 21 August 2019 at 1:30 am

The owner of a salon claims she’s been forced out of her business due to an ongoing homeless crisis.

Elizabeth Novak has closed her salon in Sacramento, California, blaming the closure on homeless people and describing it as “disheartening” to Fox & Friends.

“I’m angry about it as well,” she told the program.

“I wouldn’t be relocating if it wasn’t for this issue.”

Ms Novak claims she’s had her business broken into, had to clean up human faeces from her doorstep and cups of urine.

Rubbish is seen strewn inside a salon in Sacramento, California and outside on the pavement. The owner, Elizabeth Novak, said she's had to close down and move her salon due to the city's homeless problems. — Inside and outside of Elizabeth Novak's salon. Source: Fox & Friends

She added she has compassion for the homeless but with the waste being left behind she can’t clean up after them anymore.

Ms Novak said it’s not a housing issue and blamed it on drugs.

In a Twitter video on her private account, Ms Novak explains she’s been running a business in the city for 15 years.

She’s called on Governor Gavin Newsom to take action.

Mr Newsom is yet to comment.

Pictured is Elizabeth Novak. She said she's closed her salon in Sacramento, California due to rubbish left outside it by homeless people. She claims she's also had break ins. — Ms Novak said she regularly had to clean up faeces and urine outside her business. Source: Facebook/ CA Senate Republican Caucus

Ms Novak isn’t the only business owner frustrated by the city’s homelessness either.

On Friday last week, Joan Borucki, executive director of the Greater Broadway District, launched a civil suit against seven homeless people, Capital Public Radio reported.

“I have recently seen an increase in employees that are threatened with harm by people who are under the influence of drugs,” the suit reads.

Gwen Mayse, while holds her dog, Queenie, as the sun goes down and she ponders where she could park to sleep in her car in Sacramento, California. — Sacramento homeless woman holds her dog Queenie near her car. Source: AAP

Ms Borucki claims “human waste, needle pick up, theft, car break-ins and vandalism” are dealt with “on a daily basis”.

The lawsuit has been heavily criticised with lawyer Mark Merin calling it “a real attack on civil rights”.

Other homeless activists worry if it’s successful it could set a “dangerous precedent”.

Sacramento’s ‘major’ homeless ‘crisis’

According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, in January 2018 California had “an estimated 129,972 experiencing homelessness on any given day”.

California has more homeless people than any other US state.

In Sacramento, there are 36 homeless people per 10,000 residents, according to non-profit homelessness organisation Sacramento Steps Forward.

San Francisco has 91, LA 58 and Santa Clara 50.

One of the suggestions to fight the issue of homelessness in the city is the introduction of safe parking zones, The Sacramento Bee reported.

Laurane Ivey feeds dogs that belong to several homeless people living in cars in Sacramento, California. She said she has been living on the streets since she was 12. — Laurane Ivey, who's been homeless since she was 12, feeds dogs belonging to homeless people in Sacramento. Source: Getty Images

The zones would allow homeless people to sleep in cars without fear of being towed or break-ins.

Activist James Lee Clark said the city’s issue “is a major crisis”.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg told The Bee he wants 2000 homeless people off the streets by 2020.

Part of his action plan includes opening “re-housing shelters” but he will consider safe parking zones as an “interim emergency solution”.

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