Obviously the sidewalk outside Karl Kemp & Associates Antique store on Madison Ave in the Upper East Side is pricey real estate. The owner has had homeless people using the concrete slab outside as a residence for two years and he can't take it anymore. So the guy is suing the city for $1 million to clean up his exterior image.
From the NY Times:
Besides seeking $1 million in damages — the dealer’s lawyer said he put in a figure for legal reasons — the suit also asks for a restraining order requiring them to stay at least 100 feet from the store. The suit notes that the antiques dealer is located “within the heart of New York’s most exclusive Madison Avenue shopping district,” with neighbors like Gucci, Chanel and Prada.
Mr. Kemp says that the dress and behavior of the homeless people has discouraged some people from going into his store. The suit, which was filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan on Tuesday and was first reported in The New York Sun, identifies the homeless plaintiffs only as John Smith, John Doe, Bob Doe and Jane Doe.
The suit alleges that the Smith and Doe families have discouraged business from his store, while drinking heavily and harassing prospective customers. Mr. Kemp wishes they would take advantage of shelters and is encouraging it by appealing to his landlord to reroute the heating ducts that make the sidewalk so attractive.
The Coalition for the Homeless had some words for Mr. Kemp:
Shelly Nortz, deputy executive director for policy for the Coalition for the Homeless, said Mr. Kemp’s legal action was mean-spirited and that in her 25 years of working as an advocate for the homeless, she had never heard of a similar suit by an individual against a homeless person.
“I think it’s preposterous,” she said. “Until we see to it that every single homeless individual has a place to stay, this is our reality.”
Ms. Nortz also questioned the legitimacy of the lawsuit. “What law is it that these homeless individuals have violated?” she asked. “It’s not spelled out here. The complaint that they somehow occasionally occupy a space that is also home to Gucci and Chanel doesn’t mean that they’re breaking any law.”
Sorry Mr. Kemp, welcome to New York. Instead of complaining try helping out instead of waging a campaign against the homeless. Check out Daily Gotham's take on it as well.
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