ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Residents in St. Augustine are concerned about a parking garage that's rumored to be a safe zone for the homeless.
People sound asleep, lying outside the St. Augustine Historic Downtown Parking Facility is what many people said they've been seeing recently as they park their cars.
Evelyn Hammock, a member of the St. Augustine Vagrant Watch Group, said with so many homeless people sleeping outside the garage, it's as though the area has become a safe zone for vagrants.
But the city of St. Augustine said the garage is not a safe zone, and rumors about that are not true.
Hammock is concerned because she said she's seen vagrants in the area engage in illegal activity, and she's found dangerous items left behind.
"There are needles," Hammock said. "Bottles of empty vodka, we find a lot."
Hammock said the homeless normally stay outside the garage but they have been seen coming inside and charging their phones. She believes the city should create a location where the homeless can congregate.
St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Shaver said the city is doing all it can to help the homeless and enforce its new panhandling ordinance that was passed in April.
It should be noted the vagrants that have been spotted outside the garage haven't been reportedly asking for money, just sleeping.