A sprawling homeless encampment stretching roughly 12 blocks along Manhattan’s West Side is alarming people who live, work and visit nearby, with several telling Fox News Digital that the city is not doing enough to address the tents, trash and reported illegal activity."I think it’s embarrassing," said Joan G., a woman who did not want to reveal her last name told Fox News Digital near the encampment.A nearby construction-site security guard who identified himself only as "Joe the Dog Man" also criticized the city’s response."I just don't think enough is being done," he said.HOUSING FIRST IS A DISASTER.
I SAW SACRAMENTO'S HOMELESS CHAOS FIRSTHANDTents and personal belongings line a sidewalk near the Intrepid Museum on Manhattan’s West Side on July 15, 2026. (John M.Taggart/Fox News Digital)Mamdani initially paused encampment sweeps after taking office, fulfilling an early campaign promise, but later introduced a revised removal policy that gives homeless-services teams seven days to conduct outreach before an encampment can be dismantled."They gotta clean them up, they gotta keep on top of them," Joe said.
"This seven-day stuff, or whatever it is now, is really not working."City outreach workers visited the encampment this week and were seen primarily collecting trash while many tents remained in place.Joe told Fox News Digital he believed that police should be given greater authority to enforce the city’s rules."I think we need to enforce and give the police the right to do their job," he said.NYPD officers patrol near encampments along Manhattan’s West Side on July 15, 2026.(John M.
Taggart/Fox News Digital)The encampments near the Intrepid Museum have drawn complaints about blocked sidewalks, trash and illegal activity."It’s terrible," Joe said."Drugs, prostitution and everything else in between."SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER MAMDANI'S FAR-LEFT SUPPORTERS TURN ON HIM OVER HOMELESS SHELTER: 'OOPS'A woman walks past tents and belongings near the In...