UPDATE: The Villages has now signed the no trespass order needed for local law enforcement.
In the last 72ish hours multiple calls have been made by residents to the Sumter Co. Sheriff’s office and Wildwood Police (who have been timely and compassionate in their responses) regarding ongoing sightings of homeless persons (with and without shopping carts ) crossing the Chitty Chatty bridge at various times of the day and night, wandering the streets of The Village as well as the MMP along Chitty Chatty and Bradford. Last evening’s observations included one of the individuals discarding empty liquor bottles as well as an empty Rx bottle in the streets as well as frightening a woman walking her dog. Both law enforcement agencies have told residents that the area near the bridge where it appears the persons are camping is owned by The Villages and therefore is private property. By law, the authorities must have a no trespassing order on file from TV in order to take action. They do not currently possess such an order. Calls to Community Watch and Community Standards have ended with, “it’s not our jurisdiction.” The CDD is now engaged and looking into who is responsible for the area around CC bridge and the woods/preserve. So for all those who paid a premium to live near the preserve, lucky you to get a front row seat of a homeless encampment as well as having these individuals who clearly need mental health support roam the streets of your Village making the residents and guests feel unsafe and (presently) twisting in the wind and unsupported by The Villages. Godspeed…

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Joined 2015 , posts 5 , hmmmmmmmmmm?

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com

Joined 2015 , posts 5 , hmmmmmmmmmm?

Whatever. So not posting every day on every subject makes any post less true or less impactful? What’s your point? You want confirmation? Come sit at the base of the bridge.

[billethkid]

what does "...just in time for the snow bird arrival..." have to do with the "homeless encampment"?

__________________________________________________ __

[Kenswing]

I can personally attest that there’s at least one. Saw an elderly gentleman pushing a shopping cart this morning along the MMP in Bradford while on my way to Lake Deaton Plaza.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

There are people camped behind strip malls , Walmarts and just about any place you can camp in woods , was he bothering anyone , was it just seeing him that scared someone , and stating we all paid a premium to live next to a homeless camp is a little over the top

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com

There are people camped behind strip malls , Walmarts and just about any place you can camp in woods , was he bothering anyone , was it just seeing him that scared someone , and stating we all paid a premium to live next to a homeless camp is a little over the top

Wow. So, yes…someone having an animated, agitated conversation with themselves while pushing a stolen shopping cart over the bridge and stumbling through the community in the daylight is unnerving enough, but then in the dark - intoxicated and throwing empty liquor and pill bottles in the streets - and making someone out for a walk with their dog feel unsafe is definitely a legitimate concern regardless of the price of a home, but paying a premium for that is, as you said, over the top. Then being told law enforcement has their hands tied because they’ve not been provided the legal authority they require to take action to get violators out of a protected preserve and (hopefully) find them the mental healthcare they need… it’s unacceptable.

[Decadeofdave]

Homeless snowbirds......eh?

[Buckeyephan]

Interesting to read this. Around noon today, I was driving past Rohan and noticed a man pushing a shopping cart that appeared to contain personal belongings. Regrettably, if these folks are allowed to camp out in The Villages, word will certainly spread that it is being ignored.

[Garywt]

Homelessness is a terrible thing but unfortunately you can’t have them set up on private property. If nothing is done and something ever happens to a Village resident we will be kicking ourselves for doing nothing. Hopefully it can be solved quickly and quietly.

[LAFwUs]

We live in one of, if not the furthest village south of FL-44 as possible currently. Some here have nick-named it "the deserted island" cuz, well...thats how it looks & feels. We border the turnpike.
anyway, We get both homeless and vagrant types coming thru rather often, believe it or not.

Walking alone, in pairs, carrying backpacks, pushing broken down bicycles, dirty, disheveled and clearly not residents. I see them normally around dusk, ruling out that they could be workers/laborers here working.

Literally last week, wife & I were on the golf course, when we encountered an individual, clearly homeless, hiking it between the turn pike & the golf course path, tracing the turnpike. We spotted him pop up from the edge brush, inside of what constitutes a "fence" there, moving in gradually to the golf course itself - where I can only assume walking for him was easier. He saw us, but didn't care. We continued to observe him as he walked west until he was out of sight.
It would not surprise me if there were some camping out near the new bridge is being constructed, or squatting temporarily in all that new village construction that's being built along the turnpike, as it is easily accessible by foot without detection, from non-village areas.

Anyone whose been out this way or checked out Newell development in person, could easily see how that could take place without anyone really noticing.
I've seen exactly ONE village patrol vehicle come thru this area in the entire year we've lived here, yet see them everywhere when we travel north of FL-44. There is NO -ONE patrolling or even monitoring out here that I can determine. I'm absolutely sure that near total lack of patrolling, does not go un-noticed by those seeking temporary hiding where they shouldn't be.
:/

[bobeaston]

Originally Posted by [snipped

... “it’s not our jurisdiction.” The CDD is now engaged and looking into who is responsible for the area around CC bridge and the woods/preserve. [snipped]

One feels the frustration of being shunned by several organizations operated by The Villages. How to get the attention of someone who cares is the challenge.

Suggestion: When this story becomes more widely known, it could affect sales. If as many people call their Villages sales reps as call the police, the word will soon get to someone in The Villages that can get something done. Call those reps and the word will travel "upward" pretty quickly.

[Cobullymom]

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com

Joined 2015 , posts 5 , hmmmmmmmmmm?

In other words, if they don't camp out everyday on a subjective, chatty, social forum, they cannot be trustworthy?

[Normal]

Is it OK to be more afraid of SOME of the residents who are fortunate enough to live here than those less than lucky in life?

Yes, police will take care of what they need to as the law permits. And your ivory clean washed towers may stand as long as you are around. But be careful with your complaints, you could easily be the one someone calls the cops on someday.

[elevatorman]

Maybe someone could contact their church and ask for help. A shelter may be available for homeless in the area.