Cost of doing business on Calder: hire your own security

Amid small businesses across the nation struggling to stay afloat and competitive against big-box brick-and-mortar shops and the ever-burgeoning online marketplace, shops on Beaumont’s Calder Avenue are faced with yet another burden as homeless, drunk, drug-addicted and often mentally unwell guests line the sidewalks and fill the lobbies with blood, urine and chaos.

In agreement to keep the specific locations private, The Examiner sat down with several Calder Avenue business owners, detailing recent incidents causing them to lose money, customers and a sense of safety.

Among many Calder Avenue businesses detailing problems with loiterers is an eating establishment that is frequently called on to address non-paying guests napping on the sidewalk and harassing patrons. Staff report the harassment occurs on a daily basis. Just a few weeks ago, a mentally unwell person entered said eating establishment and caused quite the scene, a witness told The Examiner, screaming and hollering, making customers and staff uncomfortable and unsafe. As a result, the business owner called Beaumont PD, reportedly to the underwhelming response of a suggestion to hire private security.

“So, we hired an off-duty Beaumont PD officer at $55 per hour,” said the man working the register. “But, we cannot afford to keep security on site every single day.”

Employees said police presence immediately deterred the unwanted and unpaying guests from loitering nearby, but the financial burden of hiring an officer is not a solution owners can afford long-term.

Down the street, a retailer added that loitering during shop after-hours was likewise problematic. It’s been some time since the retail shop has been broken into, but the witness told The Examiner that their live-in neighbor has been helping run people off for a while now.

“We had to board the door up and the cops suggested we put bars on the windows and doors after several break-ins, but that’s not really our look,” the young lady employee said. “It was really sad; we had someone overdose at the bus stop not too long ago, and had to call for help.”

As business owners and investors buy into building Beaumont, they say police presence on Calder has increased slightly, but not enough to deter constant criminal activity. Making the public’s security a private business problem has added to the entrepreneurs’ stress. Several office buildings along Calder report substantial loss and one local landlord details his loss at over $100,000 since the purchase of the building.

“They stole five new AC units right after they were installed and even stole the security cameras,” the business owner recounted. “Apparently, there was a fight and the loser came into our lobby bleeding everywhere, not to mention the woman who came in and decided to get completely naked.”

The business owner said that he and his tenants have called police between 20 and 30 times in the last six months to report incidents including defecation and sexually explicit activities.

Nearby, another business owner said she has been at her spot on Calder for five years. According to her, homeless people aren’t the only problem.

“I’ve got no problem with helping people and with people who are homeless in general. I know they scare some people, but I understand we all fall on hard times.

“What I’ve got a problem with is the drug dealers sitting there selling drugs right outside of my building.” Installing cameras moved the issue around the corner, but the problem persists.

“This is a constant battle, and I’m always having to run them off,” she said. “I’m concerned for the children and families in the area, that they are going to see the vile things these men stand out here and do, exposing themselves to the whole world.” The businesswoman stated that, on more than three occasions, she has witnessed men exposing and fondling themselves either on the side of, or across the street from, her place of business.

While business owners feel like their hands are tied, they report that the police officers say the same, and no one is sure what the solution is. The problem with no fix was acknowledged at a recent Homeless Coalition meeting. Among elected officials and public service staff, the notion was bantered about that Calder businesses continue to fail to thrive, in large part, because of the homeless population.

“We don’t have a homeless issue in Beaumont,” an audience member presented. “What we have is a drug issue. And, if we fix the drug issue, the homeless issue would clear itself up. That’s the biggest issue we have in Beaumont and that would solve a lot of problems.

“You’ve got two or three big drug houses right by SOP (Some Other Place on McFaddin Ave.), why ain’t we doing something about that?”

A chorus of nods in agreement with the attendee’s sentiments prompted a response from SOP volunteer KeKe Garrett.

“People have to want help,” Garrett said. “You can offer services to people all day long, but they have to want it.”

Currently, campers have made Calder Avenue and surrounding properties their home as they situate themselves near Some Other Place and Henry’s Place, where food, shelter and resources are readily available.

Meanwhile, the city continues to try to sell the idea of developing and revitalizing downtown despite reasons, such as unaddressed homeless encampments, deterring patrons and investors alike.

Just this week, Beaumont City Council committed to Phase 2 of a plan related to the possible development of a downtown hotel owned by the city, agreeing to enter into an agreement with Garfield Public/Private LLC to conduct a market study, perform planning and design services, determine estimated costs and develop a business and financing plan related to the potential development to the tune of $64,000.

“For several decades, the city has invested significantly in the redevelopment of Downtown Beaumont,” according to the July 11 Beaumont City Council Meeting Packet. “As a result, Downtown Beaumont serves as the premier location for festivals, private events and arts and culture in Southeast Texas.

“However, one key element that Downtown Beaumont lacks that almost every successfully redeveloped downtown of this size has is a full-service hotel in its downtown. To that end, the city is seeking to move forward with additional research and study of this project.”

Meanwhile, Wednesday afternoon, July 12, Beaumont Police Department officers responded to multiple calls of trespassing in the 1200 block of McFaddin Avenue, where a fed-up property owner confronted dozens of vagrants that have been camping and making an unsightly mess of his property for quite some time – a mess for which the property owner told The Examiner he has a $1,500 ticket for, and will appear in court Thursday morning to face.

“I didn’t authorize nobody to be here, so if you want to talk to somebody, talk to the cops, they’re writing tickets today,” said the property owner to a crowd of uninvited campers after driving down from Dallas with a Beaumont citation to answer. “This is a cesspool of drugs and ignorance, and I don’t want it.”

The property owner went on to inform those crowded on his property that he would remove whatever property wasn’t taken away by day’s end, adding that he would be coming back with a crew of people to put everything into a pile and light it on fire.

“It’s got to be gone today,” he said. “I’m done and I’m tired of fighting with y’all.”