Two Missouri residents suffering for three years with pungent odors and obscene actions from a homeless encampment outside their homes are taking the “woke” city to court.
Plaintiffs Richard Baumhoff and Steven McClanahan allege St. Louis refused to act despite multiple requests for the police and the city for a remedy. The residents said they were told by the police it was out of their hands and blamed Democratic Mayor Tishaura O. Jones.
According to the petition the two residents filed, Mayor Jones allegedly ordered the police not to intervene. However, the city has proven itself willing to remove homeless tents in certain circumstances, as it did when Vice President Kamala Harris visited St. Louis in 2023, the petition continued.
“For three years there have been two people living in a makeshift tent in front of their house,” the plaintiffs’ attorney W. Bevis Schock told Fox News Digital.
“They have a lovely front porch. They would like to go out … with a nice cup of coffee in the morning and … let the sun pour in on them and that cannot happen because these scary, smelly, noisy people are there, and they don’t have the proper use of their house because of that.”
The homeowners are feeling terrified of the street squatters – who are referred as “Doe and Roe” in court documents.
“On some occasions, Doe and Roe have become aggressive with Plaintiffs and screamed at Plaintiffs and at other people… Plaintiffs are scared of Doe and Roe due to their unpredictability.
“Plaintiffs no longer use their front porch and front yard because of the noxious odors emanating from the tent (including the smell of excrement),” the petition said.
Schock said the encampment “smells like poop” as the individuals use the storm sewer as their toilet, which poses a health hazard to the community.
“Plaintiff neighbors have seen [the homeless people] straddling over the sewer, using it as a toilet. [The] use of the storm sewer causes a public health hazard,” the petition said.
“It’s disgusting,” he said. “These people aren’t taking a shower every day. They have got garbage in their house. They see rats running around. They throw their litter outside their makeshift tent, including things like chicken bones and that draws vermin.”
Schock said his clients, who are “compassionate” people, hoped the problem would resolve on its own, but they cannot handle it anymore.
“They do yell a lot and that’s kind of scary and not that my clients aren’t brave people who can handle somebody yelling at them once in a while, but it’s uncomfortable for them because of that,” the attorney said.
The pair, whose home has no value in the marketplace with the homeless encampment, are not able to park in front of their home, use the front entrance or mow the lawn anymore. They also fear for the safety of their guests, according to the lawsuit.
“Doe and Roe occasionally emerge to wash themselves. Doe wraps a towel around his waist but then exposes himself when switching from towel to clothes,” the petition said.
“When Kamala Harris visited St. Louis and there were a bunch of homeless people living in tents on City Hall grounds, she removed them all,” Schock said. “I don’t know where they went. She got rid of them for the big visit of the vice president of the United States. So, they can move them out when they want to. They just have to want to and that’s a big factor in the case.”
Schock says the city’s administration are comprised of “woke left-wingers” that are “on the side of the homeless.”
“They think that the homeless are doing what they’re doing because rich, White men cause their problems and that’s how they view it… so, they have no interest in the interests of the taxpayers. I mean, my people pay property tax. They pay sales tax…. They’re the backbone of America, just regular people living their life quietly, go[ing] about their business.”
The petition was filed on Feb. 16.
Mayor Jones’ office was contacted for comment and did not immediately respond.
