Businesses in Downtown Charlotte Amalie Grapple With Growing Homelessness Problem

During a meeting of the St. Thomas/St. John Historical Preservation Committee, one applicant vented about how increasing numbers of homeless people is causing a growing headache for property owners in the area.

Dilsa Capdeville was seeking approval to repaint one of the buildings on 5 & 6 Kongens Gade, which houses Paradise Essential Rentals among other tenants. After a discussion about colors for the main portion, trim and wall, a comment by Sean Krigger, director of the State Historic Preservation Office, about power washing the steps in front of the building led Ms. Capdeville to mention a growing problem she and others in the area have been experiencing.

“A challenge we are having on Kongens Gade…is that a lot of homeless individuals reside there at night,” she told HPC members. They leave behind debris including dirty clothing and other items she was reluctant to name. The steps of her building and others in the area sometimes serve as a toilet, she noted, saying that property owners are the ones who must clean things up when the sun rises. “My daughter Lisa and I have gotten there in the mornings…urine, diarrhea, everything coming down the steps,” she said.

Drawing on a relationship previously established with the VIPD through an agency she had run, Ms. Capdeville decided to approach the police department with a win-win proposal. “Their SWAT Unit comes once a week…to have their training on the property,” she said, noting that the numbers of unhoused people around the property subsequently decreased.