Homeless teen: 'Some of us don't have a choice to be here'
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Some Yakima residents have noticed more homeless teenagers spending time hanging out in their neighborhood than they'd like.
"We can't get people to move into this building if we can't get rid of this eyesore of these kids because they're not going to want to move into a neighborhood of kids having sex, smoking marijuana, and drinking right out in the open," said James Autrey, who manages a nearby apartment complex.
"Throwing garbage everywhere, talking crap to people I live with- that should not be happening in town. That should not be happening anywhere," said neighbor Ben Allen.
"Our greenway looks like a public dump site," added Autrey.
But there are others who don't seem to mind.
"I don't think they really bother anybody. Just like anyone else who need a place to stay, a place to be. If this is their place then so be it," said Adam McLean.
A lot of these kids like Lacresha Johnson don't have anywhere else to go.
"Some of us don't have a choice to be here. Some of us are just stuck," said Johnson.
But she said most of them keep to themselves and don't bother others.
"We're not bad, we don't yell at no one. We don't start drama, we just do our thing and chill and hangout," said Johnson.
These kids aren't breaking any city codes by staying in these parks. As long as they behave themselves, there is little police can do other than continuing to patrol the area to prevent any type of illegal activity.
"We can't get people to move into this building if we can't get rid of this eyesore of these kids because they're not going to want to move into a neighborhood of kids having sex, smoking marijuana, and drinking right out in the open," said James Autrey, who manages a nearby apartment complex.
"Throwing garbage everywhere, talking crap to people I live with- that should not be happening in town. That should not be happening anywhere," said neighbor Ben Allen.
"Our greenway looks like a public dump site," added Autrey.
But there are others who don't seem to mind.
"I don't think they really bother anybody. Just like anyone else who need a place to stay, a place to be. If this is their place then so be it," said Adam McLean.
A lot of these kids like Lacresha Johnson don't have anywhere else to go.
"Some of us don't have a choice to be here. Some of us are just stuck," said Johnson.
But she said most of them keep to themselves and don't bother others.
"We're not bad, we don't yell at no one. We don't start drama, we just do our thing and chill and hangout," said Johnson.
These kids aren't breaking any city codes by staying in these parks. As long as they behave themselves, there is little police can do other than continuing to patrol the area to prevent any type of illegal activity.
maybe if parents where a little bit harder on them then maybe they wouldn't be living in parks. they just need a chance just like the rest of us that are homeless....
Like I said before ,,   What was the Law about the homeless people, a few years ago the police were all over them in the Downtown area?? They even made up a law I think about the homeless people??
I know it is rough out there / I ve been there before..
 @krazydog7 Seriously? It's been illegal to smoke pot in public, to drink underage in public, to have sex in public, to litter, to destroy property, to steal, and the list goes on and on. Life's tough, it's tougher if you're dumb. If you choose to be dumb, that's your problem, not the public's problem. Darwin's theory really needs to take hold in Yakima.Â
Okay... let me get this straight, they have money to buy alcohol and marijuana, but no money to get shelter. Right. They are not homeless, they are lazy idiots.Â
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Well... whose fault is it that they are homeless? A basic education is free in Washington State. They made a choice in life to ditch school and smoke pot all day long instead of getting an education. Now they find themselves homeless, with no life skills, no work skills, no education and ignorant. They only have themselves to blame. They should be losers somewhere else, like North Korea where they can appreciate the opportunities the choose to forgo.Â
 @GeorgeG. You don't know what you are talking about.Â