‘Scary’: Business owners along this Fresno street are frustrated with the homelessness issue

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Homelessness along Blackstone Avenue continues to be a primary issue for many business owners there, and the city recently stepped in to help.

“It’s been crazy with the homeless and stuff right now. Got robbed a couple of times, but was able to get our stuff back. Scary times,” Former business owner on Blackstone Avenue, Natalie Corral, said.

Homelessness has been a persistent problem along Blackstone Avenue. It drove Corral and her thrift store out of the area three years ago.

“It’s bad. It’s anywhere you go and it’s really sad that these people don’t have any place to go,” Corral said.

The owner of La Enchilada Mexican Food, Jova Soto is still repairing broken windows and trying to keep her business afloat.

“This place used to be very crowded. All of Blackstone. But right now, it’s very difficult to maintain a business because of so many homeless people. They break windows, they attack people, the clients don’t want to come in because they find people here and they make a lot of mess,” Soto said.

But that mess is getting cleaned up, according to Fresno’s City Councilmember for District 6, Nick Richardson. He told YourCentralValley.com that the city is taking more steps to handle homelessness along the road.  

“Increased patrols, especially behind the businesses, has been a large step in mitigating some of the problems that the business owners have here,” Richardson said.

The large step in mitigating some of the problems is due to a recent meeting with the city and local organizations. 

“We’ve included the police department code enforcement planning, the housing authority, these non-governmental organizations who were helping out, as well as some business owners in the area,” Richardson said.

President of the Blackstone Merchants Association AJ Rassamni, has noticed more patrols along Blackstone.

“I want to say the city is doing a lot. The mayor already has some meetings about this issue with the police,” Rassamni said.

However, Rassamni wants the city to do more.

“I’m pushing the city to have a safe zone to put everybody in a safe zone, provide wraparound service. When we say that we treat the homeless with compassion, compassion is not leaving them on the streets,” Rassamni said.

According to Rassamni, over 400 children are homeless.

“I’m requesting from the city to provide Poverello House to the kids and the family,” Rassamni said.

Richardson says right now, you can help people get off the street.

“We recommend that you call the Heart team 6-2-1-CITY if you call. Use your phrase go app or 311. You can call in the locations of individuals who happen to be camping, panhandling, just sitting on the side of the road and really get them a service that may change their lives,” Richardson said.